Electronic structure of uracil-like nucleobases adsorbed on Si(001): uracil, thymine and 5-fluorouracil

We study the electronic properties of the Si(001):Uracil, Si(001):Thymine, andSi(001):5-Fluorouracil systems, focusing on the Si dimer-bridging configuration withadsorption governed by carbonyl groups. While the overall structural and electronicproperties are similar, with small differences due to chemical substitutions, much largereffects on the surface band dispersion and bandgap show up as a function of the molecularorientation with respect to the surface. An off-normal orientation of the molecular planesis favored, showing larger bandgap and lower total energy than the upright position. Wealso analyze the localization of gap-edge occupied and unoccupied surface states