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Published online by Cambridge University Press: 14 January 2011
Recently, the first molecular nanowheel was synthesized and characterizedfrom Scanning Tunneling Microscope (STM) experiments. It was demonstratedthat a specifically designed hydrocarbon molecule (C44H24) could roll on a copper substrate along the[110] surface direction. In this work we report a preliminary theoreticalanalysis of the isolated molecule and of its rolling processes on differentCu surfaces. We have used ab initio and classical moleculardynamics methods. The simulations showed that the rolling mechanism is onlypossible for the [110] surface. In this case, the spatial separation amongrows of copper atoms is enough to ‘trap’ the molecule and to create thenecessary torque to roll it. Other surface orientations ([111] and [100])are too smooth and cannot provide the necessary torque for the rollingprocess.