Complexity in Two‐Dimensional Multicomponent Assembly

This chapter provides a survey of the progress made in the construction of complex multicomponent supramolecular architectures on solid surfaces. The discussion is focussed on the self-assembly of organic building blocks physisorbed on solid surfaces such as graphite and gold and characterised using scanning tunnelling microscopy (STM). The fundamental aspects governing the crystalline co-assembly of organic molecules on solid surfaces are discussed followed by a detailed review of the multicomponent systems. The systems are described with an increasing number of building blocks involved in the self-assembly process. Besides the broad classification based on the number of components, the multicomponent systems are categorised further as those based on host–guest type and non-host–guest type interactions.