A statistical approach to inelastic electron tunneling spectroscopy on fullerene-terminated molecules

We report on the vibrational fingerprint of single C(60) terminated molecules in a mechanically controlled break junction (MCBJ) setup using a novel statistical approach manipulating the junction mechanically to address different molecular configurations and to monitor the corresponding vibrational modes. In the IETS spectra, the vibrations of the anchoring C(60) dominate the spectra; thus information on the unit anchored with C(60) to the electrodes is masked by the modes arising from the anchoring groups. However, we have identified the additional modes from the fluorene backbone optically.