Reversible Switching of a Single-Dipole Molecule Imbedded in Two-Dimensional Hydrogen-Bonded Binary Molecular Networks

Understanding the single-molecule switching mechanism in densely packed, rationally designed, and highly organized nanostructures is crucial for practical applications such as high-density data storage devices. In this article, we report an in situ low-temperature scanning tunneling microscopy (LT-STM) investigation of reversible switching of a single-dipole molecule (chloroaluminium phthalocyanine, ClAlPc) imbedded in two-dimensional (2D) hydrogen-bonded binary molecular networks on graphite. The single-molecule switching is highly localized and reversible and leaves the neighboring molecular network unaffected. The switching direction can be controlled by the polarity of the voltage pulse applied to the STM tip. On the basis of experimental results and theoretical calculations, the reversible switching is proposed to be caused by the "shuttling" of the CI atom between two sides of the ClAlPc molecular plane.