Organic radicals hold great potential for application in quantum computing. Namely,
the spin of their unpaired electron in the outer shell could be utilized as a qubit. The
primary obstacle, however, is that such molecules are typically highly reactive, making
it difficult to prevent them from reacting with their environment. In our research,
we focused on the organic radical azafullerene C$_{59}$N, which, when paired with the
cycloparaphenylene [10]CPP molecule, shows potential for prolonged preservation of
its radical state. The protection is based on a process called encapsulation, where the
spherical azafullerene is captured within the ring-shaped cycloparaphenylene. The
radical seldom bonds with the cycloparaphenylene, which isolates it from the environment
and thereby hinders its bonding with other substances. The ultimate goal
of this research was to obtain a surface layer of azafullerenes encapsulated within
cycloparaphenylenes. To provide a stable base for molecular deposition, we used
Au(111) gold substrates due to their low reactivity, which at the same time enabled
the use of a scanning tunneling microscope (STM) that allows the investigation of
conducting materials.
The thesis first introduces the physical foundations and mechanical principles of
STM operation, along with various data acquisition modes it provides. Next, the
sample preparation process is presented, along with the new evaporator, which was
built to conduct the experiments presented in the thesis. These are presented later
on, alongside the data analysis. First, we deposited the individual components onto
a clean Au(111) gold surface; initially only C$_{59}$N, and then only [10]CPP. Prior to
processing the measurements, we also had to perform the calibration of the STM.
Finally, we prepared a sample onto which both types of molecules were deposited.
By analyzing the various prepared structures, we confirmed with high probability
the formation of individual encapsulated azafullerenes.
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