1
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Weng J, Yao H, Wang J, Li G. Self-assembly morphology transition mechanism of similar amphiphilic molecules. Phys Chem Chem Phys 2023; 26:533-542. [PMID: 38086650 DOI: 10.1039/d3cp04556k] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/22/2023]
Abstract
Molecular self-assembly is a powerful synthesis method for nanomaterials. Promoting the development of self-assembly is not only conducive to the efficient preparation of nanomaterials but also promotes progress in other research fields. Therefore, it is necessary to enhance the advancement of molecular self-assembly, and the key is to deepen the understanding of the correlation between molecular characteristics and self-assembly morphologies. However, some similar amphipihlic molecules self-assemble into assemblies with significant morphology difference, which is challenging to clear the mechanism for experimenters. In this work, we explore the microscopic mechanism of six similar molecules by MD simulations, and the influences of molecular conformation, atomic groups, and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons on morphologies are discussed in detail. Our findings enrich the design principles of amphiphilic molecules for self-assembly, which promotes the modular design of molecular self-assembly.
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Affiliation(s)
- Junben Weng
- Laboratory of Molecular Modeling and Design, State Key Laboratory of Molecular Reaction Dynamics, Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Dalian, 116023, P. R. China.
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Haojiang Yao
- Laboratory of Molecular Modeling and Design, State Key Laboratory of Molecular Reaction Dynamics, Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Dalian, 116023, P. R. China.
- School of Chemistry and Materials Science, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei 230026, Anhui, China
| | - Junfeng Wang
- Laboratory of Molecular Modeling and Design, State Key Laboratory of Molecular Reaction Dynamics, Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Dalian, 116023, P. R. China.
- School of Physics, Liaoning University, Shenyang 110036, P. R. China
| | - Guohui Li
- Laboratory of Molecular Modeling and Design, State Key Laboratory of Molecular Reaction Dynamics, Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Dalian, 116023, P. R. China.
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2
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Scherb S, Hinaut A, Yao X, Götz A, Al-Hilfi SH, Wang XY, Hu Y, Qiu Z, Song Y, Müllen K, Glatzel T, Narita A, Meyer E. Solution-Synthesized Extended Graphene Nanoribbons Deposited by High-Vacuum Electrospray Deposition. ACS NANO 2023; 17:597-605. [PMID: 36542550 PMCID: PMC9835822 DOI: 10.1021/acsnano.2c09748] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/30/2022] [Accepted: 11/23/2022] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
Solution-synthesized graphene nanoribbons (GNRs) facilitate various interesting structures and functionalities, like nonplanarity and thermolabile functional groups, that are not or not easily accessible by on-surface synthesis. Here, we show the successful high-vacuum electrospray deposition (HVESD) of well-elongated solution-synthesized GNRs on surfaces maintained in ultrahigh vacuum. We compare three distinct GNRs, a twisted nonplanar fjord-edged GNR, a methoxy-functionalized "cove"-type (or also called gulf) GNR, and a longer "cove"-type GNR both equipped with alkyl chains on Au(111). Nc-AFM measurements at room temperature with submolecular imaging combined with Raman spectroscopy allow us to characterize individual GNRs and confirm their chemical integrity. The fjord-GNR and methoxy-GNR are additionally deposited on nonmetallic HOPG and SiO2, and fjord-GNR is deposited on a KBr(001) surface, facilitating the study of GNRs on substrates, as of now not accessible by on-surface synthesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sebastian Scherb
- Department
of Physics, University of Basel, Klingelbergstrasse 82, 4056, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Antoine Hinaut
- Department
of Physics, University of Basel, Klingelbergstrasse 82, 4056, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Xuelin Yao
- Max
Plank Institute for Polymer Research, Ackermannweg 10, 55128, Mainz, Germany
| | - Alicia Götz
- Max
Plank Institute for Polymer Research, Ackermannweg 10, 55128, Mainz, Germany
- Department
of Chemistry, Johannes Gutenberg University
Mainz, Duesbergweg 10-14, 55128 Mainz, Germany
| | - Samir H. Al-Hilfi
- Max
Plank Institute for Polymer Research, Ackermannweg 10, 55128, Mainz, Germany
| | - Xiao-Ye Wang
- Max
Plank Institute for Polymer Research, Ackermannweg 10, 55128, Mainz, Germany
| | - Yunbin Hu
- Max
Plank Institute for Polymer Research, Ackermannweg 10, 55128, Mainz, Germany
| | - Zijie Qiu
- Max
Plank Institute for Polymer Research, Ackermannweg 10, 55128, Mainz, Germany
| | - Yiming Song
- Department
of Physics, University of Basel, Klingelbergstrasse 82, 4056, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Klaus Müllen
- Max
Plank Institute for Polymer Research, Ackermannweg 10, 55128, Mainz, Germany
- Department
of Chemistry, Johannes Gutenberg University
Mainz, Duesbergweg 10-14, 55128 Mainz, Germany
| | - Thilo Glatzel
- Department
of Physics, University of Basel, Klingelbergstrasse 82, 4056, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Akimitsu Narita
- Max
Plank Institute for Polymer Research, Ackermannweg 10, 55128, Mainz, Germany
| | - Ernst Meyer
- Department
of Physics, University of Basel, Klingelbergstrasse 82, 4056, Basel, Switzerland
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3
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Vilhena JG, Pawlak R, D'Astolfo P, Liu X, Gnecco E, Kisiel M, Glatzel T, Pérez R, Häner R, Decurtins S, Baratoff A, Prampolini G, Liu SX, Meyer E. Flexible Superlubricity Unveiled in Sidewinding Motion of Individual Polymeric Chains. PHYSICAL REVIEW LETTERS 2022; 128:216102. [PMID: 35687435 DOI: 10.1103/physrevlett.128.216102] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/28/2021] [Revised: 02/22/2022] [Accepted: 04/19/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
A combination of low temperature atomic force microcopy and molecular dynamic simulations is used to demonstrate that soft designer molecules realize a sidewinding motion when dragged over a gold surface. Exploiting their longitudinal flexibility, pyrenylene chains are indeed able to lower diffusion energy barriers via on-surface directional locking and molecular strain. The resulting ultralow friction reaches values on the order of tens of pN reported so far only for rigid chains sliding on an incommensurate surface. Therefore, we demonstrate how molecular flexibility can be harnessed to realize complex nanomotion while retaining a superlubric character. This is in contrast with the paradigm guiding the design of most superlubric nanocontacts (mismatched rigid contacting surfaces).
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Affiliation(s)
- J G Vilhena
- Department of Physics, University of Basel, Klingelbergstrasse 82, 4056 Basel, Switzerland
- Departamento de Física Teórica de la Materia Condensada, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, E-28049 Madrid, Spain
| | - Rémy Pawlak
- Department of Physics, University of Basel, Klingelbergstrasse 82, 4056 Basel, Switzerland
| | - Philipp D'Astolfo
- Department of Physics, University of Basel, Klingelbergstrasse 82, 4056 Basel, Switzerland
| | - Xunshan Liu
- Department of Chemistry, Zhejiang Sci-tech University, 314423 Hangzhou, China
- Department of Chemistry, Biochemistry and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Bern, Freiestrasse 3, 3012 Bern, Switzerland
| | - Enrico Gnecco
- Marian Smoluchowski Institute of Physics, Jagiellonian University, Lojasiewicza 11, 30-348 Krakow, Poland
| | - Marcin Kisiel
- Department of Physics, University of Basel, Klingelbergstrasse 82, 4056 Basel, Switzerland
| | - Thilo Glatzel
- Department of Physics, University of Basel, Klingelbergstrasse 82, 4056 Basel, Switzerland
| | - Rúben Pérez
- Departamento de Física Teórica de la Materia Condensada, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, E-28049 Madrid, Spain
- Condensed Matter Physics Center (IFIMAC), Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, E-28049 Madrid, Spain
| | - Robert Häner
- Department of Chemistry, Biochemistry and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Bern, Freiestrasse 3, 3012 Bern, Switzerland
| | - Silvio Decurtins
- Department of Chemistry, Biochemistry and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Bern, Freiestrasse 3, 3012 Bern, Switzerland
| | - Alexis Baratoff
- Department of Physics, University of Basel, Klingelbergstrasse 82, 4056 Basel, Switzerland
| | - Giacomo Prampolini
- Istituto di Chimica dei Composti Organo Metallici, Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche (ICCOM-CNR), 56124 Pisa, Italy
| | - Shi-Xia Liu
- Department of Chemistry, Biochemistry and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Bern, Freiestrasse 3, 3012 Bern, Switzerland
| | - Ernst Meyer
- Department of Physics, University of Basel, Klingelbergstrasse 82, 4056 Basel, Switzerland
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4
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Hou ICY, Hinaut A, Scherb S, Meyer E, Narita A, Müllen K. Synthesis of Giant Dendritic Polyphenylenes with 366 and 546 Carbon Atoms and their High-vacuum Electrospray Deposition. Chem Asian J 2022; 17:e202200220. [PMID: 35381624 PMCID: PMC9321752 DOI: 10.1002/asia.202200220] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/02/2022] [Revised: 03/31/2022] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
Dendritic polyphenylenes (PPs) can serve as precursors of nanographenes (NGs) if their structures represent 2D projections without overlapping benzene rings. Here, we report the synthesis of two giant dendritic PPs fulfilling this criteria with 366 and 546 carbon atoms by applying a “layer‐by‐layer” extension strategy. Although our initial attempts on their cyclodehydrogenation toward the corresponding NGs in solution were unsuccessful, we achieved their deposition on metal substrates under ultrahigh vacuum through the electrospray technique. Scanning probe microscopy imaging provides valuable information on the possible thermally induced partial planarization of such giant dendritic PPs on a metal surface.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ian Cheng-Yi Hou
- Max-Planck-Institut fur Polymerforschung, synthetic chemitry, GERMANY
| | - Antoine Hinaut
- University of Basel: Universitat Basel, physics, GERMANY
| | | | - Ernst Meyer
- University of Basel: Universitat Basel, physics, GERMANY
| | - Akimitsu Narita
- Max-Planck-Institut für Polymerforschung: Max-Planck-Institut fur Polymerforschung, synthetic chemistry, GERMANY
| | - Klaus Müllen
- Max-Planck-Institut für Polymerforschung, Ackermannweg 10, 55128, Mainz, GERMANY
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5
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Li C, Meng X, Weismann A, von Glasenapp JS, Hamer S, Xiang F, Pignedoli CA, Herges R, Berndt R. Effect of an axial ligand on the self-assembly of molecular platforms. Phys Chem Chem Phys 2022; 24:28864-28869. [DOI: 10.1039/d2cp04760h] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Sub-monolayer amounts of trioxatriangulenium (TOTA) molecules functionalized with biphenyl on Ag(111) were investigated with scanning tunnelling microscopy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chao Li
- Institut für Experimentelle und Angewandte Physik, Christian-Albrechts-Universität zu Kiel, 24098 Kiel, Germany
| | - Xiangzhi Meng
- Institut für Experimentelle und Angewandte Physik, Christian-Albrechts-Universität zu Kiel, 24098 Kiel, Germany
| | - Alexander Weismann
- Institut für Experimentelle und Angewandte Physik, Christian-Albrechts-Universität zu Kiel, 24098 Kiel, Germany
| | - Jan-Simon von Glasenapp
- Otto-Diels-Institut für Organische Chemie, Christian-Albrechts-Universität zu Kiel, 24098 Kiel, Germany
| | - Sebastian Hamer
- Otto-Diels-Institut für Organische Chemie, Christian-Albrechts-Universität zu Kiel, 24098 Kiel, Germany
| | - Feifei Xiang
- nanotech@surfaces Laboratory, EMPA, Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Science and Technology, 8600 Dübendorf, Switzerland
| | - Carlo A. Pignedoli
- nanotech@surfaces Laboratory, EMPA, Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Science and Technology, 8600 Dübendorf, Switzerland
| | - Rainer Herges
- Otto-Diels-Institut für Organische Chemie, Christian-Albrechts-Universität zu Kiel, 24098 Kiel, Germany
| | - Richard Berndt
- Institut für Experimentelle und Angewandte Physik, Christian-Albrechts-Universität zu Kiel, 24098 Kiel, Germany
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6
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Kawai S, Sugawara K, Ma Y, Sun K, Custance O, Ishigaki Y, Suzuki T. Multiple Molecular Interactions between Alkyl Groups and Dissociated Bromine Atoms on Ag(111). Phys Chem Chem Phys 2022; 24:22191-22197. [DOI: 10.1039/d2cp03198a] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
Multiple intermolecular interactions offer a high-degree of controllability of on-surface molecular assemblies. Here, two kinds of molecular networks were formed by depositing 11,11,12,12-tetrabromo-1,4,5,8-tetraaza-9,10-anthraquinodimethane derivatives with two different alkyl groups in...
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7
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Vilhena JG, Greff da Silveira L, Livotto PR, Cacelli I, Prampolini G. Automated Parameterization of Quantum Mechanically Derived Force Fields for Soft Materials and Complex Fluids: Development and Validation. J Chem Theory Comput 2021; 17:4449-4464. [PMID: 34185536 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jctc.1c00213] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
Abstract
The reliability of molecular dynamics (MD) simulations in predicting macroscopic properties of complex fluids and soft materials, such as liquid crystals, colloidal suspensions, or polymers, relies on the accuracy of the adopted force field (FF). We present an automated protocol to derive specific and accurate FFs, fully based on ab initio quantum mechanical (QM) data. The integration of the Joyce and Picky procedures, recently proposed by our group to provide an accurate description of simple liquids, is here extended to larger molecules, capable of exhibiting more complex fluid phases. While the standard Joyce protocol is employed to parameterize the intramolecular FF term, a new automated procedure is here proposed to handle the computational cost of the QM calculations required for the parameterization of the intermolecular FF term. The latter is thus obtained by integrating the old Picky procedure with a fragmentation reconstruction method (FRM) that allows for a reliable, yet computationally feasible sampling of the intermolecular energy surface at the QM level. The whole FF parameterization protocol is tested on a benchmark liquid crystal, and the performances of the resulting quantum mechanically derived (QMD) FF were compared with those delivered by a general-purpose, transferable one, and by the third, "hybrid" FF, where only the bonded terms were refined against QM data. Lengthy atomistic MD simulations are carried out with each FF on extended 5CB systems in both isotropic and nematic phases, eventually validating the proposed protocol by comparing the resulting macroscopic properties with other computational models and with experiments. The QMD-FF yields the best performances, reproducing both phases in the correct range of temperatures and well describing their structure, dynamics, and thermodynamic properties, thus providing a clear protocol that may be explored to predict such properties on other complex fluids or soft materials.
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Affiliation(s)
- J G Vilhena
- Department of Physics, University of Basel, Klingelbergstrasse 82, 4056 Basel, Switzerland
| | - Leandro Greff da Silveira
- Instituto de Química, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Avenida Bento Gonçalves 9500, CEP 91501-970 Porto Alegre, Brazil
| | - Paolo Roberto Livotto
- Instituto de Química, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Avenida Bento Gonçalves 9500, CEP 91501-970 Porto Alegre, Brazil
| | - Ivo Cacelli
- Dipartimento di Chimica e Chimica Industriale, Università di Pisa, Via G. Moruzzi 13, I-56124 Pisa, Italy
| | - Giacomo Prampolini
- Istituto di Chimica dei Composti OrganoMetallici, ICCOM-CNR, Area della Ricerca, via G. Moruzzi 1, I-56124 Pisa, Italy
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8
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Hinaut A, Scherb S, Freund S, Liu Z, Glatzel T, Meyer E. Influence of electrospray deposition on C 60 molecular assemblies. BEILSTEIN JOURNAL OF NANOTECHNOLOGY 2021; 12:552-558. [PMID: 34221801 PMCID: PMC8218541 DOI: 10.3762/bjnano.12.45] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/30/2021] [Accepted: 06/01/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Maintaining clean conditions for samples during all steps of preparation and investigation is important for scanning probe studies at the atomic or molecular level. For large or fragile organic molecules, where sublimation cannot be used, high-vacuum electrospray deposition is a good alternative. However, because this method requires the introduction into vacuum of the molecules from solution, clean conditions are more difficult to be maintained. Additionally, because the presence of solvent on the surface cannot be fully eliminated, one has to take care of its possible influence. Here, we compare the high-vacuum electrospray deposition method to thermal evaporation for the preparation of C60 on different surfaces and compare, for sub-monolayer coverages, the influence of the deposition method on the formation of molecular assemblies. Whereas the island location is the main difference for metal surfaces, we observe for alkali halide and metal oxide substrates that the high-vacuum electrospray method can yield single isolated molecules accompanied by surface modifications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Antoine Hinaut
- Department of Physics, University of Basel, Klingelbergstrasse 82, 4056 Basel, Switzerland
| | - Sebastian Scherb
- Department of Physics, University of Basel, Klingelbergstrasse 82, 4056 Basel, Switzerland
| | - Sara Freund
- Department of Physics, University of Basel, Klingelbergstrasse 82, 4056 Basel, Switzerland
| | - Zhao Liu
- Department of Physics, University of Basel, Klingelbergstrasse 82, 4056 Basel, Switzerland
| | - Thilo Glatzel
- Department of Physics, University of Basel, Klingelbergstrasse 82, 4056 Basel, Switzerland
| | - Ernst Meyer
- Department of Physics, University of Basel, Klingelbergstrasse 82, 4056 Basel, Switzerland
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9
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Liu Z, Hinaut A, Peeters S, Scherb S, Meyer E, Righi MC, Glatzel T. Reconstruction of a 2D layer of KBr on Ir(111) and electromechanical alteration by graphene. BEILSTEIN JOURNAL OF NANOTECHNOLOGY 2021; 12:432-439. [PMID: 34104621 PMCID: PMC8144921 DOI: 10.3762/bjnano.12.35] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/20/2021] [Accepted: 04/17/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
A novel reconstruction of a two-dimensional layer of KBr on an Ir(111) surface is observed by high-resolution noncontact atomic force microscopy and verified by density functional theory (DFT). The observed KBr structure is oriented along the main directions of the Ir(111) surface, but forms a characteristic double-line pattern. Comprehensive calculations by DFT, taking into account the observed periodicities, resulted in a new low-energy reconstruction. However, it is fully relaxed into a common cubic structure when a monolayer of graphene is located between substrate and KBr. By using Kelvin probe force microscopy, the work functions of the reconstructed and the cubic configuration of KBr were measured and indicate, in accordance with the DFT calculations, a difference of nearly 900 meV. The difference is due to the strong interaction and local charge displacement of the K+/Br- ions and the Ir(111) surface, which are reduced by the decoupling effect of graphene, thus yielding different electrical and mechanical properties of the top KBr layer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhao Liu
- Department of Physics, University of Basel, 4056 Basel, Switzerland
| | - Antoine Hinaut
- Department of Physics, University of Basel, 4056 Basel, Switzerland
| | - Stefan Peeters
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Bologna, 40127 Bologna, Italy
| | - Sebastian Scherb
- Department of Physics, University of Basel, 4056 Basel, Switzerland
| | - Ernst Meyer
- Department of Physics, University of Basel, 4056 Basel, Switzerland
| | - Maria Clelia Righi
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Bologna, 40127 Bologna, Italy
| | - Thilo Glatzel
- Department of Physics, University of Basel, 4056 Basel, Switzerland
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