Title: Anisotropic Conductivity at the Single-Molecule Scale

Journal Article · · Angewandte Chemie (International Edition)
 [1];  [2];  [2];  [2]; ORCiD logo [2]
  1. Temple Univ., Philadelphia, PA (United States); OSTI
  2. Temple Univ., Philadelphia, PA (United States)
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In most junctions built by wiring a single molecule between two electrodes, the electrons flow along only one axis: between the two anchoring groups. However, molecules can be anisotropic, and an orientation-dependent conductance is expected. Here, we fabricated single-molecule junctions by using the electrode potential to control the molecular orientation and access individual elements of the conductivity tensor. We measured the conductance in two directions, along the molecular plane as the benzene ring bridges two electrodes using anchoring groups (upright) and orthogonal to the molecular plane with the molecule lying flat on the substrate (planar). The perpendicular (planar) conductance is about 400 times higher than that along the molecular plane (upright). Overall, this offers a new method for designing a reversible room-temperature single-molecule electromechanical switch that controllably employs the electrode potential to orient the molecule in the junction in either “ON” or “OFF” conductance states.

Research Organization:
Energy Frontier Research Centers (EFRC) (United States). Center for Complex Materials from First Principles (CCM); Temple Univ., Philadelphia, PA (United States)
Sponsoring Organization:
National Science Foundation (NSF); USDOE; USDOE Office of Science (SC), Basic Energy Sciences (BES)
Grant/Contract Number:
SC0012575
OSTI ID:
1767518
Journal Information:
Angewandte Chemie (International Edition), Journal Name: Angewandte Chemie (International Edition) Journal Issue: 40 Vol. 58; ISSN 1433-7851
Publisher:
WileyCopyright Statement
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English

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Improving Gating Efficiency of Electron Transport through Redox‐Active Molecular Junctions with Conjugated Chains journal March 2020

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37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CHEMISTRY
catalysis (heterogeneous)
electrocatalysis
magnetism and spin physics
materials and chemistry by design
mechanical behavior
molecular electronics
molecular switches
scanning tunneling microscopy
single-molecule studies
solar (photovoltaic)
superconductivity
synthesis (novel materials)
water