Nanowire connection using chain polymerization

We demonstrate that chain polymerization of molecules can be initiated by stimulating a thin molecular film with a scanning tunneling microscope (STM) tip, so that a conjugated polymer nanowire can be created at designated positions. The demonstration has been presented for a self-ordered monomolecular layer of diacetylene compound adsorbed on a graphite surface. By stimulating the molecular layer with an STM tip at a single point, a linear polydiacetylene molecule of length ranging from 5 to 300 nm was created, the length being controlled by domain boundaries or artificial defects in the molecular layer.