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Title: Anisotropic Conductivity at the Single-Molecule Scale

Abstract

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.

Authors:
 [1];  [1];  [1];  [1]; ORCiD logo [1]
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  1. Temple Univ., Philadelphia, PA (United States)
Publication Date:
Research Org.:
Energy Frontier Research Centers (EFRC) (United States). Center for Complex Materials from First Principles (CCM); Temple Univ., Philadelphia, PA (United States)
Sponsoring Org.:
USDOE Office of Science (SC), Basic Energy Sciences (BES); National Science Foundation (NSF)
OSTI Identifier:
1767518
Alternate Identifier(s):
OSTI ID: 1547600
Grant/Contract Number:  
SC0012575; CHE-1508567
Resource Type:
Accepted Manuscript
Journal Name:
Angewandte Chemie (International Edition)
Additional Journal Information:
Journal Name: Angewandte Chemie (International Edition); Journal Volume: 58; Journal Issue: 40; Journal ID: ISSN 1433-7851
Publisher:
Wiley
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Subject:
37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CHEMISTRY; catalysis (heterogeneous); electrocatalysis; solar (photovoltaic); mechanical behavior; superconductivity; magnetism and spin physics; water; materials and chemistry by design; synthesis (novel materials); molecular electronics; molecular switches; single-molecule studies; scanning tunneling microscopy

Citation Formats

Afsari, Sepideh, Yasini, Parisa, Peng, Haowei, Perdew, John P., and Borguet, Eric. Anisotropic Conductivity at the Single-Molecule Scale. United States: N. p., 2019. Web. doi:10.1002/anie.201903898.
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Afsari, Sepideh, Yasini, Parisa, Peng, Haowei, Perdew, John P., & Borguet, Eric. Anisotropic Conductivity at the Single-Molecule Scale. United States. https://doi.org/10.1002/anie.201903898
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Afsari, Sepideh, Yasini, Parisa, Peng, Haowei, Perdew, John P., and Borguet, Eric. Tue . "Anisotropic Conductivity at the Single-Molecule Scale". United States. https://doi.org/10.1002/anie.201903898. https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/1767518.
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@article{osti_1767518,
title = {Anisotropic Conductivity at the Single-Molecule Scale},
author = {Afsari, Sepideh and Yasini, Parisa and Peng, Haowei and Perdew, John P. and Borguet, Eric},
abstractNote = {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.},
doi = {10.1002/anie.201903898},
journal = {Angewandte Chemie (International Edition)},
number = 40,
volume = 58,
place = {United States},
year = {Tue Jun 25 00:00:00 EDT 2019},
month = {Tue Jun 25 00:00:00 EDT 2019}
}
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Publisher's Version of Record
https://doi.org/10.1002/anie.201903898
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    Improving Gating Efficiency of Electron Transport through Redox‐Active Molecular Junctions with Conjugated Chains
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