Research Update: Molecular electronics: The single-molecule switch and transistor

Sotthewes, Kai; Heimbuch, René; Kumar, Avijit; Zandvliet, Harold J. W.; Geskin, Victor

doi:10.1063/1.4855775

Title: Research Update: Molecular electronics: The single-molecule switch and transistor

Full Record
Other Related Research

Abstract

In order to design and realize single-molecule devices it is essential to have a good understanding of the properties of an individual molecule. For electronic applications, the most important property of a molecule is its conductance. Here we show how a single octanethiol molecule can be connected to macroscopic leads and how the transport properties of the molecule can be measured. Based on this knowledge we have realized two single-molecule devices: a molecular switch and a molecular transistor. The switch can be opened and closed at will by carefully adjusting the separation between the electrical contacts and the voltage drop across the contacts. This single-molecular switch operates in a broad temperature range from cryogenic temperatures all the way up to room temperature. Via mechanical gating, i.e., compressing or stretching of the octanethiol molecule, by varying the contact's interspace, we are able to systematically adjust the conductance of the electrode-octanethiol-electrode junction. This two-terminal single-molecule transistor is very robust, but the amplification factor is rather limited.

Authors:

Sotthewes, Kai; Heimbuch, René; Kumar, Avijit; Zandvliet, Harold J. W. ^[1]; Geskin, Victor ^[2]

Physics of Interfaces and Nanomaterials, MESA Institute for Nanotechnology, University of Twente, P.O. Box 217, 7500AE Enschede (Netherlands)
Service de Chimie des Materiaux Nouveaux, University of Mons, Mons (Belgium)

Publication Date:: Wed Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 2014

OSTI Identifier:: 22269538

Resource Type:: Journal Article

Journal Name:: APL Materials

Additional Journal Information:: Journal Volume: 2; Journal Issue: 1; Other Information: (c) 2014 Author(s); Country of input: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA); Journal ID: ISSN 2166-532X

Country of Publication:: United States

Language:: English

Subject:: 46 INSTRUMENTATION RELATED TO NUCLEAR SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY; 42 ENGINEERING; AMPLIFICATION; CONNECTORS; DESIGN; ELECTRIC CONTACTS; ELECTRODES; SWITCHES; TRANSISTORS; VOLTAGE DROP

Citation Formats


                    Sotthewes, Kai, Heimbuch, René, Kumar, Avijit, Zandvliet, Harold J. W., and Geskin, Victor. Research Update: Molecular electronics: The single-molecule switch and transistor.  United States: N. p., 2014. 
        Web.  doi:10.1063/1.4855775.

Copy to clipboard


                    Sotthewes, Kai, Heimbuch, René, Kumar, Avijit, Zandvliet, Harold J. W., & Geskin, Victor. Research Update: Molecular electronics: The single-molecule switch and transistor.  United States.  https://doi.org/10.1063/1.4855775

Copy to clipboard


                    Sotthewes, Kai, Heimbuch, René, Kumar, Avijit, Zandvliet, Harold J. W., and Geskin, Victor. 2014.  
        "Research Update: Molecular electronics: The single-molecule switch and transistor".  United States.  https://doi.org/10.1063/1.4855775.

Copy to clipboard


                    
@article{osti_22269538,

  title        = {Research Update: Molecular electronics: The single-molecule switch and transistor},

  author       = {Sotthewes, Kai and Heimbuch, René and Kumar, Avijit and Zandvliet, Harold J. W. and Geskin, Victor},

  abstractNote = {In order to design and realize single-molecule devices it is essential to have a good understanding of the properties of an individual molecule. For electronic applications, the most important property of a molecule is its conductance. Here we show how a single octanethiol molecule can be connected to macroscopic leads and how the transport properties of the molecule can be measured. Based on this knowledge we have realized two single-molecule devices: a molecular switch and a molecular transistor. The switch can be opened and closed at will by carefully adjusting the separation between the electrical contacts and the voltage drop across the contacts. This single-molecular switch operates in a broad temperature range from cryogenic temperatures all the way up to room temperature. Via mechanical gating, i.e., compressing or stretching of the octanethiol molecule, by varying the contact's interspace, we are able to systematically adjust the conductance of the electrode-octanethiol-electrode junction. This two-terminal single-molecule transistor is very robust, but the amplification factor is rather limited.},

  doi          = {10.1063/1.4855775},

  url          = {https://www.osti.gov/biblio/22269538},
  journal      = {APL Materials},

  issn         = {2166-532X},

  number       = 1,

  volume       = 2,

  place        = {United States},

  year         = {Wed Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 2014},

  month        = {Wed Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 2014}

}

Copy to clipboard

Journal Article:

https://doi.org/10.1063/1.4855775

Other availability

Find in Google Scholar

Search WorldCat to find libraries that may hold this journal

Save / Share:

Export Metadata

Save to My Library

Similar records in OSTI.GOV collections:

Manipulating transport through a single-molecule junction

Journal Article Sotthewes, Kai; Heimbuch, René; Zandvliet, Harold - Journal of Chemical Physics

Molecular Electronics deals with the realization of elementary electronic devices that rely on a single molecule. For electronic applications, the most important property of a single molecule is its conductance. Here we show how the conductance of a single octanethiol molecule can be measured and manipulated by varying the contact's interspace. This mechanical gating of the single molecule junction leads to a variation of the conductance that can be understood in terms of a tunable image charge effect. The image charge effect increases with a decrease of the contact's interspace due to a reduction of the effective potential barrier heightmore » of 1.5 meV/pm.« less
https://doi.org/10.1063/1.4835675
Meccano on the nanoscale : a blueprint for making some of the worlds tiniest machines.

Journal Article Ramirez, Robert; Flood, Amar; Muller, Richard; ... - Proposed for publication in the Australian Journal of Chemistry.

Molecular compounds-comprised of mechanically interlocked components-such as rotaxanes and catenanes can be designed to display readily controllable internal movements of one component with respect to the other. Since theweak noncovalent bonding interactions that contribute to the template-directed synthesis of such compounds live on between the components thereafter, they can be activated such that the components move in either a linear fashion (rotaxanes) or a rotary manner (catenanes). These molecules can be activated by switching the recognition elements off and on between components chemically, electrically, or optically, such that they perform motions reminiscent of the moving parts in macroscopic machines. Thismore »« less
A reversible single-molecule switch based on activated antiaromaticity

Journal Article Yin, Xiaodong; Zang, Yaping; Zhu, Liangliang; ... - Science Advances

Single-molecule electronic devices provide researchers with an unprecedented ability to relate novel physical phenomena to molecular chemical structures. Typically, conjugated aromatic molecular backbones are relied upon to create electronic devices, where the aromaticity of the building blocks is used to enhance conductivity. We capitalize on the classical physical organic chemistry concept of Hückel antiaromaticity by demonstrating a single-molecule switch that exhibits low conductance in the neutral state and, upon electrochemical oxidation, reversibly switches to an antiaromatic high-conducting structure. We form single-molecule devices using the scanning tunneling microscope–based break-junction technique and observe an on/off ratio of ~70 for a thiophenylidene derivativemore »« less
Cited by 80
https://doi.org/10.1126/sciadv.aao2615

Full Text Available
Single Molecule Switches and Molecular Self-Assembly: Low Temperature STM Investigations and Manipulations

Thesis/Dissertation Iancu, Violeta

This dissertation is devoted to single molecule investigations and manipulations of two porphyrin-based molecules, chlorophyll-a and Co-popphyrin. The molecules are absorbed on metallic substrates and studied at low temperatures using a scanning tunneling microscope. The electronic, structural and mechanical properties of the molecules are investigated in detail with atomic level precision. Chlorophyll-a is the key ingredient in photosynthesis processes while Co-porphyrin is a magnetic molecule that represents the recent emerging field of molecular spintronics. Using the scanning tunneling microscope tip and the substrate as electrodes, and the molecules as active ingredients, single molecule switches made of these two molecules aremore »« less
https://doi.org/10.2172/955626

Full Text Available
A Multi-State Single-Molecule Switch Actuated by Rotation of an Encapsulated Cluster within a Fullerene Cage

Journal Article Huang, Tian; Zhao, Jin; Feng, Min; ... - Chemical Physics Letters, 552:1-12

We demonstrate a single-molecule switch based on tunneling electron-driven rotation of a triangular Sc₃N cluster within an icosahedral C 80 fullerene cage among three pairs of enantiomorphic configura-tions. Scanning tunneling microscopy imaging of switching within single molecules and electronic structure theory identify the conformational isomers and their isomerization pathways. Bias-dependent actionspectra and modeling identify the antisymmetric stretch vibration of Sc 3N cluster to be the gateway for energy transfer from the tunneling electrons to the cluster rotation. Hierarchical switching of conductivity through the internal cluster motion among multiple stationary states while maintaining a constant shape, is advantageous for the integrationmore »« less
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cplett.2012.09.064

Similar Records