Monolayer Structure of Arachidic Acid on Graphite

The self-assembly of arachidic acid (C(19)H(39)COOH) at the liquid solid interface between 1-phenyloctane (C(6)H(5)(CH(2))(7)CH(3)) and highly oriented pyrolytic graphite (HOPG) is studied by scanning tunneling microscopy (STM) to identify the structure of the monomolecular film. We observe the formation of highly ordered domains with molecules oriented in three different orientations compatible with the symmetry of the HOPG substrate, a spontaneous enantiomeric separation of the pro-chiral molecules, and reveal structural details with submolecular resolution. To determine the surface unit cell with an intrinsic calibration to the substrate atomic structure, the intermolecular distance is p…