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T. Terui *, T. Kamikado, Y. Okuno, H. Suzuki, S. Mashiko Nanotechnology Group, Kansai Advanced Research Center, Communications Research Laboratory, 588-2, Iwaoka, Nishi-ku, Kobe 651-2401, Japan We performed scanning tunneling microscopy (STM) experiments on mono- or sub-monolayer deposited porphyrin molecules on metal substrates. We observed substitution-dependent structure changes of the molecules. Obtaining STM images of the structure and arrangement of functional molecules would contribute valuable information towards creation of nano-molecular-devices, scanning probe microscopy (SPM) shows the greatest potential for reaching this goal, at present. STM is able to obtain images with nano-meter resolution of molecules on metal surfaces. These high-resolution images reveal the molecular structure and arrangement of the molecules on the surface and contain information about the molecule-substrate interaction and the molecule-molecule interaction. STM will be useful for the assembly of nano-devices made from molecules on a substrate. © 2003 Etsevier B.V. All rights reserved. PACS: 61.16.C Keywords: STM; Tertiary-butyl-phenyl-porphyrin |