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Yang C, Cattelan M, Fox N, Huang Y, Golden MS, Schwarzacher W. Electrochemical Modification and Characterization of Topological Insulator Single Crystals. LANGMUIR : THE ACS JOURNAL OF SURFACES AND COLLOIDS 2019; 35:2983-2988. [PMID: 30695647 DOI: 10.1021/acs.langmuir.8b03801] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
We compare electrochemically modified or thiol-functionalized single-crystal samples of the topological insulator (TI) Bi2Te0.9Se2.1 to freshly cleaved/air-exposed control samples and use X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) to investigate the extent of any surface oxidation. XPS spectra for a TI sample maintained at an appropriate potential for 2 h demonstrate the feasibility of protecting the TI surface from oxidation while working in an electrochemical environment. Deliberate electrochemical oxidation, in contrast, generates prominent Bi, Te, and Se peaks associated with oxidation. However, this change is reversible, as further XPS spectra following electrochemical reduction are similar to those measured for an in situ cleaved sample. XPS also shows that adsorption of pentanedithiol (PDT) protects the TI surface from oxidation. Cyclic voltammetry shows that PDT adsorption suppresses electrochemical oxidation and reduction, while electrochemical impedance spectroscopy shows that it increases the charge transfer resistance significantly. Our work demonstrates the ability to control and characterize the surface chemistry of single-crystal TIs in an electrochemical environment for the first time.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chaolong Yang
- H.H. Wills Physics Laboratory , University of Bristol , Tyndall Avenue , Bristol BS8 1TL , United Kingdom
| | - Mattia Cattelan
- School of Chemistry , University of Bristol , Cantocks Close , Bristol BS8 1TS , United Kingdom
| | - Neil Fox
- H.H. Wills Physics Laboratory , University of Bristol , Tyndall Avenue , Bristol BS8 1TL , United Kingdom
- School of Chemistry , University of Bristol , Cantocks Close , Bristol BS8 1TS , United Kingdom
| | - Yingkai Huang
- Van der Waals-Zeeman Institute, Institute of Physics , University of Amsterdam , Amsterdam 1090 GL , The Netherlands
| | - Mark S Golden
- Van der Waals-Zeeman Institute, Institute of Physics , University of Amsterdam , Amsterdam 1090 GL , The Netherlands
| | - Walther Schwarzacher
- H.H. Wills Physics Laboratory , University of Bristol , Tyndall Avenue , Bristol BS8 1TL , United Kingdom
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Zheng J, Liu J, Zhuo Y, Li R, Jin X, Yang Y, Chen ZB, Shi J, Xiao Z, Hong W, Tian ZQ. Electrical and SERS detection of disulfide-mediated dimerization in single-molecule benzene-1,4-dithiol junctions. Chem Sci 2018; 9:5033-5038. [PMID: 29938032 PMCID: PMC5994741 DOI: 10.1039/c8sc00727f] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/13/2018] [Accepted: 04/30/2018] [Indexed: 01/21/2023] Open
Abstract
![]() Electrical and in situ SERS characterization of the benzene-1,4-dithiol (BDT) junction suggested that dimerization of BDT contributed to the low conductance.
We applied a combination of mechanically controllable break junction (MCBJ) and in situ surface enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) methods to investigate the long-standing single-molecule conductance discrepancy of prototypical benzene-1,4-dithiol (BDT) junctions. Single-molecule conductance characterization, together with configuration analysis of the molecular junction, suggested that disulfide-mediated dimerization of BDT contributed to the low conductance feature, which was further verified by the detection of S–S bond formation through in situ SERS characterization. Control experiments demonstrated that the disulfide-mediated dimerization could be tuned via the chemical inhibitor. Our findings suggest that a combined electrical and SERS method is capable of probing chemical reactions at the single-molecule level.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jueting Zheng
- State Key Laboratory of Physical Chemistry of Solid Surfaces , College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering , Pen-Tung Sah Institute of Micro-Nano Science and Technology , Graphene Industry and Engineering Research Institute , iChEM , Xiamen University , Xiamen 361005 , China . ;
| | - Junyang Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Physical Chemistry of Solid Surfaces , College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering , Pen-Tung Sah Institute of Micro-Nano Science and Technology , Graphene Industry and Engineering Research Institute , iChEM , Xiamen University , Xiamen 361005 , China . ;
| | - Yijing Zhuo
- State Key Laboratory of Physical Chemistry of Solid Surfaces , College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering , Pen-Tung Sah Institute of Micro-Nano Science and Technology , Graphene Industry and Engineering Research Institute , iChEM , Xiamen University , Xiamen 361005 , China . ;
| | - Ruihao Li
- State Key Laboratory of Physical Chemistry of Solid Surfaces , College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering , Pen-Tung Sah Institute of Micro-Nano Science and Technology , Graphene Industry and Engineering Research Institute , iChEM , Xiamen University , Xiamen 361005 , China . ;
| | - Xi Jin
- State Key Laboratory of Physical Chemistry of Solid Surfaces , College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering , Pen-Tung Sah Institute of Micro-Nano Science and Technology , Graphene Industry and Engineering Research Institute , iChEM , Xiamen University , Xiamen 361005 , China . ;
| | - Yang Yang
- State Key Laboratory of Physical Chemistry of Solid Surfaces , College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering , Pen-Tung Sah Institute of Micro-Nano Science and Technology , Graphene Industry and Engineering Research Institute , iChEM , Xiamen University , Xiamen 361005 , China . ;
| | - Zhao-Bin Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Physical Chemistry of Solid Surfaces , College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering , Pen-Tung Sah Institute of Micro-Nano Science and Technology , Graphene Industry and Engineering Research Institute , iChEM , Xiamen University , Xiamen 361005 , China . ;
| | - Jia Shi
- State Key Laboratory of Physical Chemistry of Solid Surfaces , College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering , Pen-Tung Sah Institute of Micro-Nano Science and Technology , Graphene Industry and Engineering Research Institute , iChEM , Xiamen University , Xiamen 361005 , China . ;
| | - Zongyuan Xiao
- State Key Laboratory of Physical Chemistry of Solid Surfaces , College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering , Pen-Tung Sah Institute of Micro-Nano Science and Technology , Graphene Industry and Engineering Research Institute , iChEM , Xiamen University , Xiamen 361005 , China . ;
| | - Wenjing Hong
- State Key Laboratory of Physical Chemistry of Solid Surfaces , College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering , Pen-Tung Sah Institute of Micro-Nano Science and Technology , Graphene Industry and Engineering Research Institute , iChEM , Xiamen University , Xiamen 361005 , China . ;
| | - Zhong-Qun Tian
- State Key Laboratory of Physical Chemistry of Solid Surfaces , College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering , Pen-Tung Sah Institute of Micro-Nano Science and Technology , Graphene Industry and Engineering Research Institute , iChEM , Xiamen University , Xiamen 361005 , China . ;
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Li X, Hu D, Tan Z, Bai J, Xiao Z, Yang Y, Shi J, Hong W. Supramolecular Systems and Chemical Reactions in Single-Molecule Break Junctions. Top Curr Chem (Cham) 2017; 375:42. [PMID: 28337670 DOI: 10.1007/s41061-017-0123-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/09/2016] [Accepted: 02/18/2017] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
The major challenges of molecular electronics are the understanding and manipulation of the electron transport through the single-molecule junction. With the single-molecule break junction techniques, including scanning tunneling microscope break junction technique and mechanically controllable break junction technique, the charge transport through various single-molecule and supramolecular junctions has been studied during the dynamic fabrication and continuous characterization of molecular junctions. This review starts from the charge transport characterization of supramolecular junctions through a variety of noncovalent interactions, such as hydrogen bond, π-π interaction, and electrostatic force. We further review the recent progress in constructing highly conductive molecular junctions via chemical reactions, the response of molecular junctions to external stimuli, as well as the application of break junction techniques in controlling and monitoring chemical reactions in situ. We suggest that beyond the measurement of single molecular conductance, the single-molecule break junction techniques provide a promising access to study molecular assembly and chemical reactions at the single-molecule scale.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaohui Li
- State Key Laboratory of Physical Chemistry of Solid Surfaces, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Pen-Tung Sah Institute of Micro-Nano Science and Technology, Collaborative Innovation Center of Chemistry for Energy Materials, Xiamen University, Xiamen, 361005, China
| | - Duan Hu
- State Key Laboratory of Physical Chemistry of Solid Surfaces, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Pen-Tung Sah Institute of Micro-Nano Science and Technology, Collaborative Innovation Center of Chemistry for Energy Materials, Xiamen University, Xiamen, 361005, China
| | - Zhibing Tan
- State Key Laboratory of Physical Chemistry of Solid Surfaces, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Pen-Tung Sah Institute of Micro-Nano Science and Technology, Collaborative Innovation Center of Chemistry for Energy Materials, Xiamen University, Xiamen, 361005, China
| | - Jie Bai
- State Key Laboratory of Physical Chemistry of Solid Surfaces, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Pen-Tung Sah Institute of Micro-Nano Science and Technology, Collaborative Innovation Center of Chemistry for Energy Materials, Xiamen University, Xiamen, 361005, China
| | - Zongyuan Xiao
- State Key Laboratory of Physical Chemistry of Solid Surfaces, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Pen-Tung Sah Institute of Micro-Nano Science and Technology, Collaborative Innovation Center of Chemistry for Energy Materials, Xiamen University, Xiamen, 361005, China
| | - Yang Yang
- State Key Laboratory of Physical Chemistry of Solid Surfaces, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Pen-Tung Sah Institute of Micro-Nano Science and Technology, Collaborative Innovation Center of Chemistry for Energy Materials, Xiamen University, Xiamen, 361005, China.
| | - Jia Shi
- State Key Laboratory of Physical Chemistry of Solid Surfaces, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Pen-Tung Sah Institute of Micro-Nano Science and Technology, Collaborative Innovation Center of Chemistry for Energy Materials, Xiamen University, Xiamen, 361005, China.
| | - Wenjing Hong
- State Key Laboratory of Physical Chemistry of Solid Surfaces, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Pen-Tung Sah Institute of Micro-Nano Science and Technology, Collaborative Innovation Center of Chemistry for Energy Materials, Xiamen University, Xiamen, 361005, China.
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