1
|
Sun T, Zhao H, Hu L, Shao X, Lu Z, Wang Y, Ling P, Li Y, Zeng K, Chen Q. Enhanced optical imaging and fluorescent labeling for visualizing drug molecules within living organisms. Acta Pharm Sin B 2024; 14:2428-2446. [PMID: 38828150 PMCID: PMC11143489 DOI: 10.1016/j.apsb.2024.01.018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/30/2023] [Revised: 01/07/2024] [Accepted: 01/25/2024] [Indexed: 06/05/2024] Open
Abstract
The visualization of drugs in living systems has become key techniques in modern therapeutics. Recent advancements in optical imaging technologies and molecular design strategies have revolutionized drug visualization. At the subcellular level, super-resolution microscopy has allowed exploration of the molecular landscape within individual cells and the cellular response to drugs. Moving beyond subcellular imaging, researchers have integrated multiple modes, like optical near-infrared II imaging, to study the complex spatiotemporal interactions between drugs and their surroundings. By combining these visualization approaches, researchers gain supplementary information on physiological parameters, metabolic activity, and tissue composition, leading to a comprehensive understanding of drug behavior. This review focuses on cutting-edge technologies in drug visualization, particularly fluorescence imaging, and the main types of fluorescent molecules used. Additionally, we discuss current challenges and prospects in targeted drug research, emphasizing the importance of multidisciplinary cooperation in advancing drug visualization. With the integration of advanced imaging technology and molecular design, drug visualization has the potential to redefine our understanding of pharmacology, enabling the analysis of drug micro-dynamics in subcellular environments from new perspectives and deepening pharmacological research to the levels of the cell and organelles.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Ting Sun
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, National Key Laboratory of Advanced Drug Delivery System, Medical Science and Technology Innovation Center, Shandong First Medical University & Shandong Academy of Medical Sciences, Jinan 250062, China
- Institute of Biochemical and Biotechnological Drugs, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, Jinan 250012, China
| | - Huanxin Zhao
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, National Key Laboratory of Advanced Drug Delivery System, Medical Science and Technology Innovation Center, Shandong First Medical University & Shandong Academy of Medical Sciences, Jinan 250062, China
| | - Luyao Hu
- School of Chinese Materia Medica, Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Tianjin 301617, China
| | - Xintian Shao
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, National Key Laboratory of Advanced Drug Delivery System, Medical Science and Technology Innovation Center, Shandong First Medical University & Shandong Academy of Medical Sciences, Jinan 250062, China
- School of Life Sciences, Science and Technology Innovation Center, Shandong First Medical University & Shandong Academy of Medical Sciences, Jinan 250062, China
| | - Zhiyuan Lu
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, National Key Laboratory of Advanced Drug Delivery System, Medical Science and Technology Innovation Center, Shandong First Medical University & Shandong Academy of Medical Sciences, Jinan 250062, China
| | - Yuli Wang
- Tianjin Pharmaceutical DA REN TANG Group Corporation Limited Traditional Chinese Pharmacy Research Institute, Tianjin 300457, China
- Key Laboratory of Systems Bioengineering (Ministry of Education), School of Chemistry Engineering and Technology, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300072, China
| | - Peixue Ling
- Institute of Biochemical and Biotechnological Drugs, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, Jinan 250012, China
- Key Laboratory of Biopharmaceuticals, Postdoctoral Scientific Research Workstation, Shandong Academy of Pharmaceutical Science, Jinan 250098, China
| | - Yubo Li
- School of Chinese Materia Medica, Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Tianjin 301617, China
| | - Kewu Zeng
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, National Key Laboratory of Advanced Drug Delivery System, Medical Science and Technology Innovation Center, Shandong First Medical University & Shandong Academy of Medical Sciences, Jinan 250062, China
- State Key Laboratory of Natural and Biomimetic Drugs, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Peking University, Beijing 100191, China
| | - Qixin Chen
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, National Key Laboratory of Advanced Drug Delivery System, Medical Science and Technology Innovation Center, Shandong First Medical University & Shandong Academy of Medical Sciences, Jinan 250062, China
- Departments of Diagnostic Radiology, Surgery, Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, and Biomedical Engineering, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine and College of Design and Engineering, National University of Singapore, Singapore 119074, Singapore
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Guo HY, Pei LQ, Cai ZY, Sun N, Zheng JF, Shao Y, Wang YH, Wu DY, Jin S, Zhou XS. Effects of Connectivity Isomerization on Electron Transport Through Thiophene Heterocyclic Molecular Junction. LANGMUIR : THE ACS JOURNAL OF SURFACES AND COLLOIDS 2024; 40:9717-9724. [PMID: 38712354 DOI: 10.1021/acs.langmuir.4c00678] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/08/2024]
Abstract
Connectivity isomerization of the same aromatic molecular core with different substitution positions profoundly affects electron transport pathways and single-molecule conductance. Herein, we designed and synthesized all connectivity isomers of a thiophene (TP) aromatic ring substituted by two dihydrobenzo[b]thiophene (BT) groups with ethynyl spacers (m,n-TP-BT, (m,n = 2,3; 2,4; 2,5; 3,4)), to systematically probe how connectivity contributes to single-molecule conductance. Single-molecule conductance measurements using a scanning tunneling microscopy break junction (STM-BJ) technique show ∼12-fold change in conductance values, which follow an order of 10-4.83 G0 (2,4-TP-BT) < 10-4.78 G0 (3,4-TP-BT) < 10-4.06 G0 (2,3-TP-BT) < 10-3.75 G0 (2,5-TP-BT). Electronic structure analysis and theoretical simulations show that the connectivity isomerization significantly changes electron delocalization and HOMO-LUMO energy gaps. Moreover, the connectivity-dependent molecular structures lead to different quantum interference (QI) effects in electron transport, e.g., a strong destructive QI near E = EF leads the smallest conductance value for 2,4-TP-BT. This work proves a clear relationship between the connectivity isomerization and single-molecule conductance of thiophene heterocyclic molecular junctions for the future design of molecular devices.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Hong-Yang Guo
- Key Laboratory of the Ministry of Education for Advanced Catalysis Materials, Institute of Physical Chemistry, Zhejiang Normal University, Jinhua 321004, China
| | - Lin-Qi Pei
- Key Laboratory of Pesticide and Chemical Biology, Ministry of Education, College of Chemistry, Central China Normal University, Wuhan, Hubei 430079, China
| | - Zhuan-Yun Cai
- State Key Laboratory of Physical Chemistry of Solid Surfaces and Department of Chemistry, iChEM, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361005, China
| | - Nan Sun
- Key Laboratory of the Ministry of Education for Advanced Catalysis Materials, Institute of Physical Chemistry, Zhejiang Normal University, Jinhua 321004, China
| | - Ju-Fang Zheng
- Key Laboratory of the Ministry of Education for Advanced Catalysis Materials, Institute of Physical Chemistry, Zhejiang Normal University, Jinhua 321004, China
| | - Yong Shao
- Key Laboratory of the Ministry of Education for Advanced Catalysis Materials, Institute of Physical Chemistry, Zhejiang Normal University, Jinhua 321004, China
| | - Ya-Hao Wang
- Key Laboratory of the Ministry of Education for Advanced Catalysis Materials, Institute of Physical Chemistry, Zhejiang Normal University, Jinhua 321004, China
| | - De-Yin Wu
- State Key Laboratory of Physical Chemistry of Solid Surfaces and Department of Chemistry, iChEM, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361005, China
| | - Shan Jin
- Key Laboratory of Pesticide and Chemical Biology, Ministry of Education, College of Chemistry, Central China Normal University, Wuhan, Hubei 430079, China
| | - Xiao-Shun Zhou
- Key Laboratory of the Ministry of Education for Advanced Catalysis Materials, Institute of Physical Chemistry, Zhejiang Normal University, Jinhua 321004, China
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Marongiu M, Ha T, Gil-Guerrero S, Garg K, Mandado M, Melle-Franco M, Diez-Perez I, Mateo-Alonso A. Molecular Graphene Nanoribbon Junctions. J Am Chem Soc 2024; 146:3963-3973. [PMID: 38305745 PMCID: PMC10870704 DOI: 10.1021/jacs.3c11340] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/24/2023] [Revised: 12/20/2023] [Accepted: 01/12/2024] [Indexed: 02/03/2024]
Abstract
One of the challenges for the realization of molecular electronics is the design of nanoscale molecular wires displaying long-range charge transport. Graphene nanoribbons are an attractive platform for the development of molecular wires with long-range conductance owing to their unique electrical properties. Despite their potential, the charge transport properties of single nanoribbons remain underexplored. Herein, we report a synthetic approach to prepare N-doped pyrene-pyrazinoquinoxaline molecular graphene nanoribbons terminated with diamino anchoring groups at each end. These terminal groups allow for the formation of stable molecular graphene nanoribbon junctions between two metal electrodes that were investigated by scanning tunneling microscope-based break-junction measurements. The experimental and computational results provide evidence of long-range tunneling charge transport in these systems characterized by a shallow conductance length dependence and electron tunneling through >6 nm molecular backbone.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Mauro Marongiu
- POLYMAT, University of the Basque Country UPV/EHU, Avenida de Tolosa 72, 20018 Donostia-San Sebastian, Spain
| | - Tracy Ha
- Department
of Chemistry, Faculty of Natural & Mathematical Sciences, King’s College London, Britannia House, 7 Trinity Street, SE1 1DB London, United Kingdom
| | - Sara Gil-Guerrero
- CICECO—Aveiro
Institute of Materials, Department of Chemistry, University of Aveiro, 3810-193 Aveiro, Portugal
| | - Kavita Garg
- Department
of Chemistry, Faculty of Natural & Mathematical Sciences, King’s College London, Britannia House, 7 Trinity Street, SE1 1DB London, United Kingdom
| | - Marcos Mandado
- Department
of Physical Chemistry, University of Vigo, Lagoas-Marcosende s/n, 36310 Vigo, Spain
| | - Manuel Melle-Franco
- CICECO—Aveiro
Institute of Materials, Department of Chemistry, University of Aveiro, 3810-193 Aveiro, Portugal
| | - Ismael Diez-Perez
- Department
of Chemistry, Faculty of Natural & Mathematical Sciences, King’s College London, Britannia House, 7 Trinity Street, SE1 1DB London, United Kingdom
| | - Aurelio Mateo-Alonso
- POLYMAT, University of the Basque Country UPV/EHU, Avenida de Tolosa 72, 20018 Donostia-San Sebastian, Spain
- Ikerbasque, Basque
Foundation for Science, 48009 Bilbao, Spain
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Senapati P, Parida P. Charge and spin thermoelectric transport in benzene-based molecular nano-junctions: a quantum many-body study. NANOSCALE 2024; 16:2574-2590. [PMID: 38224290 DOI: 10.1039/d3nr04714h] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/16/2024]
Abstract
Within the Coulomb blockade regime, our study delves into the charge, spin, and thermoelectric transport characteristics of a benzene-based molecular nano-junction using the Pauli master equation and linear response theory. The charge- and spin-transport studies show strong negative differential conductance features in the current-voltage (I-V) characteristics for the ortho and meta connections of electrodes on either side. Contrarily, the para-connection displays Coulomb staircase behavior. By exploring spin current behavior in the presence of spin-polarized electrodes or an external Zeeman field, we establish a methodology that facilitates precise control over the specific spin flow. Various charge and spin thermoelectric transport coefficients have been studied with varying chemical potentials. We focus on spin-polarized conductance, the Seebeck coefficient, and the figure of merit. By adjusting electrode polarization or employing an external magnetic field, we achieve an impressive peak value for the spin thermoelectric figure of merit, approximately 4.10. This outcome underscores the strategic value of harnessing both spin-polarized electrodes and external magnetic fields within the domain of spin caloritronics.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Parbati Senapati
- Department of Physics, Indian Institute of Technology Patna, Bihta, Bihar, 801106, India.
| | - Prakash Parida
- Department of Physics, Indian Institute of Technology Patna, Bihta, Bihar, 801106, India.
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
Ornago L, Zwick P, van der Poel S, Brandl T, El Abbassi M, Perrin ML, Dulić D, van der Zant HSJ, Mayor M. Influence of Peripheral Alkyl Groups on Junction Configurations in Single-Molecule Electronics. THE JOURNAL OF PHYSICAL CHEMISTRY. C, NANOMATERIALS AND INTERFACES 2024; 128:1413-1422. [PMID: 38293692 PMCID: PMC10823531 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jpcc.3c06970] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/21/2023] [Revised: 12/28/2023] [Accepted: 12/28/2023] [Indexed: 02/01/2024]
Abstract
The addition of a lateral alkyl chain is a well-known strategy to reduce π-stacked ensembles of molecules in solution, with the intention to minimize the interactions between the molecules' backbones. In this paper, we study whether this concept generalizes to single-molecule junctions by using a combination of mechanically controllable break junction (MCBJ) measurements and clustering-based data analysis with two small series of model compounds decorated with various bulky groups. The systematic study suggests that introducing alkyl side chains also favors the formation of electrode-molecule configurations that are not observed in their absence, thereby inducing broadening of the conductance peak in the one-dimensional histograms. Thus, the introduction of alkyl chains in aromatic compounds for molecular electronics must be carefully designed and optimized for the specific purpose, balancing between increased solubility and the possibility of additional junction configurations.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Luca Ornago
- Kavli
Institute of Nanoscience, Delft University
of Technology, Lorentzweg 1, 2628 CJ Delft, The Netherlands
| | - Patrick Zwick
- Department
of Chemistry, University of Basel, St. Johanns-Ring 19, 4056 Basel, Switzerland
| | - Sebastiaan van der Poel
- Kavli
Institute of Nanoscience, Delft University
of Technology, Lorentzweg 1, 2628 CJ Delft, The Netherlands
| | - Thomas Brandl
- Department
of Chemistry, University of Basel, St. Johanns-Ring 19, 4056 Basel, Switzerland
| | - Maria El Abbassi
- Kavli
Institute of Nanoscience, Delft University
of Technology, Lorentzweg 1, 2628 CJ Delft, The Netherlands
| | - Mickael L. Perrin
- Transport
at Nanoscale Interfaces Laboratory, Empa,
Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Science and Technology, 8600 Dübendorf, Switzerland
- Department
of Information Technology and Electrical Engineering, ETH Zürich, 8092 Zürich, Switzerland
- Quantum
Center, ETH Zürich, 8093 Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Diana Dulić
- Department
of Physics and Department of Electrical Engineering, Faculty of Physical
and Mathematical Sciences, University of
Chile, Avenida Blanco
Encalada 2008, Santiago 8330015, Chile
| | - Herre S. J. van der Zant
- Kavli
Institute of Nanoscience, Delft University
of Technology, Lorentzweg 1, 2628 CJ Delft, The Netherlands
| | - Marcel Mayor
- Department
of Chemistry, University of Basel, St. Johanns-Ring 19, 4056 Basel, Switzerland
- Institute
for Nanotechnology (INT), Karlsruhe Institute
of Technology (KIT), P.O. Box 3640, 76021 Karlsruhe, Germany
- Lehn
Institute of Functional Materials (LIFM), School of Chemistry, Sun Yat-Sen University (SYSU), Guangzhou 510275, China
| |
Collapse
|
6
|
Fan Y, Tao S, Pitié S, Liu C, Zhao C, Seydou M, Dappe YJ, Low PJ, Nichols RJ, Yang L. Destructive quantum interference in meta-oligo(phenyleneethynylene) molecular wires with gold-graphene heterojunctions. NANOSCALE 2023; 16:195-204. [PMID: 38050747 DOI: 10.1039/d3nr04012g] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/06/2023]
Abstract
Quantum interference (QI) is well recognised as a significant contributing factor to the magnitude of molecular conductance values in both single-molecule and large area junctions. Numerous structure-property relationship studies have shown that para-connected oligo(phenyleneethynylene) (OPE) based molecular wires exemplify the impact of constructive quantum interference (CQI), whilst destructive quantum interference (DQI) effects are responsible for the orders of magnitude lower conductance of analogous meta-contacted OPE derivatives, despite the somewhat shorter effective tunnelling distance. Since molecular conductance is related to the value of the transmission function, evaluated at the electrode Fermi energy, T(EF), which in turn is influenced by the presence and relative energy of (anti)resonances, it follows that the relative single-molecule conductance of para- and meta-contacted OPE-type molecules is tuned both by the anchor group and the nature of the electrode materials used in the construction of molecular junctions (gold|molecule|gold vs. gold|molecule|graphene). It is shown here that whilst amine-contacted junctions show little influence of the electrode material on molecular conductance due to the similar electrode-molecule coupling through this anchor group to both types of electrodes, the weaker coupling between thiomethyl and ethynyl anchors and the graphene substrate electrode results in a relative enhancement of the DQI effect. This work highlights an additional parameter space to explore QI effects and establishes a new working model based on the electrode materials and anchor groups in modulating QI effects beyond the chemical structure of the molecular backbone.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Yinqi Fan
- Department of Chemistry, Xi'an-Jiaotong Liverpool University, Suzhou, 215123, China.
- Department of Chemistry, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, L69 7ZD, UK
| | - Shuhui Tao
- Department of Chemistry, Xi'an-Jiaotong Liverpool University, Suzhou, 215123, China.
- NUS (Chongqing) Research Institute, Chongqing, China
| | - Sylvain Pitié
- Applied Quantum Chemistry Group, E4, IC2MP, UMR 7285 Poitiers University CNRS, 86073 Poitiers, France
| | - Chenguang Liu
- Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering, Xi'an-Jiaotong Liverpool University, Suzhou, 215123, China
| | - Chun Zhao
- Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering, Xi'an-Jiaotong Liverpool University, Suzhou, 215123, China
| | | | - Yannick J Dappe
- SPEC, CEA, CNRS, Université Paris-Saclay, CEA Saclay, 91191 Gif-sur-Yvette Cedex, France
| | - Paul J Low
- School of Molecular Sciences, University of Western Australia, 35 Stirling Highway, 6009 Crawley, Australia
| | - Richard J Nichols
- Department of Chemistry, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, L69 7ZD, UK
| | - Li Yang
- Department of Chemistry, Xi'an-Jiaotong Liverpool University, Suzhou, 215123, China.
- Department of Chemistry, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, L69 7ZD, UK
| |
Collapse
|
7
|
Bennett TLR, Long NJ. A convenient synthesis of ferrocene-(ethynylphenyl)thioacetates. Dalton Trans 2023; 52:16465-16471. [PMID: 37873649 DOI: 10.1039/d3dt02954a] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/25/2023]
Abstract
Ferrocene is popular within the field of molecular electronics due to its well-defined electronic properties. However, where the conductance of highly-conjugated oligophenylethylenes has been widely studied, work on analogous ferrocenyl systems has been relatively rare, possibly due to difficulties associated with the synthesis of molecules containing terminal thioacetates, which are often used to bind molecules to metallic electrodes. Herein, a widely applicable synthetic methodology is demonstrated which can be used to synthesize a variety of conjugated ferrocene-alkyne systems terminated with thioacetates, including symmetric, asymmetric and multi-ferrocene systems. Conjugation of the ferrocene units to their terminal atoms is then shown through the use of both UV/Vis spectroscopy and cyclic voltammetry. This work paves the way for future studies and applications of conjugated ferrocene systems in the field of nanoelectronics.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Troy L R Bennett
- Department of Chemistry, Imperial College London, London, W12 0BZ, UK.
| | - Nicholas J Long
- Department of Chemistry, Imperial College London, London, W12 0BZ, UK.
| |
Collapse
|
8
|
Salthouse R, Hurtado-Gallego J, Grace IM, Davidson R, Alshammari O, Agraït N, Lambert CJ, Bryce MR. Electronic Conductance and Thermopower of Cross-Conjugated and Skipped-Conjugated Molecules in Single-Molecule Junctions. THE JOURNAL OF PHYSICAL CHEMISTRY. C, NANOMATERIALS AND INTERFACES 2023; 127:13751-13758. [PMID: 37528901 PMCID: PMC10389811 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jpcc.3c00742] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/02/2023] [Revised: 06/21/2023] [Indexed: 08/03/2023]
Abstract
We report a combined experimental and theoretical study of a series of thiomethyl (SMe) anchored cross-conjugated molecules featuring an acyclic central bridging ketone and their analogous skipped-conjugated alcohol derivatives. Studies of these molecules in a gold|single-molecule|gold junction using scanning tunneling microscopy-break junction techniques reveal a similar conductance (G) value for both the cross-conjugated molecules and their skipped-conjugated partners. Theoretical studies based on density functional theory of the molecules in their optimum geometries in the junction reveal the reason for this similarity in conductance, as the predicted conductance for the alcohol series of compounds varies more with the tilt angle. Thermopower measurements reveal a higher Seebeck coefficient (S) for the cross-conjugated ketone molecules relative to the alcohol derivatives, with a particularly high S for the biphenyl derivative 3a (-15.6 μV/K), an increase of threefold compared to its alcohol analog. The predicted behavior of the quantum interference (QI) in this series of cross-conjugated molecules is found to be constructive, though the appearance of a destructive QI feature for 3a is due to the degeneracy of the HOMO orbital and may explain the enhancement of the value of S for this molecule.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | - Juan Hurtado-Gallego
- Departamento
de Física de la Materia Condensada, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Madrid E-28049, Spain
| | - Iain M. Grace
- Physics
Department, Lancaster University, Lancaster LA1 4YB, U.K.
| | - Ross Davidson
- Department
of Chemistry, Durham University, Durham DH1 3LE, U.K.
| | - Ohud Alshammari
- Physics
Department, Lancaster University, Lancaster LA1 4YB, U.K.
| | - Nicolás Agraït
- Departamento
de Física de la Materia Condensada, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Madrid E-28049, Spain
- Condensed
Matter Physics Center (IFIMAC) and Instituto Universitatio de Ciencia
de Materiales “Nicolás Cabrera” (INC), Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Madrid E-28049, Spain
- Instituto
Madrileño de Estudios Avanzados en Nanociencia IMDEA-Nanociencia, Madrid E-28049, Spain
| | - Colin J. Lambert
- Physics
Department, Lancaster University, Lancaster LA1 4YB, U.K.
| | - Martin R. Bryce
- Department
of Chemistry, Durham University, Durham DH1 3LE, U.K.
| |
Collapse
|
9
|
Li T, Bandari VK, Schmidt OG. Molecular Electronics: Creating and Bridging Molecular Junctions and Promoting Its Commercialization. ADVANCED MATERIALS (DEERFIELD BEACH, FLA.) 2023; 35:e2209088. [PMID: 36512432 DOI: 10.1002/adma.202209088] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/02/2022] [Revised: 11/28/2022] [Indexed: 06/02/2023]
Abstract
Molecular electronics is driven by the dream of expanding Moore's law to the molecular level for next-generation electronics through incorporating individual or ensemble molecules into electronic circuits. For nearly 50 years, numerous efforts have been made to explore the intrinsic properties of molecules and develop diverse fascinating molecular electronic devices with the desired functionalities. The flourishing of molecular electronics is inseparable from the development of various elegant methodologies for creating nanogap electrodes and bridging the nanogap with molecules. This review first focuses on the techniques for making lateral and vertical nanogap electrodes by breaking, narrowing, and fixed modes, and highlights their capabilities, applications, merits, and shortcomings. After summarizing the approaches of growing single molecules or molecular layers on the electrodes, the methods of constructing a complete molecular circuit are comprehensively grouped into three categories: 1) directly bridging one-molecule-electrode component with another electrode, 2) physically bridging two-molecule-electrode components, and 3) chemically bridging two-molecule-electrode components. Finally, the current state of molecular circuit integration and commercialization is discussed and perspectives are provided, hoping to encourage the community to accelerate the realization of fully scalable molecular electronics for a new era of integrated microsystems and applications.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Tianming Li
- Research Center for Materials, Architectures and Integration of Nanomembranes (MAIN), Chemnitz University of Technology, 09126, Chemnitz, Germany
- Material Systems for Nanoelectronics, Chemnitz University of Technology, 09111, Chemnitz, Germany
| | - Vineeth Kumar Bandari
- Research Center for Materials, Architectures and Integration of Nanomembranes (MAIN), Chemnitz University of Technology, 09126, Chemnitz, Germany
- Material Systems for Nanoelectronics, Chemnitz University of Technology, 09111, Chemnitz, Germany
| | - Oliver G Schmidt
- Research Center for Materials, Architectures and Integration of Nanomembranes (MAIN), Chemnitz University of Technology, 09126, Chemnitz, Germany
- Material Systems for Nanoelectronics, Chemnitz University of Technology, 09111, Chemnitz, Germany
- Nanophysics, Dresden University of Technology, 01069, Dresden, Germany
| |
Collapse
|
10
|
O'Driscoll LJ, Jay M, Robinson BJ, Sadeghi H, Wang X, Penhale-Jones B, Bryce MR, Lambert CJ. Planar aromatic anchors control the electrical conductance of gold|molecule|graphene junctions. NANOSCALE ADVANCES 2023; 5:2299-2306. [PMID: 37056609 PMCID: PMC10089101 DOI: 10.1039/d2na00873d] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2022] [Accepted: 03/08/2023] [Indexed: 06/19/2023]
Abstract
The synthesis of a family of alkanethiol molecules with planar aromatic head groups, designed to anchor molecules effectively to graphene electrodes, is reported. Characterisation of self-assembled monolayers of these molecules on a gold surface via conductive atomic force microscopy shows that when an aromatic head group is present, the conductance G graphene obtained using a graphene coated probe is higher than the conductance G Pt obtained using a platinum (Pt) probe. For Pt probe and graphene probe junctions, the tunnelling decay constant of benzyl ether derivatives with an alkanethiol molecular backbone is determined as β = 5.6 nm-1 and 3.5 nm-1, respectively. The conductance ratio G graphene/G Pt increases as the number of rings present in the aromatic head unit, n, increases. However, as the number of rings increases, the conductance path length increases because the planar head groups lie at an angle to the plane of the electrodes. This means that overall conductance decreases as n increases. Density functional theory-based charge transport calculations support these experimental findings. This study confirms that planar aromatic head groups can function as effective anchoring units for graphene electrodes in large area molecular junctions. However, the results also indicate that the size and geometry of these head groups must be considered in order to produce effective molecular designs.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | - Michael Jay
- Dept. of Physics, Lancaster University Lancaster LA1 4YB UK
| | | | - Hatef Sadeghi
- Dept. of Engineering, Warwick University Coventry CV4 7AL UK
| | - Xintai Wang
- School of Information Science and Technology, Dalian Maritime University Dalian China
| | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
11
|
Lin Z, Li Z, Xiao W, Kong L, Xu J, Xia Y, Zhu X, Zhang F, Ou YP. Terpyridine Ruthenium-Triarylamine Asymmetrical Mixed-Valence Systems: Syntheses, (Spectro) Electrochemistry and Theoretical Calculations. J Organomet Chem 2023. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jorganchem.2023.122708] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/08/2023]
|
12
|
Zhao X, Zhang X, Yin K, Zhang S, Zhao Z, Tan M, Xu X, Zhao Z, Wang M, Xu B, Lee T, Scheer E, Xiang D. In Situ Adjustable Nanogaps and In-Plane Break Junctions. SMALL METHODS 2023; 7:e2201427. [PMID: 36732898 DOI: 10.1002/smtd.202201427] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/02/2022] [Revised: 12/27/2022] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
The ability to precisely regulate the size of a nanogap is essential for establishing high-yield molecular junctions, and it is crucial for the control of optical signals in extreme optics. Although remarkable strategies for the fabrication of nanogaps are proposed, wafer-compatible nanogaps with freely adjustable gap sizes are not yet available. Herein, two approaches for constructing in situ adjustable metal gaps are proposed which allow Ångstrom modulation resolution by employing either a lateral expandable piezoelectric sheet or a stretchable membrane. These in situ adjustable nanogaps are further developed into in-plane molecular break junctions, in which the gaps can be repeatedly closed and opened thousands of times with self-assembled molecules. The conductance of the single 1,4-benzenediamine (BDA) and the BDA molecular dimer is successfully determined using the proposed strategy. The measured conductance agreeing well with the data by employing another well-established scanning tunneling microscopy break junction technique provides insight into the formation of molecule dimer via hydrogen bond at single molecule level. The wafer-compatible nanogaps and in-plane dynamical break-junctions provide a potential approach to fabricate highly compacted devices using a single molecule as a building block and supply a promising in-plane technique to address the dynamical properties of single molecules.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Xueyan Zhao
- Institute of Modern Optics and Center of Single-Molecule Science, Tianjin Key Laboratory of Micro-scale Optical Information Science and Technology, Nankai University, Tianjin, 300350, China
| | - Xubin Zhang
- Institute of Modern Optics and Center of Single-Molecule Science, Tianjin Key Laboratory of Micro-scale Optical Information Science and Technology, Nankai University, Tianjin, 300350, China
| | - Kaikai Yin
- Institute of Modern Optics and Center of Single-Molecule Science, Tianjin Key Laboratory of Micro-scale Optical Information Science and Technology, Nankai University, Tianjin, 300350, China
| | - Surong Zhang
- Institute of Modern Optics and Center of Single-Molecule Science, Tianjin Key Laboratory of Micro-scale Optical Information Science and Technology, Nankai University, Tianjin, 300350, China
| | - Zhikai Zhao
- Institute of Modern Optics and Center of Single-Molecule Science, Tianjin Key Laboratory of Micro-scale Optical Information Science and Technology, Nankai University, Tianjin, 300350, China
| | - Min Tan
- Institute of Modern Optics and Center of Single-Molecule Science, Tianjin Key Laboratory of Micro-scale Optical Information Science and Technology, Nankai University, Tianjin, 300350, China
| | - Xiaona Xu
- Institute of Modern Optics and Center of Single-Molecule Science, Tianjin Key Laboratory of Micro-scale Optical Information Science and Technology, Nankai University, Tianjin, 300350, China
| | - Zhibin Zhao
- Institute of Modern Optics and Center of Single-Molecule Science, Tianjin Key Laboratory of Micro-scale Optical Information Science and Technology, Nankai University, Tianjin, 300350, China
| | - Maoning Wang
- Institute of Modern Optics and Center of Single-Molecule Science, Tianjin Key Laboratory of Micro-scale Optical Information Science and Technology, Nankai University, Tianjin, 300350, China
| | - Bingqian Xu
- College of Engineering, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, 30602, USA
| | - Takhee Lee
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, and Institute of Applied Physics, Seoul National University, Seoul, 08826, Korea
| | - Elke Scheer
- Department of Physics, University of Konstanz, 78457, Konstanz, Germany
| | - Dong Xiang
- Institute of Modern Optics and Center of Single-Molecule Science, Tianjin Key Laboratory of Micro-scale Optical Information Science and Technology, Nankai University, Tianjin, 300350, China
| |
Collapse
|
13
|
Daaoub A, Ornago L, Vogel D, Bastante P, Sangtarash S, Parmeggiani M, Kamer J, Agraït N, Mayor M, van der Zant H, Sadeghi H. Engineering Transport Orbitals in Single-Molecule Junctions. J Phys Chem Lett 2022; 13:9156-9164. [PMID: 36166407 PMCID: PMC9549519 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jpclett.2c01851] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/14/2022] [Accepted: 09/22/2022] [Indexed: 05/25/2023]
Abstract
Controlling charge transport through molecules is challenging because it requires engineering of the energy of molecular orbitals involved in the transport process. While side groups are central to maintaining solubility in many molecular materials, their role in modulating charge transport through single-molecule junctions has received less attention. Here, using two break-junction techniques and computational modeling, we investigate systematically the effect of electron-donating and -withdrawing side groups on the charge transport through single molecules. By characterizing the conductance and thermopower, we demonstrate that side groups can be used to manipulate energy levels of the transport orbitals. Furthermore, we develop a novel statistical approach to model quantum transport through molecular junctions. The proposed method does not treat the electrodes' chemical potential as a free parameter and leads to more robust prediction of electrical conductance as confirmed by our experiment. The new method is generic and can be used to predict the conductance of molecules.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Abdalghani Daaoub
- School
of Engineering, University of Warwick, CV4 7AL Coventry, United Kingdom
| | - Luca Ornago
- Kavli
Institute of Nanoscience, Delft University
of Technology, Lorentzweg 1, 2628 CJ Delft, The Netherlands
| | - David Vogel
- Department
of Chemistry, University of Basel, St. Johanns-Ring 19, 4056 Basel, Switzerland
| | - Pablo Bastante
- Departamento
de Física de la Materia Condensada, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, E-28049 Madrid, Spain
| | - Sara Sangtarash
- School
of Engineering, University of Warwick, CV4 7AL Coventry, United Kingdom
| | - Matteo Parmeggiani
- Department
of Applied Science and Technology (DISAT), Politecnico di Torino, Corso Duca degli Abruzzi 24, 10129 Torino, Italy
| | - Jerry Kamer
- Kavli
Institute of Nanoscience, Delft University
of Technology, Lorentzweg 1, 2628 CJ Delft, The Netherlands
| | - Nicolás Agraït
- Departamento
de Física de la Materia Condensada, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, E-28049 Madrid, Spain
| | - Marcel Mayor
- Department
of Chemistry, University of Basel, St. Johanns-Ring 19, 4056 Basel, Switzerland
- Institute
for Nanotechnology, Karlsruhe Institute
of Technology (KIT), P.O. Box 3640, 76021 Karlsruhe, Germany
- Lehn
Institute of Functional Materials (LIFM), School of Chemistry, Sun Yat-Sen University (SYSU), 510275 Guangzhou, China
| | - Herre van der Zant
- Kavli
Institute of Nanoscience, Delft University
of Technology, Lorentzweg 1, 2628 CJ Delft, The Netherlands
| | - Hatef Sadeghi
- School
of Engineering, University of Warwick, CV4 7AL Coventry, United Kingdom
| |
Collapse
|
14
|
Wang X, Ismael A, Ning S, Althobaiti H, Al-Jobory A, Girovsky J, Astier HPAG, O'Driscoll LJ, Bryce MR, Lambert CJ, Ford CJB. Electrostatic Fermi level tuning in large-scale self-assembled monolayers of oligo(phenylene-ethynylene) derivatives. NANOSCALE HORIZONS 2022; 7:1201-1209. [PMID: 35913108 DOI: 10.1039/d2nh00241h] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Understanding and controlling the orbital alignment of molecules placed between electrodes is essential in the design of practically-applicable molecular and nanoscale electronic devices. The orbital alignment is highly determined by the molecule-electrode interface. Dependence of orbital alignment on the molecular anchor group for single molecular junctions has been intensively studied; however, when scaling-up single molecules to large parallel molecular arrays (like self-assembled monolayers (SAMs)), two challenges need to be addressed: 1. Most desired anchor groups do not form high quality SAMs. 2. It is much harder to tune the frontier molecular orbitals via a gate voltage in SAM junctions than in single molecular junctions. In this work, we studied the effect of the molecule-electrode interface in SAMs with a micro-pore device, using a recently developed tetrapodal anchor to overcome challenge 1, and the combination of a single layered graphene top electrode with an ionic liquid gate to solve challenge 2. The zero-bias orbital alignment of different molecules was signalled by a shift in conductance minimum vs. gate voltage for molecules with different anchoring groups. Molecules with the same backbone, but a different molecule-electrode interface, were shown experimentally to have conductances that differ by a factor of 5 near zero bias. Theoretical calculations using density functional theory support the trends observed in the experimental data. This work sheds light on how to control electron transport within the HOMO-LUMO energy gap in molecular junctions and will be applicable in scaling up molecular electronic systems for future device applications.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Xintai Wang
- Department of Physics, Cavendish Laboratory, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, CB3 0HE, UK
- School of Information Science and Technology, Dalian Maritime University, Dalian, China
| | - Ali Ismael
- Physics Department, Lancaster University, Lancaster, LA1 4YB, UK.
- Department of Physics, College of Education for Pure Science, Tikrit University, Tikrit, Iraq
| | - Shanglong Ning
- Department of Physics, Cavendish Laboratory, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, CB3 0HE, UK
| | - Hanan Althobaiti
- Physics Department, Lancaster University, Lancaster, LA1 4YB, UK.
- Department of Physics, College of Science, Taif-University, Taif, Saudi Arabia
| | - Alaa Al-Jobory
- Physics Department, Lancaster University, Lancaster, LA1 4YB, UK.
- Department of Physics, College of Science, University of Anbar, Anbar, Iraq
| | - Jan Girovsky
- Department of Physics, Cavendish Laboratory, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, CB3 0HE, UK
| | - Hippolyte P A G Astier
- Department of Physics, Cavendish Laboratory, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, CB3 0HE, UK
| | - Luke J O'Driscoll
- Department of Chemistry, Durham University, Lower Mountjoy, Stockton Road, Durham, DH1 3LE, UK
| | - Martin R Bryce
- Department of Chemistry, Durham University, Lower Mountjoy, Stockton Road, Durham, DH1 3LE, UK
| | - Colin J Lambert
- Physics Department, Lancaster University, Lancaster, LA1 4YB, UK.
| | - Christopher J B Ford
- Department of Physics, Cavendish Laboratory, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, CB3 0HE, UK
| |
Collapse
|
15
|
Naher M, Gorenskaia E, Moggach SA, Becker T, Nichols RJ, Lambert CJ, Low PJ. A one-pot synthesis of oligo(arylene–ethynylene)-molecular wires and their use in the further verification of molecular circuit laws†. Aust J Chem 2022. [DOI: 10.1071/ch21235] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
|
16
|
Wilkinson LA, Bennett TLR, Grace IM, Hamill J, Wang X, Au-Yong S, Ismael A, Jarvis SP, Hou S, Albrecht T, Cohen LF, Lambert C, Robinson BJ, Long NJ. Assembly, structure and thermoelectric properties of 1,1′-dialkynylferrocene ‘hinges’. Chem Sci 2022; 13:8380-8387. [PMID: 35919728 PMCID: PMC9297386 DOI: 10.1039/d2sc00861k] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/10/2022] [Accepted: 06/24/2022] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Dialkynylferrocenes exhibit attractive electronic and rotational features that make them ideal candidates for use in molecular electronic applications. However previous works have primarily focussed on single-molecule studies, with limited opportunities to translate these features into devices. In this report, we utilise a variety of techniques to examine both the geometric and electronic structure of a range of 1,1′-dialkynylferrocene molecules, as either single-molecules, or as self-assembled monolayers. Previous single molecule studies have shown that similar molecules can adopt an ‘open’ conformation. However, in this work, DFT calculations, STM-BJ experiments and AFM imaging reveal that these molecules prefer to occupy a ‘hairpin’ conformation, where both alkynes point towards the metal surface. Interestingly we find that only one of the terminal anchor groups binds to the surface, though both the presence and nature of the second alkyne affect the thermoelectric properties of these systems. First, the secondary alkyne acts to affect the position of the frontier molecular orbitals, leading to increases in the Seebeck coefficient. Secondly, theoretical calculations suggested that rotating the secondary alkyne away from the surface acts to modulate thermoelectric properties. This work represents the first of its kind to examine the assembly of dialkynylferrocenes, providing valuable information about both their structure and electronic properties, as well as unveiling new ways in which both of these properties can be controlled. Dialkynylferrocenes are interesting candidates for molecular electronics. Herein, numerous experiments are applied to probe their properties both as single-molecules and in monolayers, demonstrating unique geometric and thermoelectric properties.![]()
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Luke A. Wilkinson
- Department of Chemistry, Imperial College London, MSRH, White City, London, W12 0BZ, UK
- Department of Chemistry, University of York, Heslington, York, YO10 5DD, UK
| | - Troy L. R. Bennett
- Department of Chemistry, Imperial College London, MSRH, White City, London, W12 0BZ, UK
| | - Iain M. Grace
- Physics Department, Lancaster University, Lancaster, LA1 4YB, UK
| | - Joseph Hamill
- Department of Chemistry, Birmingham University, Edgbaston, Birmingham, B15 2TT, UK
| | - Xintai Wang
- Physics Department, Lancaster University, Lancaster, LA1 4YB, UK
- The Blackett Laboratory, Imperial College London, South Kensington Campus, London, SW7 2AZ, UK
| | - Sophie Au-Yong
- Physics Department, Lancaster University, Lancaster, LA1 4YB, UK
| | - Ali Ismael
- Physics Department, Lancaster University, Lancaster, LA1 4YB, UK
| | - Samuel P. Jarvis
- Physics Department, Lancaster University, Lancaster, LA1 4YB, UK
| | - Songjun Hou
- Physics Department, Lancaster University, Lancaster, LA1 4YB, UK
| | - Tim Albrecht
- Department of Chemistry, Birmingham University, Edgbaston, Birmingham, B15 2TT, UK
| | - Lesley F. Cohen
- The Blackett Laboratory, Imperial College London, South Kensington Campus, London, SW7 2AZ, UK
| | - Colin Lambert
- Physics Department, Lancaster University, Lancaster, LA1 4YB, UK
| | | | - Nicholas J. Long
- Department of Chemistry, Imperial College London, MSRH, White City, London, W12 0BZ, UK
| |
Collapse
|