1
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Martinez-Garcia A, de Ara T, Pastor-Amat L, Untiedt C, Lombardi EB, Dednam W, Sabater C. Unraveling the Interplay between Quantum Transport and Geometrical Conformations in Monocyclic Hydrocarbons' Molecular Junctions. THE JOURNAL OF PHYSICAL CHEMISTRY. C, NANOMATERIALS AND INTERFACES 2023; 127:23303-23311. [PMID: 38352239 PMCID: PMC10861133 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jpcc.3c05393] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/10/2023] [Revised: 11/07/2023] [Accepted: 11/15/2023] [Indexed: 02/16/2024]
Abstract
In the field of molecular electronics, especially in quantum transport experiments, determining the geometrical configurations of a single molecule trapped between two electrodes can be challenging. To address this challenge, we employed a combination of molecular dynamics (MD) simulations and electronic transport calculations based on density functional theory to determine the molecular orientation in our break-junction experiments under ambient conditions. The molecules used in this study are common solvents used in molecular electronics, such as benzene, toluene (aromatic), and cyclohexane (aliphatic). Furthermore, we introduced a novel criterion based on the normal vector of the surface formed by the cavity of these ring-shaped monocyclic hydrocarbon molecules to clearly define the orientation of the molecules with respect to the electrodes. By comparing the results obtained through MD simulations and density functional theory with experimental data, we observed that both are in good agreement. This agreement helps us to uncover the different geometrical configurations that these molecules adopt in break-junction experiments. This approach can significantly improve our understanding of molecular electronics, especially when using more complex cyclic hydrocarbons.
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Affiliation(s)
- A. Martinez-Garcia
- Departamento
de Física Aplicada and Instituto Universitario de Materiales
de Alicante (IUMA), Universidad de Alicante, Campus de San Vicente del Raspeig, Alicante E-03690, Spain
| | - T. de Ara
- Departamento
de Física Aplicada and Instituto Universitario de Materiales
de Alicante (IUMA), Universidad de Alicante, Campus de San Vicente del Raspeig, Alicante E-03690, Spain
| | - L. Pastor-Amat
- Departamento
de Física Aplicada and Instituto Universitario de Materiales
de Alicante (IUMA), Universidad de Alicante, Campus de San Vicente del Raspeig, Alicante E-03690, Spain
| | - C. Untiedt
- Departamento
de Física Aplicada and Instituto Universitario de Materiales
de Alicante (IUMA), Universidad de Alicante, Campus de San Vicente del Raspeig, Alicante E-03690, Spain
| | - E. B. Lombardi
- Department
of Physics, Florida Science Campus, University
of South Africa, Florida
Park, Johannesburg 1710, South Africa
| | - W. Dednam
- Department
of Physics, Florida Science Campus, University
of South Africa, Florida
Park, Johannesburg 1710, South Africa
| | - C. Sabater
- Departamento
de Física Aplicada and Instituto Universitario de Materiales
de Alicante (IUMA), Universidad de Alicante, Campus de San Vicente del Raspeig, Alicante E-03690, Spain
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2
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Yelin T, Chakrabarti S, Vilan A, Tal O. Richness of molecular junction configurations revealed by tracking a full pull-push cycle. NANOSCALE 2021; 13:18434-18440. [PMID: 34700338 PMCID: PMC8601122 DOI: 10.1039/d1nr05680h] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/29/2021] [Accepted: 10/10/2021] [Indexed: 05/14/2023]
Abstract
In the field of molecular electronics, the interplay between molecular orientation and the resulting electronic transport is of central interest. At the single molecule level, this topic is extensively studied with the aid of break junction setups. In such experiments, two metal electrodes are brought into contact, and the conductance is typically measured when the electrodes are pulled apart in the presence of molecules, until a molecule bridges the two electrodes. However, the molecular junctions formed in this pull process reflect only part of the rich possible junction configurations. Here, we show that the push process, in which molecular junctions are formed by bringing the electrodes towards each other, allows the fabrication of molecular junction structures that are not necessarily formed in the pull process. We also find that in the extreme case, molecular junctions can be formed only in the push process that is typically ignored. Our findings demonstrate that tracking the two inverse processes of molecular junction formation, reveals a more comprehensive picture of the variety of molecular configurations in molecular junctions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tamar Yelin
- Chemical and Biological Physics Department, Weizmann Institute of Science, 76100 Rehovot, Israel.
| | - Sudipto Chakrabarti
- Chemical and Biological Physics Department, Weizmann Institute of Science, 76100 Rehovot, Israel.
| | - Ayelet Vilan
- Chemical and Biological Physics Department, Weizmann Institute of Science, 76100 Rehovot, Israel.
| | - Oren Tal
- Chemical and Biological Physics Department, Weizmann Institute of Science, 76100 Rehovot, Israel.
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3
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Zhao YQ, Lan JQ, Hu CE, Mu Y, Chen XR. Electron Transport of the Nanojunctions of (BN) n ( n = 1-4) Linear Chains: A First-Principles Study. ACS OMEGA 2021; 6:15727-15736. [PMID: 34179616 PMCID: PMC8223222 DOI: 10.1021/acsomega.1c00999] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/23/2021] [Accepted: 05/31/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
We applied the density functional theory and nonequilibrium Green's function method (DFT + NEGF) to investigate the relationship between the conductance and chain length in the stretching process, the asymmetric coupling of contact points, and the influence of positive and negative biases on the electron transport properties of the nanojunctions formed by the coupling of (BN) n (n = 1-4) linear chains and Au(100)-3 × 3 semi-infinite electrodes. We find that the BN junction has the lowest stability and the (BN)2 junction has the highest stability. Under zero bias, the equilibrium conductance decreases as the chain length increases; px and py orbitals play a leading role in electron transport. In the bias range of -1.6 to 1.6 V, the current of the (BN) n (n = 1-4) linear chains increases linearly with increasing voltage. Under the same bias voltage, (BN)1 has the largest current, so its electron transport property is the best. The rectification effect reflects the asymmetry of the structure of BN linear chains themselves and the asymmetry of coupling with the Au electrode surfaces at both ends. With the chain length increasing, the transmission spectrum near E f is suppressed, the tunneling current decreases, and the rectification ratio increases. (BN)4 molecular junctions have the largest rectification ratio, reaching 13.32 when the bias voltage is 1.6 V. Additionally, the Au-N strong coupling is more conducive to the electron transport of the molecular chain than the Au-B weak coupling. Our calculations provide an important theoretical reference for the design and development of BN linear-chain nanodevices.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ying-Qin Zhao
- College
of Physics, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610064, China
| | - Jun-Qing Lan
- College
of Electronic Engineering, Chengdu University
of Information Technology, Chengdu 610225, China
| | - Cui-E Hu
- College
of Physics and Electronic Engineering, Chongqing
Normal University, Chongqing 400047, China
| | - Yi Mu
- School
of Physics and Electronic Engineering, Sichuan
Normal University, Chengdu 610066, China
| | - Xiang-Rong Chen
- College
of Physics, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610064, China
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4
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Abstract
This article reviews the scope of inorganic cluster compounds interrogated in single-molecule break-junction measurements. This body of work lies at the intersection between the fields of inorganic cluster chemistry and single-molecule electronics, where discrete inorganic cluster molecules are used as the active components in molecular electronic circuitry. We explore the breadth of transition metal and main group cluster compounds that have been studied in single-cluster junctions, largely within the context of scanning tunnelling microscopy break-junction (STM-BJ) measurements. Our discussion centers on how the structure and bonding of inorganic cluster compounds give rise to desirable quantum transport effects such as room-temperature current blockade, sequential tunneling, voltage-gated conductance switching, destructive quantum interference, and high thermoelectric currents.
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Affiliation(s)
- Timothy C Siu
- Department of Chemistry, University of California, Riverside, CA 92521, USA.
| | - Joshua Y Wong
- Department of Chemistry, University of California, Riverside, CA 92521, USA.
| | - Matthew O Hight
- Department of Chemistry, University of California, Riverside, CA 92521, USA.
| | - Timothy A Su
- Department of Chemistry, University of California, Riverside, CA 92521, USA. and Materials Science and Engineering Program, University of California, Riverside, CA 92521, USA
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5
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Mu Y, Cheng C, Hu CE, Zhou XL. Structural and electronic transport properties of a SiC chain encapsulated inside a SiC nanotube: first-principles study. Phys Chem Chem Phys 2019; 21:25548-25557. [PMID: 31595904 DOI: 10.1039/c9cp03945g] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/03/2023]
Abstract
Silicon carbide (SiC) chains and silicon carbide nanotubes (SiCNTs), as promising one-dimensional nanostructures, have potential applications in more controllable nanoelectronic devices. In this paper, we design a completely new hybrid structure with encapsulation of a linear SiC chain inside a SiCNT, using first-principles calculation and the non-equilibrium Green's function formalism to systematically investigate the structural stability and electronic properties, particularly the quantum transport properties. It is found that, due to the nanotube-chain interaction, the stability of this structure is mainly provided by the charge transfer from the hosting tube to the guest chain. Furthermore, the transport properties of the hybrid structure confirm that encapsulation of a SiC chain within a SiCNT can significantly enhance the electronic transport of the component system in a wide range of high voltage. The distance and the unique coupling configuration between the encapsulated system and the electrodes are demonstrated to be other important factors that affect the transport behaviours. We hope that our study of encapsulation may offer a significant starting point for the design of new materials related to low-dimensional SiC nanostructures and possibly open a novel path towards stability and conductivity enhancement.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yi Mu
- School of Physics and Electronic Engineering, Sichuan Normal University, Chengdu 610066, China.
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6
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van Vreumingen D, Tewari S, Verbeek F, van Ruitenbeek JM. Towards Controlled Single-Molecule Manipulation Using "Real-Time" Molecular Dynamics Simulation: A GPU Implementation. MICROMACHINES 2018; 9:E270. [PMID: 30424203 PMCID: PMC6187332 DOI: 10.3390/mi9060270] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/28/2018] [Revised: 05/24/2018] [Accepted: 05/25/2018] [Indexed: 02/04/2023]
Abstract
Molecular electronics saw its birth with the idea to build electronic circuitry with single molecules as individual components. Even though commercial applications are still modest, it has served an important part in the study of fundamental physics at the scale of single atoms and molecules. It is now a routine procedure in many research groups around the world to connect a single molecule between two metallic leads. What is unknown is the nature of this coupling between the molecule and the leads. We have demonstrated recently (Tewari, 2018, Ph.D. Thesis) our new setup based on a scanning tunneling microscope, which can be used to controllably manipulate single molecules and atomic chains. In this article, we will present the extension of our molecular dynamic simulator attached to this system for the manipulation of single molecules in real time using a graphics processing unit (GPU). This will not only aid in controlled lift-off of single molecules, but will also provide details about changes in the molecular conformations during the manipulation. This information could serve as important input for theoretical models and for bridging the gap between the theory and experiments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dyon van Vreumingen
- Huygens-Kamerlingh Onnes Laboratorium, Universiteit Leiden, 2333CA Leiden, The Netherlands.
- Leiden Insitute of Advanced Computer Science, Universiteit Leiden, 2333CA Leiden, The Netherlands.
| | - Sumit Tewari
- Huygens-Kamerlingh Onnes Laboratorium, Universiteit Leiden, 2333CA Leiden, The Netherlands.
| | - Fons Verbeek
- Leiden Insitute of Advanced Computer Science, Universiteit Leiden, 2333CA Leiden, The Netherlands.
| | - Jan M van Ruitenbeek
- Huygens-Kamerlingh Onnes Laboratorium, Universiteit Leiden, 2333CA Leiden, The Netherlands.
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7
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Zhao Z, Liu R, Mayer D, Coppola M, Sun L, Kim Y, Wang C, Ni L, Chen X, Wang M, Li Z, Lee T, Xiang D. Shaping the Atomic-Scale Geometries of Electrodes to Control Optical and Electrical Performance of Molecular Devices. SMALL (WEINHEIM AN DER BERGSTRASSE, GERMANY) 2018; 14:e1703815. [PMID: 29542239 DOI: 10.1002/smll.201703815] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/02/2017] [Revised: 02/16/2018] [Indexed: 05/27/2023]
Abstract
A straightforward method to generate both atomic-scale sharp and atomic-scale planar electrodes is reported. The atomic-scale sharp electrodes are generated by precisely stretching a suspended nanowire, while the atomic-scale planar electrodes are obtained via mechanically controllable interelectrodes compression followed by a thermal-driven atom migration process. Notably, the gap size between the electrodes can be precisely controlled at subangstrom accuracy with this method. These two types of electrodes are subsequently employed to investigate the properties of single molecular junctions. It is found, for the first time, that the conductance of the amine-linked molecular junctions can be enhanced ≈50% as the atomic-scale sharp electrodes are used. However, the atomic-scale planar electrodes show great advantages to enhance the sensitivity of Raman scattering upon the variation of nanogap size. The underlying mechanisms for these two interesting observations are clarified with the help of density functional theory calculation and finite-element method simulation. These findings not only provide a strategy to control the electron transport through the molecule junction, but also pave a way to modulate the optical response as well as to improve the stability of single molecular devices via the rational design of electrodes geometries.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhikai Zhao
- Key Laboratory of Optical Information Science and Technology, Institute of Modern Optics, College of Electronic Information and Optical Engineering, Nankai University, Nankai, 300071, China
| | - Ran Liu
- School of Physics and Electronics, Shandong Normal University, Jinan, 250014, China
| | - Dirk Mayer
- Peter-Grünberg-Institute PGI-8, Bioelectronic Research Center Jülich GmbH and JARA, Fundamentals of Future Information Technology, Jülich, 52425, Germany
| | - Maristella Coppola
- Peter-Grünberg-Institute PGI-8, Bioelectronic Research Center Jülich GmbH and JARA, Fundamentals of Future Information Technology, Jülich, 52425, Germany
| | - Lu Sun
- Key Laboratory of Optical Information Science and Technology, Institute of Modern Optics, College of Electronic Information and Optical Engineering, Nankai University, Nankai, 300071, China
| | - Youngsang Kim
- Chemical Sciences Division, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, CA, 94720, USA
| | - Chuankui Wang
- School of Physics and Electronics, Shandong Normal University, Jinan, 250014, China
| | - Lifa Ni
- Key Laboratory of Optical Information Science and Technology, Institute of Modern Optics, College of Electronic Information and Optical Engineering, Nankai University, Nankai, 300071, China
| | - Xing Chen
- Penn State Department of Chemistry, The Pennsylvania State University, 104 Chemistry Building, University Park, PA, 16802, USA
| | - Maoning Wang
- Key Laboratory of Optical Information Science and Technology, Institute of Modern Optics, College of Electronic Information and Optical Engineering, Nankai University, Nankai, 300071, China
| | - Zongliang Li
- School of Physics and Electronics, Shandong Normal University, Jinan, 250014, China
| | - Takhee Lee
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, Seoul National University, Seoul, 08826, Korea
| | - Dong Xiang
- Key Laboratory of Optical Information Science and Technology, Institute of Modern Optics, College of Electronic Information and Optical Engineering, Nankai University, Nankai, 300071, China
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8
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Kaur RP, Sawhney RS, Engles D. First principle electron transport modeling of Be-doped organic molecular junctions. J Mol Graph Model 2017; 75:199-208. [PMID: 28586702 DOI: 10.1016/j.jmgm.2017.05.020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/21/2017] [Revised: 05/23/2017] [Accepted: 05/24/2017] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
The transport properties of beryllium doped anthracene molecular junction are investigated using density functional non-equillibrium Green's function method. The equilibrium conductance of anthracene Metal-molecule-Metal (MmM) junction increases by approximately 77% by adding beryllium impurity to it. The electronic transport characteristics under both zero bias as well as finite bias are explored of such molecular junction. We observe novel attributes such as molecular rectification and NDR behavior for the molecular junction under consideration. It is found that the doping effect of Be- atom significantly changes the transport properties of aromatic molecular junction. Our findings shed light on the electron transport metrics that affect the conductance of MmM junctions within appreciable transmission limits. We firmly believe that the results deduced in this paper can be generalized for other aromatic molecular junctions as well.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rupan Preet Kaur
- Department of Electronics Technology, Guru Nanak Dev University, Amritsar, India.
| | | | - Derick Engles
- Department of Electronics Technology, Guru Nanak Dev University, Amritsar, India.
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9
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Advance of Mechanically Controllable Break Junction for Molecular Electronics. Top Curr Chem (Cham) 2017; 375:61. [DOI: 10.1007/s41061-017-0149-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/06/2016] [Accepted: 05/16/2017] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
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10
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Schmitteckert P, Thomale R, Korytár R, Evers F. Incommensurate quantum-size oscillations in acene-based molecular wires—Effects of quantum fluctuations. J Chem Phys 2017. [DOI: 10.1063/1.4975319] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Peter Schmitteckert
- Institute for Theoretical Physics and Astrophysics, Julius-Maximilians University of Würzburg, Am Hubland, 97074 Würzburg, Germany
| | - Ronny Thomale
- Institute for Theoretical Physics and Astrophysics, Julius-Maximilians University of Würzburg, Am Hubland, 97074 Würzburg, Germany
| | - Richard Korytár
- Institute of Theoretical Physics, University of Regensburg, 93040 Regensburg, Germany
- Department of Condensed Matter Physics, Faculty of Mathematics and Physics, Charles University, 121 16 Praha 2, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Ferdinand Evers
- Institute of Theoretical Physics, University of Regensburg, 93040 Regensburg, Germany
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11
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Vilan A, Aswal D, Cahen D. Large-Area, Ensemble Molecular Electronics: Motivation and Challenges. Chem Rev 2017; 117:4248-4286. [DOI: 10.1021/acs.chemrev.6b00595] [Citation(s) in RCA: 243] [Impact Index Per Article: 34.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/20/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Ayelet Vilan
- Department
of Materials and Interfaces, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel
| | | | - David Cahen
- Department
of Materials and Interfaces, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel
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12
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Wang Q, Liu R, Xiang D, Sun M, Zhao Z, Sun L, Mei T, Wu P, Liu H, Guo X, Li ZL, Lee T. Single-Atom Switches and Single-Atom Gaps Using Stretched Metal Nanowires. ACS NANO 2016; 10:9695-9702. [PMID: 27704783 DOI: 10.1021/acsnano.6b05676] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/27/2023]
Abstract
Utilizing individual atoms or molecules as functional units in electronic circuits meets the increasing technical demands for the miniaturization of traditional semiconductor devices. To be of technological interest, these functional devices should be high-yield, consume low amounts of energy, and operate at room temperature. In this study, we developed nanodevices called quantized conductance atomic switches (QCAS) that satisfy these requirements. The QCAS operates by applying a feedback-controlled voltage to a nanoconstriction within a stretched nanowire. We demonstrated that individual metal atoms could be removed from the nanoconstriction and that the removed metal atoms could be refilled into the nanoconstriction, thus yielding a reversible quantized conductance switch. We determined the key parameters for the QCAS between the "on" and "off" states at room temperature under a small operating voltage. By controlling the applied bias voltage, the atoms can be further completely removed from the constriction to break the nanowire, generating single-atom nanogaps. These atomic nanogaps are quite stable under a sweeping voltage and can be readjusted with subangstrom accuracy, thus fulfilling the requirement of both reliability and flexibility for the high-yield fabrication of molecular devices.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qingling Wang
- Key Laboratory of Optical Information Science and Technology, Institute of Modern Optics, College of Electronic Information and Optical Engineering, Nankai University , Tianjin 300071, China
| | - Ran Liu
- College of Physics and Electronics, Shandong Normal University , Jinan 250014, China
| | - Dong Xiang
- Key Laboratory of Optical Information Science and Technology, Institute of Modern Optics, College of Electronic Information and Optical Engineering, Nankai University , Tianjin 300071, China
| | - Mingyu Sun
- Key Laboratory of Optical Information Science and Technology, Institute of Modern Optics, College of Electronic Information and Optical Engineering, Nankai University , Tianjin 300071, China
| | - Zhikai Zhao
- Key Laboratory of Optical Information Science and Technology, Institute of Modern Optics, College of Electronic Information and Optical Engineering, Nankai University , Tianjin 300071, China
| | - Lu Sun
- Key Laboratory of Optical Information Science and Technology, Institute of Modern Optics, College of Electronic Information and Optical Engineering, Nankai University , Tianjin 300071, China
| | - Tingting Mei
- Key Laboratory of Optical Information Science and Technology, Institute of Modern Optics, College of Electronic Information and Optical Engineering, Nankai University , Tianjin 300071, China
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, and Institute of Applied Physics, Seoul National University , Seoul 08826, Korea
| | - Pengfei Wu
- Key Laboratory of Optical Information Science and Technology, Institute of Modern Optics, College of Electronic Information and Optical Engineering, Nankai University , Tianjin 300071, China
| | - Haitao Liu
- Key Laboratory of Optical Information Science and Technology, Institute of Modern Optics, College of Electronic Information and Optical Engineering, Nankai University , Tianjin 300071, China
| | - Xuefeng Guo
- Beijing National Laboratory for Molecular Sciences, College of Chemistry and Molecular Engineering, Peking University , Beijing 100871, China
| | - Zong-Liang Li
- College of Physics and Electronics, Shandong Normal University , Jinan 250014, China
| | - Takhee Lee
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, and Institute of Applied Physics, Seoul National University , Seoul 08826, Korea
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13
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Aranda D, López-Tocón I, Soto J, Otero JC, Avila F. An approach to the electronic structure of molecular junctions with metal clusters of atomic thickness. Phys Chem Chem Phys 2016; 18:27179-27184. [PMID: 27722529 DOI: 10.1039/c6cp05403j] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
TD-DFT calculations predict a linear dependence of the energies of charge transfer states of Agn-pyrazine-Agn molecular junctions on the inverse of the size (1/n) of the linear metal chains. The density of charge (qeff = q/n) in the metal-to-metal charge transfer excited states (CTMM: Agnq-pyrazine-Agn-q) smoothly tunes the electronic structure of the junction, especially the metal-to-molecule charge transfer states (CT0 and CT1) and the first excited singlet of pyrazine (S1,Pz). In enlarged junctions, pyrazine bonds preferably to one of the Agn clusters and this weak adsorption produces a significant unexpected asymmetry for forward and reverse charge transfer processes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel Aranda
- Universidad de Málaga, Andalucía Tech, Facultad de Ciencias, Departamento de Química Física, Unidad Asociada CSIC, 29071-Málaga, Spain.
| | - Isabel López-Tocón
- Universidad de Málaga, Andalucía Tech, Facultad de Ciencias, Departamento de Química Física, Unidad Asociada CSIC, 29071-Málaga, Spain.
| | - Juan Soto
- Universidad de Málaga, Andalucía Tech, Facultad de Ciencias, Departamento de Química Física, Unidad Asociada CSIC, 29071-Málaga, Spain.
| | - Juan C Otero
- Universidad de Málaga, Andalucía Tech, Facultad de Ciencias, Departamento de Química Física, Unidad Asociada CSIC, 29071-Málaga, Spain.
| | - Francisco Avila
- Universidad de Málaga, Andalucía Tech, Facultad de Ciencias, Departamento de Química Física, Unidad Asociada CSIC, 29071-Málaga, Spain.
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14
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Tunneling of electrons via rotor–stator molecular interfaces: Combined ab initio and model study. Chem Phys 2016. [DOI: 10.1016/j.chemphys.2016.04.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
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15
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Mokkath JH, Schwingenschlögl U. Optical properties of Al nanostructures from time dependent density functional theory. J Chem Phys 2016; 144:134305. [DOI: 10.1063/1.4945338] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Junais Habeeb Mokkath
- King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), Physical Science and Engineering Division (PSE), Thuwal 23955-6900, Saudi Arabia
| | - Udo Schwingenschlögl
- King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), Physical Science and Engineering Division (PSE), Thuwal 23955-6900, Saudi Arabia
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16
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Yelin T, Korytár R, Sukenik N, Vardimon R, Kumar B, Nuckolls C, Evers F, Tal O. Conductance saturation in a series of highly transmitting molecular junctions. NATURE MATERIALS 2016; 15:444-9. [PMID: 26828315 DOI: 10.1038/nmat4552] [Citation(s) in RCA: 55] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/25/2015] [Accepted: 12/21/2015] [Indexed: 05/23/2023]
Abstract
Revealing the mechanisms of electronic transport through metal-molecule interfaces is of central importance for a variety of molecule-based devices. A key method for understanding these mechanisms is based on the study of conductance versus molecule length in molecular junctions. However, previous works focused on transport governed either by coherent tunnelling or hopping, both at low conductance. Here, we study the upper limit of conductance across metal-molecule-metal interfaces. Using highly conducting single-molecule junctions based on oligoacenes with increasing length, we find that the conductance saturates at an upper limit where it is independent of molecule length. With the aid of two prototype systems, in which the molecules are contacted by either Ag or Pt electrodes, we find two different possible origins for conductance saturation. The results are explained by an intuitive model, backed by ab initio calculations. Our findings shed light on the mechanisms that constrain the conductance of metal-molecule interfaces at the high-transmission limit.
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Affiliation(s)
- T Yelin
- Chemical Physics, Weizmann Institute of Science, 7610001 Rehovot, Israel
| | - R Korytár
- Institut für Theoretische Physik, Universität Regensburg, D-93053 Regensburg, Germany
| | - N Sukenik
- Chemical Physics, Weizmann Institute of Science, 7610001 Rehovot, Israel
| | - R Vardimon
- Chemical Physics, Weizmann Institute of Science, 7610001 Rehovot, Israel
| | - B Kumar
- Department of Chemistry, Columbia University, New York 10027, USA
| | - C Nuckolls
- Department of Chemistry, Columbia University, New York 10027, USA
| | - F Evers
- Institut für Theoretische Physik, Universität Regensburg, D-93053 Regensburg, Germany
| | - O Tal
- Chemical Physics, Weizmann Institute of Science, 7610001 Rehovot, Israel
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17
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Xiang D, Wang X, Jia C, Lee T, Guo X. Molecular-Scale Electronics: From Concept to Function. Chem Rev 2016; 116:4318-440. [DOI: 10.1021/acs.chemrev.5b00680] [Citation(s) in RCA: 816] [Impact Index Per Article: 102.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/26/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Dong Xiang
- Beijing
National Laboratory for Molecular Sciences, State Key Laboratory for
Structural Chemistry of Unstable and Stable Species, College of Chemistry
and Molecular Engineering, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China
- Key
Laboratory of Optical Information Science and Technology, Institute
of Modern Optics, College of Electronic Information and Optical Engineering, Nankai University, Tianjin 300071, China
| | - Xiaolong Wang
- Beijing
National Laboratory for Molecular Sciences, State Key Laboratory for
Structural Chemistry of Unstable and Stable Species, College of Chemistry
and Molecular Engineering, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China
| | - Chuancheng Jia
- Beijing
National Laboratory for Molecular Sciences, State Key Laboratory for
Structural Chemistry of Unstable and Stable Species, College of Chemistry
and Molecular Engineering, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China
| | - Takhee Lee
- Department
of Physics and Astronomy, and Institute of Applied Physics, Seoul National University, Seoul 08826, Korea
| | - Xuefeng Guo
- Beijing
National Laboratory for Molecular Sciences, State Key Laboratory for
Structural Chemistry of Unstable and Stable Species, College of Chemistry
and Molecular Engineering, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China
- Department
of Materials Science and Engineering, College of Engineering, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China
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18
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Rakhmilevitch D, Sarkar S, Bitton O, Kronik L, Tal O. Enhanced Magnetoresistance in Molecular Junctions by Geometrical Optimization of Spin-Selective Orbital Hybridization. NANO LETTERS 2016; 16:1741-5. [PMID: 26926769 DOI: 10.1021/acs.nanolett.5b04674] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/27/2023]
Abstract
Molecular junctions based on ferromagnetic electrodes allow the study of electronic spin transport near the limit of spintronics miniaturization. However, these junctions reveal moderate magnetoresistance that is sensitive to the orbital structure at their ferromagnet-molecule interfaces. The key structural parameters that should be controlled in order to gain high magnetoresistance have not been established, despite their importance for efficient manipulation of spin transport at the nanoscale. Here, we show that single-molecule junctions based on nickel electrodes and benzene molecules can yield a significant anisotropic magnetoresistance of up to ∼200% near the conductance quantum G0. The measured magnetoresistance is mechanically tuned by changing the distance between the electrodes, revealing a nonmonotonic response to junction elongation. These findings are ascribed with the aid of first-principles calculations to variations in the metal-molecule orientation that can be adjusted to obtain highly spin-selective orbital hybridization. Our results demonstrate the important role of geometrical considerations in determining the spin transport properties of metal-molecule interfaces.
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Affiliation(s)
- David Rakhmilevitch
- Department of Chemical Physics, ‡Department of Materials and Interfaces, and §Department of Chemical Research Support, Weizmann Institute of Science , Rehovot, Israel
| | - Soumyajit Sarkar
- Department of Chemical Physics, ‡Department of Materials and Interfaces, and §Department of Chemical Research Support, Weizmann Institute of Science , Rehovot, Israel
| | - Ora Bitton
- Department of Chemical Physics, ‡Department of Materials and Interfaces, and §Department of Chemical Research Support, Weizmann Institute of Science , Rehovot, Israel
| | - Leeor Kronik
- Department of Chemical Physics, ‡Department of Materials and Interfaces, and §Department of Chemical Research Support, Weizmann Institute of Science , Rehovot, Israel
| | - Oren Tal
- Department of Chemical Physics, ‡Department of Materials and Interfaces, and §Department of Chemical Research Support, Weizmann Institute of Science , Rehovot, Israel
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19
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Choi B, Capozzi B, Ahn S, Turkiewicz A, Lovat G, Nuckolls C, Steigerwald ML, Venkataraman L, Roy X. Solvent-dependent conductance decay constants in single cluster junctions. Chem Sci 2016; 7:2701-2705. [PMID: 28660043 PMCID: PMC5477014 DOI: 10.1039/c5sc02595h] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/17/2015] [Accepted: 01/11/2016] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
We study single cluster electrical transport in a series of metal chalcogenide molecular clusters using scanning tunneling microscope-based break-junction measurements.
Single-molecule conductance measurements have focused primarily on organic molecular systems. Here, we carry out scanning tunneling microscope-based break-junction measurements on a series of metal chalcogenide Co6Se8 clusters capped with conducting ligands of varying lengths. We compare these measurements with those of individual free ligands and find that the conductance of these clusters and the free ligands have different decay constants with increasing ligand length. We also show, through measurements in two different solvents, 1-bromonaphthalene and 1,2,4-trichlorobenzene, that the conductance decay of the clusters depends on the solvent environment. We discuss several mechanisms to explain our observations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bonnie Choi
- Department of Chemistry , Columbia University , New York , New York 10027 , USA .
| | - Brian Capozzi
- Department of Applied Physics and Applied Mathematics , Columbia University , New York , New York 10027 , USA .
| | - Seokhoon Ahn
- Institute of Advanced Composite Materials , Korea Institute of Science and Technology , Wanju 565-905 , Korea
| | - Ari Turkiewicz
- Department of Chemistry , Columbia University , New York , New York 10027 , USA .
| | - Giacomo Lovat
- Department of Applied Physics and Applied Mathematics , Columbia University , New York , New York 10027 , USA .
| | - Colin Nuckolls
- Department of Chemistry , Columbia University , New York , New York 10027 , USA .
| | | | - Latha Venkataraman
- Department of Chemistry , Columbia University , New York , New York 10027 , USA . .,Department of Applied Physics and Applied Mathematics , Columbia University , New York , New York 10027 , USA .
| | - Xavier Roy
- Department of Chemistry , Columbia University , New York , New York 10027 , USA .
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20
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Komoto Y, Fujii S, Nishino T, Kiguchi M. High electronic couplings of single mesitylene molecular junctions. BEILSTEIN JOURNAL OF NANOTECHNOLOGY 2015; 6:2431-2437. [PMID: 26732978 PMCID: PMC4685770 DOI: 10.3762/bjnano.6.251] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/29/2015] [Accepted: 11/27/2015] [Indexed: 06/05/2023]
Abstract
We report on an experimental analysis of the charge transport properties of single mesitylene (1,3,5-trimethylbenzene) molecular junctions. The electronic conductance and the current-voltage characteristics of mesitylene molecules wired into Au electrodes were measured by a scanning tunnelling microscopy-based break-junction method at room temperature in a liquid environment. We found the molecular junctions exhibited two distinct conductance states with high conductance values of ca. 10(-1) G 0 and of more than 10(-3) G 0 (G 0 = 2e (2)/h) in the electronic conductance measurements. We further performed a statistical analysis of the current-voltage characteristics of the molecular junctions in the two states. Within a single channel resonant tunnelling model, we obtained electronic couplings in the molecular junctions by fitting the current-voltage characteristics to the single channel model. The origin of the high conductance was attributed to experimentally obtained large electronic couplings of the direct π-bonded molecular junctions (ca. 0.15 eV). Based on analysis of the stretch length of the molecular junctions and the large electronic couplings obtained from the I-V analysis, we proposed two structural models, in which (i) mesitylene binds to the Au electrode perpendicular to the charge transport direction and (ii) mesitylene has tilted from the perpendicular orientation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuki Komoto
- Department of Chemistry, Graduate School of Science and Engineering, Tokyo Institute of Technology, 2-12-1 W4-10 Ookayama, Meguro-ku, Tokyo 152-8551, Japan
| | - Shintaro Fujii
- Department of Chemistry, Graduate School of Science and Engineering, Tokyo Institute of Technology, 2-12-1 W4-10 Ookayama, Meguro-ku, Tokyo 152-8551, Japan
| | - Tomoaki Nishino
- Department of Chemistry, Graduate School of Science and Engineering, Tokyo Institute of Technology, 2-12-1 W4-10 Ookayama, Meguro-ku, Tokyo 152-8551, Japan
| | - Manabu Kiguchi
- Department of Chemistry, Graduate School of Science and Engineering, Tokyo Institute of Technology, 2-12-1 W4-10 Ookayama, Meguro-ku, Tokyo 152-8551, Japan
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21
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Zelovich T, Kronik L, Hod O. Molecule-lead coupling at molecular junctions: relation between the real- and state-space perspectives. J Chem Theory Comput 2015; 11:4861-9. [PMID: 26574274 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jctc.5b00612] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
We present insights into the lead-molecule coupling scheme in molecular electronics junctions. Using a "site-to-state" transformation that provides direct access to the coupling matrix elements between the molecular states and the eigenstate manifold of each lead, we find coupling bands whose character depends on the geometry and dimensionality of the lead. We use a standard tight-binding model to elucidate the origin of the coupling bands and explain their nature via simple "particle-in-a-box" type considerations. We further show that these coupling bands can shed light on the charge transport behavior of the junction. The picture presented in this study is not limited to the case of molecular electronics junctions and is relevant to any scenario where a finite molecular entity is coupled to a (semi)infinite system.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tamar Zelovich
- Department of Chemical Physics, School of Chemistry, The Raymond and Beverly Sackler Faculty of Exact Sciences, Tel Aviv University , Tel Aviv 6997801, Israel
| | - Leeor Kronik
- Department of Materials and Interfaces, Weizmann Institute of Science , Rehovoth 76100, Israel
| | - Oded Hod
- Department of Chemical Physics, School of Chemistry, The Raymond and Beverly Sackler Faculty of Exact Sciences, Tel Aviv University , Tel Aviv 6997801, Israel
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22
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Smogunov A, Dappe YJ. Symmetry-derived half-metallicity in atomic and molecular junctions. NANO LETTERS 2015; 15:3552-3556. [PMID: 25871804 DOI: 10.1021/acs.nanolett.5b01004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/04/2023]
Abstract
Achieving highly spin-polarized electric currents in atomic-scale junctions is of great importance in the field of nanoelectronics and spintronics. Based on robust symmetry considerations, we propose a mechanism to block completely one of spin conduction channels for a broad class of atomic and molecular junctions bridging two ferromagnetic electrodes. This particular behavior is due to the wave function orthogonality between spin up s-like states in ferromagnetic electrode and available π channels in the junction. As a consequence, the system would ideally yield 100% spin-polarized current, with a junction acting thus as a "half-metallic" conductor. Using ab initio electron transport calculations, we demonstrate this principle on two examples: (i) a short carbon chain and (ii) a π-conjugated molecule (polythiophene) connected either to model semi-infinite Ni wires or to realistic Ni(111) electrodes. It is also predicted that such atomic-scale junctions should lead to very high (ideally, infinite) magneto-resistance ratios since the electric current gets fully blocked if two electrodes have antiparallel magnetic alignment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexander Smogunov
- Service de Physique de l'Etat Condensé DSM/IRAMIS/SPEC (CNRS UMR 3680), CEA Saclay, 91191 Gif-sur-Yvette Cedex, France
| | - Yannick J Dappe
- Service de Physique de l'Etat Condensé DSM/IRAMIS/SPEC (CNRS UMR 3680), CEA Saclay, 91191 Gif-sur-Yvette Cedex, France
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23
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Stadler P, Mohamed SA, Gasiorowski J, Sytnyk M, Yakunin S, Scharber MC, Enengl C, Enengl S, Egbe DAM, El-Mansy MK, Obayya SSA, Sariciftci NS, Hingerl K, Heiss W. Iodide-capped PbS quantum dots: full optical characterization of a versatile absorber. ADVANCED MATERIALS (DEERFIELD BEACH, FLA.) 2015; 27:1533-9. [PMID: 25612163 DOI: 10.1002/adma.201404921] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/27/2014] [Revised: 11/25/2014] [Indexed: 05/03/2023]
Abstract
Lead sulfide quantum dots represent an emerging photovoltaic absorber material. While their associated optical qualities are true for the colloidal solution phase, they change upon processing into thin-films. A detailed view to the optical key-parameters during solid-film development is presented and the limits and outlooks for this versatile and promising absorber are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Philipp Stadler
- Linz Institute for Organic Solar Cells (LIOS), Physical Chemistry, Johannes Kepler University Linz, Altenbergerstr. 69, A-4040, Linz, Austria
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24
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Balogh Z, Visontai D, Makk P, Gillemot K, Oroszlány L, Pósa L, Lambert C, Halbritter A. Precursor configurations and post-rupture evolution of Ag-CO-Ag single-molecule junctions. NANOSCALE 2014; 6:14784-91. [PMID: 25358380 DOI: 10.1039/c4nr04645e] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/21/2023]
Abstract
Experimental correlation analysis and first-principles theory are used to probe the structure and evolution of Ag-CO-Ag single-molecule junctions both before the formation and after the rupture of the junctions. Two dimensional correlation histograms and conditional histograms demonstrate that prior to the single-molecule bridge configuration the CO molecule is already bound parallel to the Ag single-atom contact. This molecular precursor configuration is accompanied by the opening of additional conductance channels compared to the single-channel transport in pure Ag monoatomic junctions. To investigate the post-rupture evolution of the junction we introduce a cross-correlation analysis between the opening and the subsequent closing conductance traces. This analysis implies that the molecule is bound rigidly to the apex of one electrode, and so the same single-molecule configuration is re-established as the junction is closed. The experimental results are confirmed by ab initio simulations of the evolution of contact geometries, transmission eigenvalues and scattering wavefunctions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zoltán Balogh
- Department of Physics, Budapest University of Technology and Economics and MTA-BME Condensed Matter Research Group, 1111 Budapest, Budafoki ut 8, Hungary.
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25
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Xiang D, Lee T, Kim Y, Mei T, Wang Q. Origin of discrete current fluctuations in a single molecule junction. NANOSCALE 2014; 6:13396-13401. [PMID: 25271483 DOI: 10.1039/c4nr03480e] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/03/2023]
Abstract
A series of fresh molecular junctions at a single molecule level were created and the current fluctuations were studied as electrons passed through them. Our results indicate that telegraph-like current fluctuations at room temperature neither originate from electron trapping/detrapping processes nor from molecule re-conformation. Our results will be helpful in better understanding the mechanism of current fluctuations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dong Xiang
- School of Mathematics and Physics, China University of Geosciences, Wuhan 430074, China
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27
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Afsari S, Li Z, Borguet E. Orientation-Controlled Single-Molecule Junctions. Angew Chem Int Ed Engl 2014; 53:9771-4. [DOI: 10.1002/anie.201402343] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/12/2014] [Revised: 05/21/2014] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
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28
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Ben-Zvi R, Vardimon R, Yelin T, Tal O. Electron-vibration interaction in multichannel single-molecule junctions. ACS NANO 2013; 7:11147-55. [PMID: 24252112 DOI: 10.1021/nn404873x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/23/2023]
Abstract
The effect of electron-vibration interaction in atomic-scale junctions with a single conduction channel was widely investigated both theoretically and experimentally. However, the more general case of junctions with several conduction channels has received very little attention. Here we study electron-vibration interaction in multichannel molecular junctions, formed by introduction of either benzene or carbon dioxide between platinum electrodes. By combining shot noise and differential conductance measurements, we analyze the effect of vibration activation on conductance in view of the distribution of conduction channels. Based on the shift of vibration energy while the junction is stretched, we identify vibration modes with transverse and longitudinal symmetry. The detection of different vibration modes is ascribed to efficient vibration coupling to different conduction channels according to symmetry considerations. While most of our observations can be explained in view of the theoretical models for a single conduction channel, the appearance of conductance enhancement, induced by electron-vibration interaction, at high conductance values indicates either unexpected high electron-vibration coupling or interchannel scattering.
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Affiliation(s)
- Regev Ben-Zvi
- Department of Chemical Physics, Weizmann Institute of Science , Rehovot, 76100 Israel
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