A TEM Investigation on the Crystal Structure of $C_{60}$ Thin Crystals

$C_{60}$ 얇은 결정의 결정구조에 관한 투과형전자현미경 연구

[ $C_{60}$ ] molecule, the Buckminsterfullerene, has generated great interest because of its unique molecular structure and of superconductivity exhibited in its alkali-doped solids. We have investigated the molecular stacking and crystal structure of $C_{60}$ thin crystals formed on amorphous carbon film. The $C_{60}$ powder which was chromatographically purified was dissolved in benzene. The thin crystals of $C_{60}$ were observed with a 300 keV transmission electron microscope. Electron diffraction analysis and direct imaging of its molecular stacking were carried out. It was found from this work that the molecules of $10.0{\AA}$ diameter are arrayed hexagonally on substrate surface and $8.7{\AA}$ lattice planes are quite often found in several types of ED patterns, which can never be explained with a fcc model. Therefore the structure of $C_{60}$ thin crystals is hcp, although we cannot fully exclude the possibility of co-existence of hcp and fcc.