Frequency-modulation atomic force microscopy (FM-AFM) was employed to reveal the structural properties of a rubrene single crystal immersed in an ionic liquid. We found large vacancies formed by the anisotropic dissolution of rubrene molecules. Molecular resolution imaging revealed that structures of FM-AFM images deviated from the bulk-terminated structure.

The structural properties of ionic liquid/rubrene single-crystal interfaces were investigated using frequency modulation atomic force microscopy. The spontaneous dissolution of rubrene molecules into the ionic liquid was triggered by surface defects such as rubrene oxide defects, and the dissolution rate strongly depended on the initial conditions of the rubrene surface. Dissolution of the second rubrene layer was slower due to the lower defect density, leading to the formation of a clean interface irrespective of the initial conditions. Molecular-resolution images were easily obtained at the interface, and their corrugation patterns changed with the applied force. Force curve measurements revealed that a few solvation layers of ionic liquid molecules formed at the interface, and the force needed to penetrate the solvation layers was an order of magnitude smaller than typical ionic liquid/inorganic solid interfaces. These specific properties are discussed with respect to electric double-layer transistors based on the ionic liquid/rubrene single-crystal interface.

Surface processing of a rubrene single crystal immersed in ionic liquids is valuable for further development of low voltage transistors operated by an electric double layer. We performed a precise and clean surface processing based on the tip-induced dissolution of rubrene molecules at the ionic liquid/rubrene single crystal interfaces by using frequency modulation atomic force microscopy. Molecular resolution imaging revealed that the tip-induced dissolution proceeded via metastable low density states derived from the anisotropic intermolecular interactions within the crystal structure.