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Shekhawat AS, A B NK, Diwan A, Murugan D, Chithravel A, Daukiya L, Shrivastav AM, Srivastava T, Saxena SK. Harnessing carbon electrodes in molecular junctions: progress and challenges in device engineering. NANOSCALE 2025; 17:8363-8400. [PMID: 40080121 DOI: 10.1039/d4nr05242k] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/15/2025]
Abstract
The relentless pursuit of miniaturization and enhanced functionality in electronic devices has driven researchers to explore innovative approaches. Carbon electrode-based molecular junctions (MJs) have emerged as a promising frontier in the quest for next-generation electronics. This review provides a comprehensive overview of the current state of research on carbon-based MJs for practical devices, focusing on their unique properties, such as charge transport phenomena, fabrication methods, and potential applications in revolutionizing electronic components. The inherent quantum nature of molecules introduces distinct electronic properties, enabling functionalities beyond those achievable with traditional semiconductor-based devices. The diverse range of molecules employed in creating these junctions highlights their tailored electronic characteristics and, consequently, device performance. The fabrication techniques for MJs are discussed in detail. The charge transport mechanisms in such junctions are also discussed, along with temperature effects. Additionally, the review addresses the integration of MJs into electronic circuits, considering scalability, reproducibility, and compatibility with existing manufacturing technologies. The potential applications of MJs in electronic devices, such as temperature-independent robust practical photosensors, photoswitches, charge storage devices, sensors and LEDs, are elucidated. However, challenges, such as stability, variability, and large-scale integration, are also addressed to realize the full potential of MJs in practical applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Abhishek S Shekhawat
- Department of Physics and Nanotechnology, College of Engineering and Technology, SRM Institute of Science and Technology, Kattankulathur, 603203, Chennai, India.
| | - Navaneeth Krishnan A B
- Department of Physics and Nanotechnology, College of Engineering and Technology, SRM Institute of Science and Technology, Kattankulathur, 603203, Chennai, India.
| | - Aarti Diwan
- Department of Physics and Nanotechnology, College of Engineering and Technology, SRM Institute of Science and Technology, Kattankulathur, 603203, Chennai, India.
| | - Dhatchayani Murugan
- Department of Physics and Nanotechnology, College of Engineering and Technology, SRM Institute of Science and Technology, Kattankulathur, 603203, Chennai, India.
| | - Akila Chithravel
- Department of Physics and Nanotechnology, College of Engineering and Technology, SRM Institute of Science and Technology, Kattankulathur, 603203, Chennai, India.
| | - Lakshya Daukiya
- Department of Physics and Nanotechnology, College of Engineering and Technology, SRM Institute of Science and Technology, Kattankulathur, 603203, Chennai, India.
| | - Anand M Shrivastav
- Department of Physics and Nanotechnology, College of Engineering and Technology, SRM Institute of Science and Technology, Kattankulathur, 603203, Chennai, India.
| | - Tulika Srivastava
- Department of Electronics & Communication, College of Engineering and Technology, SRM Institute of Science and Technology, Kattankulathur, 603203, Chennai, India
| | - Shailendra K Saxena
- Department of Physics and Nanotechnology, College of Engineering and Technology, SRM Institute of Science and Technology, Kattankulathur, 603203, Chennai, India.
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Kaur R, Malik A, Gupta R, Kumari K, Singh SK, Bueno PR, Chandra Mondal P. Electrochemically grafted molecular layers as on-chip energy storage molecular junctions. Chem Sci 2025; 16:3560-3570. [PMID: 39867959 PMCID: PMC11756557 DOI: 10.1039/d4sc04745a] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/17/2024] [Accepted: 01/12/2025] [Indexed: 01/28/2025] Open
Abstract
Molecular junctions (MJs) are celebrated nanoelectronic devices for mimicking conventional electronic functions, including rectifiers, sensors, wires, switches, transistors, negative differential resistance, and memory, following an understanding of charge transport mechanisms. However, capacitive nanoscale molecular junctions are rarely seen. The present work describes electrochemically (E-Chem) grown covalently attached molecular thin films of 10, 14.3, and 18.6 nm thickness using benzimidazole (BENZ) diazonium salts on ITO electrodes on a quartz substrate upon which 50 nm of aluminum (Al) top contact was deposited to fabricate large-scale (area = 500 × 500 μm2) molecular junctions. The capacitance of the molecular junctions decreases with increasing thickness of molecular layers, a behavior attributed to a classical dielectric role in which the geometric capacitance of the device within a uniform dielectric component is expected to decrease with increasing thickness. An electrical dipole moment in BENZ oligomers enhances polarizability; hence, the dielectric constant of the medium leads to an increase in the capacitance of MJs, which reaches a maximum value of ∼53 μF cm-2 for a junction of 10 nm molecular film thickness. In addition to direct-current (DC) electrical measurements, and computational studies, we performed alternating current (AC)-based electrical measurements to understand the frequency response of molecular junctions. Our present study demonstrates that BENZ-based molecular junctions behave as classical organic capacitors and could be a suitable building block for nanoscale on-chip energy storage devices.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rajwinder Kaur
- Department of Chemistry, Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur Uttar Pradesh 208 016 India
| | - Ankur Malik
- Department of Chemistry, Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur Uttar Pradesh 208 016 India
| | - Ritu Gupta
- Department of Chemistry, Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur Uttar Pradesh 208 016 India
| | - Kusum Kumari
- Department of Chemistry, Indian Institute of Technology Hyderabad Kandi Telangana 502 285 India
| | - Saurabh Kumar Singh
- Department of Chemistry, Indian Institute of Technology Hyderabad Kandi Telangana 502 285 India
| | - Paulo Roberto Bueno
- Department of Engineering, Physics and Mathematics, Institute of Chemistry, Sao Paulo State University (UNESP) CEP 14800-060 Sao Paulo Brazil
| | - Prakash Chandra Mondal
- Department of Chemistry, Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur Uttar Pradesh 208 016 India
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Shekhawat AS, Sahu B, Diwan A, Chaudhary A, Shrivastav AM, Srivastava T, Kumar R, Saxena SK. Insight of Employing Molecular Junctions for Sensor Applications. ACS Sens 2024; 9:5025-5051. [PMID: 39401974 DOI: 10.1021/acssensors.4c02173] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/26/2024]
Abstract
Molecular junctions (MJs) exhibit distinct charge transport properties and have the potential to become the next generation of electronic devices. Advancing molecular electronics for practical uses, such as sensors, is crucial to propel its progress to the next level. In this review, we discussed how MJs can serve as a sensor for detecting a wide range of analytes with exceptional sensitivity and specificity. The primary advances and potential of molecular junctions for the various kinds of sensors including photosensors, explosives (DNTs, TNTs), cancer biomarker detection (DNA, mRNA), COVID detection, biogases (CO, NO, NH), environmental pH, practical chemicals, and water pollutants are listed and examined here. The fundamental ideas of molecular junction formation as well as the sensing mechanism have been examined here. This review demonstrates that MJ-based sensors hold significant promise for real-time and on-site detection. It provides valuable insights into current research and outlines potential future directions for advancing molecular junction-based sensors for practical applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Abhishek S Shekhawat
- Department of Physics and Nanotechnology, SRM Institute of Science and Technology, Kattankulathur 603203, India
| | - Bhumika Sahu
- Materials and Device Laboratory, Department of Physics, Indian Institute of Technology Indore, Simrol 453552, India
| | - Aarti Diwan
- Department of Physics and Nanotechnology, SRM Institute of Science and Technology, Kattankulathur 603203, India
| | - Anjali Chaudhary
- Indian Institute of Technology Bhilai, Kutelabhata, Bhilai 491002, Chhattisgarh, India
| | - Anand M Shrivastav
- Department of Physics and Nanotechnology, SRM Institute of Science and Technology, Kattankulathur 603203, India
| | - Tulika Srivastava
- Department of Electronics & Communication, SRM Institute of Science and Technology, Kattankulathur, 603203 Chennai, India
| | - Rajesh Kumar
- Materials and Device Laboratory, Department of Physics, Indian Institute of Technology Indore, Simrol 453552, India
| | - Shailendra K Saxena
- Department of Physics and Nanotechnology, SRM Institute of Science and Technology, Kattankulathur 603203, India
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Nguyen QV, Martin P, Lacroix JC. Probing the Effect of the Density of Active Molecules in Large-Area Molecular Junctions. J Phys Chem Lett 2022; 13:11990-11995. [PMID: 36537879 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jpclett.2c03027] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
The effect of the density of active molecules in molecular junctions (MJs) has been investigated by using a host/guest strategy. Mixed layers consisting of oligothiophene (BTB) encapsulated by β-cyclodextrin (BTB@β-CD) were generated. Cyclodextrins were then removed, and the pinholes generated were filled with BTB to obtain BTB@BTB films. MJs based on mixed BTB@β-CD and BTB@BTB layers, as well as single-component BTB MJs, were compared. The variation of ln J vs thickness is similar for all systems while the Jo of BTB@β-CD MJs is 20 times lower than that of BTB MJs. After β-cyclodextrin has been removed, and the pinholes filled, Jo increases and reaches the same value as for the BTB MJs, showing that the conductance scales with the number of active molecules. This strategy provides a unique method for investigating molecular interactions in direct tunneling MJs as well as the possibility of fabricating new functionalized MJs based on mixed layers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Quyen Van Nguyen
- Université Paris Cité, ITODYS, CNRS UMR 7086, 15 rue Jean-Antoine de Baïf, 75205 Paris Cedex 13, France
- Department of Advanced Materials Science and Nanotechnology, University of Science and Technology of Hanoi (USTH), Vietnam Academy of Science and Technology, 18 Hoang Quoc Viet, 11307 Cau Giay, Hanoi Vietnam
| | - Pascal Martin
- Université Paris Cité, ITODYS, CNRS UMR 7086, 15 rue Jean-Antoine de Baïf, 75205 Paris Cedex 13, France
| | - Jean Christophe Lacroix
- Université Paris Cité, ITODYS, CNRS UMR 7086, 15 rue Jean-Antoine de Baïf, 75205 Paris Cedex 13, France
- Department of Advanced Materials Science and Nanotechnology, University of Science and Technology of Hanoi (USTH), Vietnam Academy of Science and Technology, 18 Hoang Quoc Viet, 11307 Cau Giay, Hanoi Vietnam
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Abstract
The field of molecular electronics has grown rapidly since its experimental realization in the late 1990s, with thousands of publications on how molecules can act as circuit components and the possibility of extending microelectronic miniaturization. Our research group developed molecular junctions (MJs) using conducting carbon electrodes and covalent bonding, which provide excellent temperature tolerance and operational lifetimes. A carbon-based MJ based on quantum mechanical tunneling for electronic music represents the world's first commercial application of molecular electronics, with >3000 units currently in consumer hands. The all-carbon MJ consisting of aromatic molecules and oligomers between vapor-deposited carbon electrodes exploits covalent, C-C bonding which avoids the electromigration problem of metal contacts. The high bias and temperature stability as well as partial transparency of the all-carbon MJ permit a wide range of experiments to determine charge transport mechanisms and observe photoeffects to both characterize and stimulate operating MJs. As shown in the Conspectus figure, our group has reported a variety of electronic functions, many of which do not have analogs in conventional semiconductors. Much of the described research is oriented toward the rational design of electronic functions, in which electronic characteristics are determined by molecular structure.In addition to the fabrication of molecular electronic devices with sufficient stability and operating life for practical applications, our approach was directed at two principal questions: how do electrons move through molecules that are components of an electronic circuit, and what can we do with molecules that we cannot do with existing semiconductor technology? The central component is the molecular junction consisting of a 1-20+ nm layer of covalently bonded oligomers between two electrodes of conducting, mainly sp2-hybridized carbon. In addition to describing the unique junction structure and fabrication methods, this Account summarizes the valuable insights available from photons used both as probes of device structure and dynamics and as prods to stimulate resonant transport through molecular orbitals.Short-range (<5 nm) transport by tunneling and its properties are discussed separately from the longer-range transport (5-60 nm) which bridges the gap between tunneling and transport in widely studied organic semiconductors. Most molecular electronic studies deal with the <5 nm thickness range, where coherent tunneling is generally accepted as the dominant transport mechanism. However, the rational design of devices in this range by changing molecular structure is frustrated by electronic interactions with the conducting contacts, resulting in weak structural effects on electronic behavior. When the molecular layer thickness exceeds 5 nm, transport characteristics change completely since molecular orbitals become the conduits for transport. Incident photons can stimulate transport, with the observed photocurrent tracking the absorption spectrum of the molecular layer. Low-temperature, activationless transport of photogenerated carriers is possible for up to at least 60 nm, with characteristics completely distinct from coherent tunneling and from the hopping mechanisms proposed for organic semiconductors. The Account closes with examples of phenomena and applications enabled by molecular electronics which may augment conventional microelectronics with chemical functions such as redox charge storage, orbital transport, and energy-selective photodetection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Richard L McCreery
- Department of Chemistry, University of Alberta, 11227 Saskatchewan Drive, Edmonton, Alberta T6G 2G2, Canada
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Plasmonic phenomena in molecular junctions: principles and applications. Nat Rev Chem 2022; 6:681-704. [PMID: 37117494 DOI: 10.1038/s41570-022-00423-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 08/15/2022] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Abstract
Molecular junctions are building blocks for constructing future nanoelectronic devices that enable the investigation of a broad range of electronic transport properties within nanoscale regions. Crossing both the nanoscopic and mesoscopic length scales, plasmonics lies at the intersection of the macroscopic photonics and nanoelectronics, owing to their capability of confining light to dimensions far below the diffraction limit. Research activities on plasmonic phenomena in molecular electronics started around 2010, and feedback between plasmons and molecular junctions has increased over the past years. These efforts can provide new insights into the near-field interaction and the corresponding tunability in properties, as well as resultant plasmon-based molecular devices. This Review presents the latest advancements of plasmonic resonances in molecular junctions and details the progress in plasmon excitation and plasmon coupling. We also highlight emerging experimental approaches to unravel the mechanisms behind the various types of light-matter interactions at molecular length scales, where quantum effects come into play. Finally, we discuss the potential of these plasmonic-electronic hybrid systems across various future applications, including sensing, photocatalysis, molecular trapping and active control of molecular switches.
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Khalid H, Opodi EM, Song X, Wang Z, Li B, Tian L, Yu X, Hu W. Modulated Structure and Rectification Properties of a Molecular Junction by a Mixed Self-Assembled Monolayer. LANGMUIR : THE ACS JOURNAL OF SURFACES AND COLLOIDS 2022; 38:10893-10901. [PMID: 36007164 DOI: 10.1021/acs.langmuir.2c01751] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
The organization of the self-assembled monolayer (SAM) determines its electronic structure and so governs the charge transport process and device performance when adopted into a molecular device. We report a systematic study on the supramolecular structure and rectification performance of the ferrocene (11-ferrocenyl-1-undecanethiol, FUT) based SAM modulated by mixed SAM with inert 1-undecanethiol (C11SH) as diluent. We compared mixed SAMs by two different post assembly strategies, i.e., post assembly of C11SH on FUT SAM and post assembly of FUT on C11SH SAM. The organization and structure of FUT in the mixed SAM were extensively studied by cyclic voltammetry (CV) using the Laviron model. Rectification properties of the mixed SAM obtained using eutectic indium gallium (EGaIn) as the top electrode revealed that the magnitude and stability of the rectification ratio (RR) strongly correlated to not only the amount but also the phase structure and orientation of the FUT in the monolayer, resulting in a tunable RR and increased stability. The mixed monolayer achieved an increased performance relative to pure FUT by post assembling FUT on C11SH SAM, which formed an optimally dense and well-packed monolayer with the FUT head resting on the top of the alkane SAM.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hira Khalid
- Tianjin Key Laboratory of Molecular Optoelectronic Science, School of Science, Tianjin University & Collaborative Innovation Center of Chemical Science and Engineering, Tianjin 300072, China
| | - Esther Martine Opodi
- Tianjin Key Laboratory of Molecular Optoelectronic Science, School of Science, Tianjin University & Collaborative Innovation Center of Chemical Science and Engineering, Tianjin 300072, China
| | - Xianneng Song
- Tianjin Key Laboratory of Molecular Optoelectronic Science, School of Science, Tianjin University & Collaborative Innovation Center of Chemical Science and Engineering, Tianjin 300072, China
| | - Ziyan Wang
- Tianjin Key Laboratory of Molecular Optoelectronic Science, School of Science, Tianjin University & Collaborative Innovation Center of Chemical Science and Engineering, Tianjin 300072, China
| | - Baili Li
- Tianjin Key Laboratory of Molecular Optoelectronic Science, School of Science, Tianjin University & Collaborative Innovation Center of Chemical Science and Engineering, Tianjin 300072, China
| | - Lixian Tian
- Tianjin Key Laboratory of Molecular Optoelectronic Science, School of Science, Tianjin University & Collaborative Innovation Center of Chemical Science and Engineering, Tianjin 300072, China
| | - Xi Yu
- Tianjin Key Laboratory of Molecular Optoelectronic Science, School of Science, Tianjin University & Collaborative Innovation Center of Chemical Science and Engineering, Tianjin 300072, China
| | - Wenping Hu
- Tianjin Key Laboratory of Molecular Optoelectronic Science, School of Science, Tianjin University & Collaborative Innovation Center of Chemical Science and Engineering, Tianjin 300072, China
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Naghibi S, Sangtarash S, Kumar VJ, Wu J, Judd MM, Qiao X, Gorenskaia E, Higgins SJ, Cox N, Nichols RJ, Sadeghi H, Low PJ, Vezzoli A. Redox-Addressable Single-Molecule Junctions Incorporating a Persistent Organic Radical. Angew Chem Int Ed Engl 2022; 61:e202116985. [PMID: 35289977 PMCID: PMC9322687 DOI: 10.1002/anie.202116985] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/13/2021] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Integrating radical (open-shell) species into non-cryogenic nanodevices is key to unlocking the potential of molecular electronics. While many efforts have been devoted to this issue, in the absence of a chemical/electrochemical potential the open-shell character is generally lost in contact with the metallic electrodes. Herein, single-molecule devices incorporating a 6-oxo-verdazyl persistent radical have been fabricated using break-junction techniques. The open-shell character is retained at room temperature, and electrochemical gating permits in situ reduction to a closed-shell anionic state in a single-molecule transistor configuration. Furthermore, electronically driven rectification arises from bias-dependent alignment of the open-shell resonances. The integration of radical character, transistor-like switching, and rectification in a single molecular component paves the way to further studies of the electronic, magnetic, and thermoelectric properties of open-shell species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Saman Naghibi
- Department of ChemistryUniversity of LiverpoolCrown StreetLiverpoolL69 7ZDUK
| | | | - Varshini J. Kumar
- School of Molecular SciencesUniversity of Western AustraliaCrawleyWestern Australia6009Australia
| | - Jian‐Zhong Wu
- School of ChemistrySouth China Normal UniversityGuangzhou510006P.R. China
| | - Martyna M. Judd
- Research School of ChemistryAustralian National UniversityCanberraATC 2601Australia
| | - Xiaohang Qiao
- Department of ChemistryUniversity of LiverpoolCrown StreetLiverpoolL69 7ZDUK
| | - Elena Gorenskaia
- School of Molecular SciencesUniversity of Western AustraliaCrawleyWestern Australia6009Australia
| | - Simon J. Higgins
- Department of ChemistryUniversity of LiverpoolCrown StreetLiverpoolL69 7ZDUK
| | - Nicholas Cox
- Research School of ChemistryAustralian National UniversityCanberraATC 2601Australia
| | - Richard J. Nichols
- Department of ChemistryUniversity of LiverpoolCrown StreetLiverpoolL69 7ZDUK
| | - Hatef Sadeghi
- School of EngineeringUniversity of WarwickCoventryCV4 7ALUK
| | - Paul J. Low
- School of Molecular SciencesUniversity of Western AustraliaCrawleyWestern Australia6009Australia
| | - Andrea Vezzoli
- Department of ChemistryUniversity of LiverpoolCrown StreetLiverpoolL69 7ZDUK
- Stephenson Institute for Renewable EnergyUniversity of LiverpoolPeach StreetLiverpoolL69 7ZFUK
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Naghibi S, Sangtarash S, Kumar VJ, Wu J, Judd MM, Qiao X, Gorenskaia E, Higgins SJ, Cox N, Nichols RJ, Sadeghi H, Low PJ, Vezzoli A. Redox‐Addressable Single‐Molecule Junctions Incorporating a Persistent Organic Radical**. Angew Chem Int Ed Engl 2022. [DOI: 10.1002/ange.202116985] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Saman Naghibi
- Department of Chemistry University of Liverpool Crown Street Liverpool L69 7ZD UK
| | - Sara Sangtarash
- School of Engineering University of Warwick Coventry CV4 7AL UK
| | - Varshini J. Kumar
- School of Molecular Sciences University of Western Australia Crawley Western Australia 6009 Australia
| | - Jian‐Zhong Wu
- School of Chemistry South China Normal University Guangzhou 510006 P.R. China
| | - Martyna M. Judd
- Research School of Chemistry Australian National University Canberra ATC 2601 Australia
| | - Xiaohang Qiao
- Department of Chemistry University of Liverpool Crown Street Liverpool L69 7ZD UK
| | - Elena Gorenskaia
- School of Molecular Sciences University of Western Australia Crawley Western Australia 6009 Australia
| | - Simon J. Higgins
- Department of Chemistry University of Liverpool Crown Street Liverpool L69 7ZD UK
| | - Nicholas Cox
- Research School of Chemistry Australian National University Canberra ATC 2601 Australia
| | - Richard J. Nichols
- Department of Chemistry University of Liverpool Crown Street Liverpool L69 7ZD UK
| | - Hatef Sadeghi
- School of Engineering University of Warwick Coventry CV4 7AL UK
| | - Paul J. Low
- School of Molecular Sciences University of Western Australia Crawley Western Australia 6009 Australia
| | - Andrea Vezzoli
- Department of Chemistry University of Liverpool Crown Street Liverpool L69 7ZD UK
- Stephenson Institute for Renewable Energy University of Liverpool Peach Street Liverpool L69 7ZF UK
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Theoretical insights into the diverse and tunable charge transport behavior of stilbene-based single-molecule junctions. Chem Phys 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.chemphys.2022.111478] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
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Gupta R, Jash P, Sachan P, Bayat A, Singh V, Mondal PC. Electrochemical Potential‐Driven High‐Throughput Molecular Electronic and Spintronic Devices: From Molecules to Applications. Angew Chem Int Ed Engl 2021. [DOI: 10.1002/ange.202104724] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Ritu Gupta
- Department of Chemistry Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur Uttar Pradesh 208016 India
| | - Priyajit Jash
- Department of Chemistry Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur Uttar Pradesh 208016 India
| | - Pradeep Sachan
- Department of Chemistry Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur Uttar Pradesh 208016 India
| | - Akhtar Bayat
- Laboratoire Photonique Numérique et Nanosciences, UMR 5298 Université de Bordeaux 33400 Talence France
| | - Vikram Singh
- Department of Chemistry and National Science Research Institute Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology 291 Daehak-ro, Yuseong-gu Daejeon 34141 Republic of Korea
| | - Prakash Chandra Mondal
- Department of Chemistry Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur Uttar Pradesh 208016 India
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Akhtar A, Rashid U, Seth C, Kumar S, Broekmann P, Kaliginedi V. Modulating the charge transport in metal│molecule│metal junctions via electrochemical gating. Electrochim Acta 2021. [DOI: 10.1016/j.electacta.2021.138540] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
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13
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Gupta R, Jash P, Sachan P, Bayat A, Singh V, Mondal PC. Electrochemical Potential-Driven High-Throughput Molecular Electronic and Spintronic Devices: From Molecules to Applications. Angew Chem Int Ed Engl 2021; 60:26904-26921. [PMID: 34313372 DOI: 10.1002/anie.202104724] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/06/2021] [Indexed: 01/25/2023]
Abstract
Molecules are fascinating candidates for constructing tunable and electrically conducting devices by the assembly of either a single molecule or an ensemble of molecules between two electrical contacts followed by current-voltage (I-V) analysis, which is often termed "molecular electronics". Recently, there has been also an upsurge of interest in spin-based electronics or spintronics across the molecules, which offer additional scope to create ultrafast responsive devices with less power consumption and lower heat generation using the intrinsic spin property rather than electronic charge. Researchers have been exploring this idea of utilizing organic molecules, organometallics, coordination complexes, polymers, and biomolecules (proteins, enzymes, oligopeptides, DNA) in integrating molecular electronics and spintronics devices. Although several methods exist to prepare molecular thin-films on suitable electrodes, the electrochemical potential-driven technique has emerged as highly efficient. In this Review we describe recent advances in the electrochemical potential driven growth of nanometric various molecular films on technologically relevant substrates, including non-magnetic and magnetic electrodes to investigate the stimuli-responsive charge and spin transport phenomena.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ritu Gupta
- Department of Chemistry, Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur, Uttar Pradesh, 208016, India
| | - Priyajit Jash
- Department of Chemistry, Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur, Uttar Pradesh, 208016, India
| | - Pradeep Sachan
- Department of Chemistry, Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur, Uttar Pradesh, 208016, India
| | - Akhtar Bayat
- Laboratoire Photonique Numérique et Nanosciences, UMR 5298, Université de Bordeaux, 33400, Talence, France
| | - Vikram Singh
- Department of Chemistry and National Science Research Institute, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology, 291 Daehak-ro, Yuseong-gu, Daejeon, 34141, Republic of Korea
| | - Prakash Chandra Mondal
- Department of Chemistry, Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur, Uttar Pradesh, 208016, India
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Chen H, Jiang F, Hu C, Jiao Y, Chen S, Qiu Y, Zhou P, Zhang L, Cai K, Song B, Chen XY, Zhao X, Wasielewski MR, Guo H, Hong W, Stoddart JF. Electron-Catalyzed Dehydrogenation in a Single-Molecule Junction. J Am Chem Soc 2021; 143:8476-8487. [PMID: 34043344 DOI: 10.1021/jacs.1c03141] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Investigating how electrons propagate through a single molecule is one of the missions of molecular electronics. Electrons, however, are also efficient catalysts for conducting radical reactions, a property that is often overlooked by chemists. Special attention should be paid to electron catalysis when interpreting single-molecule conductance results for the simple reason that an unexpected reaction mediated or triggered by electrons might take place in the single-molecule junction. Here, we describe a counterintuitive structure-property relationship that molecules, both linear and cyclic, employing a saturated bipyridinium-ethane backbone, display a similar conductance signature when compared to junctions formed with molecules containing conjugated bipyridinium-ethene backbones. We describe an ethane-to-ethene transformation, which proceeds in the single-molecule junction by an electron-catalyzed dehydrogenation. Electrochemically based ensemble experiments and theoretical calculations have revealed that the electrons trigger the redox process, and the electric field promotes the dehydrogenation. This finding not only demonstrates the importance of electron catalysis when interpreting experimental results, but also charts a pathway to gaining more insight into the mechanism of electrocatalytic hydrogen production at the single-molecule level.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hongliang Chen
- Department of Chemistry, Northwestern University, 2145 Sheridan Road, Evanston, Illinois 60208, United States.,Stoddart Institute of Molecular Science, Department of Chemistry, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310021, China.,ZJU-Hangzhou Global Scientific and Technological Innovation Center, Hangzhou 311215, China
| | - Feng Jiang
- State Key Laboratory of Physical Chemistry of Solid Surfaces, iChEM, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361005, China
| | - Chen Hu
- Center for the Physics of Materials and Department of Physics, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec H3A 2T8, Canada
| | - Yang Jiao
- Department of Chemistry, Northwestern University, 2145 Sheridan Road, Evanston, Illinois 60208, United States
| | - Su Chen
- Department of Chemistry, Northwestern University, 2145 Sheridan Road, Evanston, Illinois 60208, United States
| | - Yunyan Qiu
- Department of Chemistry, Northwestern University, 2145 Sheridan Road, Evanston, Illinois 60208, United States
| | - Ping Zhou
- State Key Laboratory of Physical Chemistry of Solid Surfaces, iChEM, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361005, China
| | - Long Zhang
- Department of Chemistry, Northwestern University, 2145 Sheridan Road, Evanston, Illinois 60208, United States
| | - Kang Cai
- Department of Chemistry, Northwestern University, 2145 Sheridan Road, Evanston, Illinois 60208, United States
| | - Bo Song
- Department of Chemistry, Northwestern University, 2145 Sheridan Road, Evanston, Illinois 60208, United States
| | - Xiao-Yang Chen
- Department of Chemistry, Northwestern University, 2145 Sheridan Road, Evanston, Illinois 60208, United States
| | - Xingang Zhao
- Department of Chemistry, Northwestern University, 2145 Sheridan Road, Evanston, Illinois 60208, United States
| | - Michael R Wasielewski
- Department of Chemistry, Northwestern University, 2145 Sheridan Road, Evanston, Illinois 60208, United States
| | - Hong Guo
- Center for the Physics of Materials and Department of Physics, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec H3A 2T8, Canada
| | - Wenjing Hong
- State Key Laboratory of Physical Chemistry of Solid Surfaces, iChEM, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361005, China
| | - J Fraser Stoddart
- Department of Chemistry, Northwestern University, 2145 Sheridan Road, Evanston, Illinois 60208, United States.,Stoddart Institute of Molecular Science, Department of Chemistry, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310021, China.,School of Chemistry, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW 2052, Australia.,ZJU-Hangzhou Global Scientific and Technological Innovation Center, Hangzhou 311215, China
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15
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Saxena SK, Tefashe UM, Supur M, McCreery RL. Evaluation of Carbon Based Molecular Junctions as Practical Photosensors. ACS Sens 2021; 6:513-522. [PMID: 33315386 DOI: 10.1021/acssensors.0c02183] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Molecular junctions with partially transparent top contacts permit monitoring photocurrents as probes of transport mechanism and potentially could act as photosensors with characteristics determined by the molecular layer inside the device. Previously reported molecular junctions containing nitroazobenzene (NAB) oligomers and oligomers of two different aromatic molecules in bilayers were evaluated for sensitivity, dark signal, responsivity, and limits of detection, in order to determine the device parameters which have the largest effects on photodetection performance. The long-range transport of photogenerated charge carriers permits the use of molecular layers thick enough to absorb a large fraction of the light incident on the layer. Thick layers also reduce the dark current and its associated noise, thus improving the limit of detection to a few nanowatts on a detector area of 0.00125 cm2. Since the photocurrents have much lower activation energy than dark currents do, lowering the detector temperature significantly improves the limit of detection, although the present experiments were limited by environmental and instrumentation noise rather than detector noise. The highest specific detectivity (D*) for the current molecular devices was 3 × 107 cm s1/2 /W (∼109, if only shot noise is considered) at 407 nm in a carbon/NAB/carbon junction with a molecular layer thickness of 28 nm. Although this is in the low end of the 106-1012 range for commonly used photodetectors, improvements in device design based on the current results should increase D* by 3-4 orders of magnitude, while preserving the wavelength selectivity and tunability associated with molecular absorbers. In addition, operation outside the 300-1000 nm range of silicon detectors and very low dark currents may be possible with molecular junctions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shailendra K. Saxena
- Department of Chemistry, University of Alberta, 11227 Saskatchewan Dr., Edmonton, Alberta T6G 2G2, Canada
| | - Ushula M. Tefashe
- Department of Chemistry, University of Alberta, 11227 Saskatchewan Dr., Edmonton, Alberta T6G 2G2, Canada
| | - Mustafa Supur
- Department of Chemistry, University of Alberta, 11227 Saskatchewan Dr., Edmonton, Alberta T6G 2G2, Canada
| | - Richard L. McCreery
- Department of Chemistry, University of Alberta, 11227 Saskatchewan Dr., Edmonton, Alberta T6G 2G2, Canada
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16
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Han Y, Nijhuis CA. Functional Redox-Active Molecular Tunnel Junctions. Chem Asian J 2020; 15:3752-3770. [PMID: 33015998 PMCID: PMC7756406 DOI: 10.1002/asia.202000932] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/07/2020] [Revised: 09/29/2020] [Indexed: 01/10/2023]
Abstract
Redox-active molecular junctions have attracted considerable attention because redox-active molecules provide accessible energy levels enabling electronic function at the molecular length scales, such as, rectification, conductance switching, or molecular transistors. Unlike charge transfer in wet electrochemical environments, it is still challenging to understand how redox-processes proceed in solid-state molecular junctions which lack counterions and solvent molecules to stabilize the charge on the molecules. In this minireview, we first introduce molecular junctions based on redox-active molecules and discuss their properties from both a chemistry and nanoelectronics point of view, and then discuss briefly the mechanisms of charge transport in solid-state redox-junctions followed by examples where redox-molecules generate new electronic function. We conclude with challenges that need to be addressed and interesting future directions from a chemical engineering and molecular design perspectives.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yingmei Han
- Department of ChemistryNational University of Singapore3 Science Drive 3Singapore117543Singapore
| | - Christian A. Nijhuis
- Department of ChemistryNational University of Singapore3 Science Drive 3Singapore117543Singapore
- Centre for Advanced 2D Materials and Graphene Research CentreNational University of Singapore6 Science Drive 2Singapore117546Singapore
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17
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Sachan P, Chandra Mondal P. Movements of Mobile Ions in Molecular Electronic Devices. ChemElectroChem 2020. [DOI: 10.1002/celc.202000986] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Pradeep Sachan
- Department of Chemistry Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur Kanpur 208 016 India
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