Dr Peter Sloan
Profile
My research interests lie at the boundary of physics and chemistry and explore the possibilities of controlling and manipulating, on the atomic scale, individual molecules at a surface. Specifically by probing single molecule excitations by tunnelling electrons (or holes) from the tip on a scanning tunnelling microscope (STM), to both further understand these fundamental processes and to uncover new methods of controlling matter at the atomic scale. This research covers the electronic structure of surfaces, molecule/surface interactions, electron/surface/molecule interactions and actions, and is beginning to explore electron transport at surfaces. Specifically I study small (and large) molecules on graphene and on semiconducting surfaces. Additionally with the advent of programmable STM control electronics I aim to add layers of automation and optimization to allow state-of-the-art atomic manipulation to be performed even when having lunch.
Publications
Sakulsermsuk, S., Palmer, R. E. and Sloan, P. A., 2012. Preparing and regulating a bi-stable molecular switch by atomic manipulation. Journal of Physics-Condensed Matter, 24 (39), 394014.
Pan, T. L., Sakulsermsuk, S., Sloan, P. A. and Palmer, R. E., 2011. Site- and energy-selective intramolecular manipulation of polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) molecules. Journal of the American Chemical Society, 133 (31), pp. 11834-11836.
Sloan, P. A., 2011. Tunnel-current induced STM atomic manipulation. In: Atomic and Molecular Manipulation. Elsevier Science, pp. 121-150.
Sakulsermsuk, S., Sloan, P. A. and Palmer, R. E., 2010. A new mechanism of atomic manipulation: bond-selective molecular dissociation via thermally activated electron attachment. ACS Nano, 4 (12), pp. 7344-7348.
Sloan, P. A., Sakulsermsuk, S. and Palmer, R. E., 2010. Nonlocal desorption of chlorobenzene molecules from the Si(111)-(7×7) surface by charge injection from the tip of a scanning tunneling microscope: remote control of atomic manipulation. Physical Review Letters, 105 (4), 048301.
Sakulsermsuk, S., Sloan, P. A., Theis, W. and Palmer, R. E., 2010. Calibrating thermal and scanning tunnelling microscope induced desorption and diffusion for the chemisorbed chlorobenzene/Si(111)7 × 7 system. Journal of Physics-Condensed Matter, 22 (8), 084002.
Sloan, P. A., 2010. Time-resolved scanning tunnelling microscopy for molecular science. Journal of Physics-Condensed Matter, 22 (26), 264001.
