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Title: Structure–function relationships in single molecule rectification by N-phenylbenzamide derivatives

Journal Article · · New Journal of Chemistry
DOI:https://doi.org/10.1039/C6NJ00870D· OSTI ID:1341855
 [1];  [2];  [3];  [4];  [4];  [5];  [2];  [2];  [2];  [2]
  1. Yale Univ., West Haven, CT (United States); Fordham Univ., Bronx, NY (United States)
  2. Yale Univ., West Haven, CT (United States); Yale Univ., New Haven, CT (United States)
  3. Yale Univ., West Haven, CT (United States)
  4. Columbia Univ., New York, NY (United States)
  5. Yale Univ., West Haven, CT (United States); Los Alamos National Lab. (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States)

Here, we examine structure–function relationships in a series of N-phenylbenzamide (NPBA) derivatives by using computational modeling to identify molecular structures that exhibit both rectification and good conductance together with experimental studies of bias-dependent single molecule conductance and rectification behavior using the scanning tunneling microscopy break-junction technique. From a large number of computationally screened molecular diode structures, we have identified NPBA as a promising candidate, relative to the other structures that were screened. We demonstrate experimentally that conductance and rectification are both enhanced by functionalization of the NPBA 4-carboxamido-aniline moiety with electron donating methoxy groups, and are strongly correlated with the energy of the conducting frontier orbital relative to the Fermi level of the gold leads used in break-junction experiments.

Research Organization:
Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States)
Sponsoring Organization:
USDOE Office of Science (SC), Basic Energy Sciences (BES)
Grant/Contract Number:
AC52-06NA25396
OSTI ID:
1341855
Report Number(s):
LA-UR-15-28629; NJCHE5
Journal Information:
New Journal of Chemistry, Vol. 40, Issue 9; ISSN 1144-0546
Publisher:
Royal Society of ChemistryCopyright Statement
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Citation Metrics:
Cited by: 6 works
Citation information provided by
Web of Science

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