Fluorescence and phosphorescence from individual C-60 molecules excited by local electron tunneling

Using the highly localized current of electrons tunneling through a double barrier scanning tunneling microscope junction, we excite luminescence from a selected C60 mol. in the surface layer of fullerene nanocrystals grown on an ultrathin NaCl film on Au(111). In the obsd. fluorescence and phosphorescence spectra, pure electronic as well as vibronically induced transitions of an individual C60 mol. are identified, leading to unambiguous chem. recognition on the single-mol. scale. [on SciFinder (R)]