Here, we report on the assembly of thymine molecules into extended straight chains of single and multiple dimer rows on a
Si(111)/Ag
Ö3×Ö3\sqrt{3}\times \sqrt{3}
R30° surface. Using variable temperature scanning tunneling microscopy, we follow the nucleation process and formation of
self-assembled structures. Submonolayer coverages at 120 K are disordered and exhibit a high density of thymine dimers. Upon
annealing the dimers assemble into extended dimer chains along three equivalent high-symmetry surface directions. At low coverages
single dimer rows are favored. At increased coverage chains with multiple dimer rows are observed, with a preference to an
even multiplicity. We show that a complex cross-talk between H-bond thymine–thymine interactions and commensurization of dimer
chains to the Ag/Si surface leads to this specific layout.
PACS 81.16.Fg - 82.37.Rs - 87.64.Dz