Molecule-interface coupling effects on electronic transport in molecular wires

Intermolecular effect in molecular electronics

We investigate the effects of lateral interactions on the conductance of two molecules connected in parallel to semi-infinite leads. The method we use combines a Green function approach to quantum transport with density functional theory for the electronic properties. The system, modeled after a self-assembled monolayer, consists of benzylmercaptane molecules sandwiched between gold electrodes. We find that the conductance increases when intermolecular interaction comes into play. The source of this increase is the indirect interaction through the gold substrate rather than direct molecule-molecule interaction. A striking resonance is produced only 0.3 eV above the Fermi energy.

Length-Dependent Transport in Molecular Junctions Based on SAMs of Alkanethiols and Alkanedithiols: Effect of Metal Work Function and Applied Bias on Tunneling Efficiency and Contact Resistance

Nanoscopic tunnel junctions were formed by contacting Au-, Pt-, or Ag-coated atomic force microscopy (AFM) tips to self-assembled monolayers (SAMs) of alkanethiol or alkanedithiol molecules on polycrystalline Au, Pt, or Ag substrates. Current-voltage traces exhibited sigmoidal behavior and an exponential attenuation with molecular length, characteristic of nonresonant tunneling. The length-dependent decay parameter, beta, was found to be approximately 1.1 per carbon atom (C(-1)) or 0.88 A(-)(1) and was independent of applied bias (over a voltage range of +/-1.5 V) and electrode work function. In contrast, the contact resistance, R(0), extrapolated from resistance versus molecular length plots showed a notable decrease with both applied bias and increasing electrode work function. The doubly bound alkanedithiol junctions were observed to have a contact resistance approximately 1 to 2 orders of magnitude lower than the singly bound alkanethiol junctions. However, both alkanethiol and dithiol junctions exhibited the same length dependence (beta value). The resistance versus length data were also used to calculate transmission values for each type of contact (e.g., Au-S-C, Au/CH(3), etc.) and the transmission per C-C bond (T(C)(-)()(C)).

Vibrational effects in laser-driven molecular wires

The influence of an electron-vibrational coupling on the laser control of electron transport through a molecular wire that is attached to several electronic leads is investigated. These molecular vibrational modes induce an effective electron-electron interaction. In the regime where the wire electrons couple weakly to both the external leads and the vibrational modes, we derive within a Hartree-Fock approximation a nonlinear set of quantum kinetic equations. The quantum kinetic theory is then used to evaluate the laser driven, time-averaged electron current through the wire-leads contacts. This formalism is applied to two archetypical situations in the presence of electron-vibrational effects, namely, (i) the generation of a ratchet or pump current in a symmetrical molecule by a harmonic mixing field and (ii) the laser switching of the current through the molecule.

The Appropriateness of Density-Functional Theory for the Calculation of Molecular Electronics Properties

As molecular electronics advances, efficient and reliable computation procedures are required for the simulation of the atomic structures of actual devices, as well as for the prediction of their electronic properties. Density-functional theory (DFT) has had widespread success throughout chemistry and solid-state physics, and it offers the possibility of fulfilling these roles. In its modern form it is an empirically parameterized approach that cannot be extended toward exact solutions in a prescribed way, ab initio. Thus, it is essential that the weaknesses of the method be identified and likely shortcomings anticipated in advance. We consider four known systematic failures of modern DFT: dispersion, charge transfer, extended pi conjugation, and bond cleavage. Their ramifications for molecular electronics applications are outlined and we suggest that great care is required when using modern DFT to partition charge flow across electrode-molecule junctions, screen applied electric fields, position molecular orbitals with respect to electrode Fermi energies, and in evaluating the distance dependence of through-molecule conductivity. The causes of these difficulties are traced to errors inherent in the types of density functionals in common use, associated with their inability to treat very long-range electron correlation effects. Heuristic enhancements of modern DFT designed to eliminate individual problems are outlined, as are three new schemes that each represent significant departures from modern DFT implementations designed to provide a priori improvements in at least one and possible all problem areas. Finally, fully semiempirical schemes based on both Hartree-Fock and Kohn-Sham theory are described that, in the short term, offer the means to avoid the inherent problems of modern DFT and, in the long term, offer competitive accuracy at dramatically reduced computational costs.

Evidence of the key role of metal-molecule bonding in metal-molecule-metal transport experiments

The transport properties of two oligothiophene derivatives, that differ only by the chemical group coupling to gold, are compared. It is shown that the role of the coupling group in the transport properties can be decoupled from that of the conjugated body of the molecules and that Se is a better electronic coupling group than S. These results are accounted for semiquantitatively within the frame of the scattering theory of transport, using results from ultraviolet photoemission spectroscopy experiments as inputs for the position in energy of the molecular orbitals with respect to the Fermi level of the electrodes.

First-principles phase-coherent transport in metallic nanotubes with realistic contacts

We present first-principles calculations of phase coherent electron transport in a carbon nanotube (CNT) with realistic contacts. We focus on the zero-bias response of open metallic CNT's considering two archetypal contact geometries (end and side) and three commonly used metals as electrodes (Al, Au, and Ti). Our ab initio electrical transport calculations make, for the first time, quantitative predictions on the contact transparency and the transport properties of finite metallic CNT's. Al and Au turn out to make poor contacts while Ti is the best option of the three.

Quantum dot artificial solids: understanding the static and dynamic role of size and packing disorder

This perspective examines quantum dot (QD) superlattices as model systems for achieving a general understanding of the electronic structure of solids and devices built from nanoscale components. QD arrays are artificial two-dimensional solids, with novel optical and electric properties, which can be experimentally tuned. The control of the properties is primarily by means of the selection of the composition and size of the individual QDs and secondly, through their packing. The freedom of the architectural design is constrained by nature insisting on diversity. Even the best synthesis and separation methods do not yield dots of exactly the same size nor is the packing in the self-assembled array perfectly regular. A series of experiments, using both spectroscopic and electrical probes, has characterized the effects of disorder for arrays of metallic dots. We review these results and the corresponding theory. In particular, we discuss temperature-dependent transport experiments as the next step in the characterization of these arrays.

An atomistic approach to conduction between nanoelectrodes through a single molecule

Capacitance and other properties of nanoelectrodes, finite-size metal clusters envisaged for use in complex molecular-electronic devices, are discussed. The applicability of classical electrostatics (Coulomb's and Gauss' law, Poisson's equation, etc.) to atomistic systems is investigated and the self-energy necessary to store a finite charge on an atom is found to be of central importance. In particular, the neglect of electron exchange is found to introduce severe limitations, with quantum calculations predicting fundamentally different electronic structures. Also, the well-known poor representation of the atomic self-energy inherent to modern DFT is discussed, along with its implications for molecular electronics calculations. An INDO/S method is introduced with new parameters for gold. This is the simplest approximate computational scheme that correctly includes quantum electrostatic, resonance, and spin effects, and is capable of describing arbitrary excited electronic states. Encouraging results are obtained for some trial problems. In particular, voltage differential between the electrodes in electrode-molecule-electrode conduction is obtained, not through an a priori prescription but rather by moving whole electrons between the electrodes and analyzing the response. The voltage drops across the molecule-electrode junctions and the central molecular region are then deduced. This alternative to the current Landauer-based 1-particle transmission equations for electrode-molecule-electrode conduction is discussed in terms of the use of the electronic states of the system. It provides a proper description not only of conduction via electrode-to-molecule charge or hole transfer but also of conduction via simultaneous charge and hole transfer via low-lying excited molecular electronic states, including the ability to account for electroluminescence and other chemical effects. In addition, various aspects of our research on the quantitative prediction of the I(V) curves for electrode-molecule-electrode conduction are reviewed, including demonstration of the equivalence of the formalisms generated by the Datta and the Mujica-Ratner groups, and the development of analytically solvable paradigms, including the conduction through a linear-chain Hückel wire.

Prospects for single-molecule information-processing devices for the next paradigm

Present information technologies use semiconductor devices and magnetic/optical disks; however, they are all foreseen to face fundamental limitations within a decade. Therefore, superceding devices are required for the next paradigm of high-performance information technologies. The paper first describes architectures suitable for single-molecule information processing, in which it is claimed that the performance of information processing is higher if speed and element number product is larger in almost all known architectures. Thus, single-molecule information-processing devices should be the most appropriate approach for the next paradigm. Then, prospects for single-molecule devices suitable for future information-processing technologies are described. Four possible milestones for realizing the Peta/Exa-floating operations per second (FLOPS) personal molecular supercomputer are proposed. Current status and necessary technologies of the first milestone are described, and necessary technologies for the next three milestones are also discussed.