1
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Oz A, Nitzan A, Hod O, Peralta JE. Electron Dynamics in Open Quantum Systems: The Driven Liouville-von Neumann Methodology within Time-Dependent Density Functional Theory. J Chem Theory Comput 2023; 19:7496-7504. [PMID: 37852250 PMCID: PMC10653109 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jctc.3c00311] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/17/2023] [Indexed: 10/20/2023]
Abstract
A first-principles approach to describe electron dynamics in open quantum systems driven far from equilibrium via external time-dependent stimuli is introduced. Within this approach, the driven Liouville-von Neumann methodology is used to impose open boundary conditions on finite model systems whose dynamics is described using time-dependent density functional theory. As a proof of concept, the developed methodology is applied to simple spin-compensated model systems, including a hydrogen chain and a graphitic molecular junction. Good agreement between steady-state total currents obtained via direct propagation and those obtained from the self-consistent solution of the corresponding Sylvester equation indicates the validity of the implementation. The capability of the new computational approach to analyze, from first principles, non-equilibrium dynamics of open quantum systems in terms of temporally and spatially resolved current densities is demonstrated. Future extensions of the approach toward the description of dynamical magnetization and decoherence effects are briefly discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Annabelle Oz
- Department
of Physical Chemistry, School of Chemistry, the Raymond and Beverly
Sackler Faculty of Exact Sciences, and the Sackler Center for Computational
Molecular and Materials Science, Tel Aviv
University, Tel Aviv, 6997801, Israel
| | - Abraham Nitzan
- Department
of Physical Chemistry, School of Chemistry, the Raymond and Beverly
Sackler Faculty of Exact Sciences, and the Sackler Center for Computational
Molecular and Materials Science, Tel Aviv
University, Tel Aviv, 6997801, Israel
- Department
of Chemistry, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19103, United States
| | - Oded Hod
- Department
of Physical Chemistry, School of Chemistry, the Raymond and Beverly
Sackler Faculty of Exact Sciences, and the Sackler Center for Computational
Molecular and Materials Science, Tel Aviv
University, Tel Aviv, 6997801, Israel
| | - Juan E. Peralta
- Department
of Physics, Central Michigan University, Mount Pleasant, Michigan 48859, United States
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2
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Wang Z, Li Z, Li C, Ji X, Song X, Yu X, Wang L, Hu W. Generic dynamic molecular devices by quantitative non-steady-state proton/water-coupled electron transport kinetics. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2023; 120:e2304506120. [PMID: 37279276 PMCID: PMC10268228 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2304506120] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/21/2023] [Accepted: 04/12/2023] [Indexed: 06/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Dynamic molecular devices operating with time- and history-dependent performance raised new challenges for the fundamental study of microscopic non-steady-state charge transport as well as functionalities that are not achievable by steady-state devices. In this study, we reported a generic dynamic mode of molecular devices by addressing the transient redox state of ubiquitous quinone molecules in the junction by proton/water transfer. The diffusion limited slow proton/water transfer-modulated fast electron transport, leading to a non-steady-state transport process, as manifested by the negative differential resistance, dynamic hysteresis, and memory-like behavior. A quantitative paradigm for the study of the non-steady-state charge transport kinetics was further developed by combining the theoretical model and transient state characterization, and the principle of the dynamic device can be revealed by the numerical simulator. On applying pulse stimulation, the dynamic device emulated the neuron synaptic response with frequency-dependent depression and facilitation, implying a great potential for future nonlinear and brain-inspired devices.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ziyan Wang
- Tianjin Key Laboratory of Molecular Optoelectronic Science, School of Science, Tianjin University, Tianjin300072, China
- Key Laboratory of Organic Integrated Circuits, Ministry of Education, Tianjin300072, China
| | - Zheyang Li
- Tianjin Key Laboratory of Molecular Optoelectronic Science, School of Science, Tianjin University, Tianjin300072, China
- Key Laboratory of Organic Integrated Circuits, Ministry of Education, Tianjin300072, China
| | - Chengtai Li
- Tianjin Key Laboratory of Molecular Optoelectronic Science, School of Science, Tianjin University, Tianjin300072, China
- Key Laboratory of Organic Integrated Circuits, Ministry of Education, Tianjin300072, China
- School of Materials and Chemical Engineering, Ningbo University of Technology, Ningbo315211, China
| | - Xuan Ji
- Tianjin Key Laboratory of Molecular Optoelectronic Science, School of Science, Tianjin University, Tianjin300072, China
- Key Laboratory of Organic Integrated Circuits, Ministry of Education, Tianjin300072, China
| | - Xianneng Song
- Tianjin Key Laboratory of Molecular Optoelectronic Science, School of Science, Tianjin University, Tianjin300072, China
- Key Laboratory of Organic Integrated Circuits, Ministry of Education, Tianjin300072, China
| | - Xi Yu
- Tianjin Key Laboratory of Molecular Optoelectronic Science, School of Science, Tianjin University, Tianjin300072, China
- School of Materials and Chemical Engineering, Ningbo University of Technology, Ningbo315211, China
| | - Lejia Wang
- School of Materials and Chemical Engineering, Ningbo University of Technology, Ningbo315211, China
| | - Wenping Hu
- Tianjin Key Laboratory of Molecular Optoelectronic Science, School of Science, Tianjin University, Tianjin300072, China
- Key Laboratory of Organic Integrated Circuits, Ministry of Education, Tianjin300072, China
- Joint School of National University of Singapore and Tianjin University, International Campus of Tianjin University, Fuzhou350207, China
- Haihe Laboratory of Sustainable Chemical Transformations, Tianjin300192, China
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3
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Li T, Bandari VK, Schmidt OG. Molecular Electronics: Creating and Bridging Molecular Junctions and Promoting Its Commercialization. ADVANCED MATERIALS (DEERFIELD BEACH, FLA.) 2023; 35:e2209088. [PMID: 36512432 DOI: 10.1002/adma.202209088] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/02/2022] [Revised: 11/28/2022] [Indexed: 06/02/2023]
Abstract
Molecular electronics is driven by the dream of expanding Moore's law to the molecular level for next-generation electronics through incorporating individual or ensemble molecules into electronic circuits. For nearly 50 years, numerous efforts have been made to explore the intrinsic properties of molecules and develop diverse fascinating molecular electronic devices with the desired functionalities. The flourishing of molecular electronics is inseparable from the development of various elegant methodologies for creating nanogap electrodes and bridging the nanogap with molecules. This review first focuses on the techniques for making lateral and vertical nanogap electrodes by breaking, narrowing, and fixed modes, and highlights their capabilities, applications, merits, and shortcomings. After summarizing the approaches of growing single molecules or molecular layers on the electrodes, the methods of constructing a complete molecular circuit are comprehensively grouped into three categories: 1) directly bridging one-molecule-electrode component with another electrode, 2) physically bridging two-molecule-electrode components, and 3) chemically bridging two-molecule-electrode components. Finally, the current state of molecular circuit integration and commercialization is discussed and perspectives are provided, hoping to encourage the community to accelerate the realization of fully scalable molecular electronics for a new era of integrated microsystems and applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tianming Li
- Research Center for Materials, Architectures and Integration of Nanomembranes (MAIN), Chemnitz University of Technology, 09126, Chemnitz, Germany
- Material Systems for Nanoelectronics, Chemnitz University of Technology, 09111, Chemnitz, Germany
| | - Vineeth Kumar Bandari
- Research Center for Materials, Architectures and Integration of Nanomembranes (MAIN), Chemnitz University of Technology, 09126, Chemnitz, Germany
- Material Systems for Nanoelectronics, Chemnitz University of Technology, 09111, Chemnitz, Germany
| | - Oliver G Schmidt
- Research Center for Materials, Architectures and Integration of Nanomembranes (MAIN), Chemnitz University of Technology, 09126, Chemnitz, Germany
- Material Systems for Nanoelectronics, Chemnitz University of Technology, 09111, Chemnitz, Germany
- Nanophysics, Dresden University of Technology, 01069, Dresden, Germany
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4
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Han Y, Jiang L, Meany JE, Wang Y, Woski SA, Johnson MS, Nijhuis CA, Metzger RM. Verification and Temperature-Dependent Rectification by HBQ, the Smallest Unimolecular Donor-Acceptor Rectifier. ACS OMEGA 2022; 7:28790-28796. [PMID: 36033727 PMCID: PMC9404471 DOI: 10.1021/acsomega.2c01182] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/10/2022] [Accepted: 06/30/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Five years ago, rectification of electrical current was found in 4'-bromo-3,4-dicyano-2',5'-dimethoxy-[1,1'-biphenyl]-2,5-dione (1), a hemibiquinone (which we will call either 1 or HBQ) that has a very small working length (1.1 nm). Monolayers of HBQ on AuTS were detected by "nanodozing" atomic force microscopy (AFM) and were contacted with two types of top electrodes: either cold Au or eutectic Ga-In. Here, we describe cyclic voltammetry of a self-assembled monolayer (SAM) of HBQ and its orientation on a gold substrate with angle-resolved X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. New measurements of its rectification as a monolayer as a function of bias range and temperature confirm and prove that HBQ is truly the smallest donor-acceptor rectifier and provide some insight into the mechanism of rectification.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yingmei Han
- Department
of Chemistry, and Centre for Advanced 2D Materials, National University of Singapore, 3 Science Drive 3, Singapore 117543, Singapore
| | - Li Jiang
- Department
of Chemistry, and Centre for Advanced 2D Materials, National University of Singapore, 3 Science Drive 3, Singapore 117543, Singapore
| | - Joseph E. Meany
- Department
of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University
of Alabama, Tuscaloosa, Alabama 35487-0336, United States
- Savannah
River National Laboratory, Aiken, South Carolina 29808, United States
| | - Yulong Wang
- Department
of Chemistry, and Centre for Advanced 2D Materials, National University of Singapore, 3 Science Drive 3, Singapore 117543, Singapore
| | - Stephen A. Woski
- Department
of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University
of Alabama, Tuscaloosa, Alabama 35487-0336, United States
| | - Marcus S. Johnson
- Department
of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University
of Alabama, Tuscaloosa, Alabama 35487-0336, United States
| | - Christian A. Nijhuis
- Department
of Chemistry, and Centre for Advanced 2D Materials, National University of Singapore, 3 Science Drive 3, Singapore 117543, Singapore
- Hybrid
Materials for Opto-Electronics Group, Department of Molecules and
Materials, MESA+ Institute for Nanotechnology and Center for Brain-Inspired
Nano Systems, Faculty of Science and Technology, University of Twente, P.O. Box 217, 7500 AE Enschede, The Netherlands
| | - Robert M. Metzger
- Department
of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University
of Alabama, Tuscaloosa, Alabama 35487-0336, United States
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5
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Chen H, Jiang F, Hu C, Jiao Y, Chen S, Qiu Y, Zhou P, Zhang L, Cai K, Song B, Chen XY, Zhao X, Wasielewski MR, Guo H, Hong W, Stoddart JF. Electron-Catalyzed Dehydrogenation in a Single-Molecule Junction. J Am Chem Soc 2021; 143:8476-8487. [PMID: 34043344 DOI: 10.1021/jacs.1c03141] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Investigating how electrons propagate through a single molecule is one of the missions of molecular electronics. Electrons, however, are also efficient catalysts for conducting radical reactions, a property that is often overlooked by chemists. Special attention should be paid to electron catalysis when interpreting single-molecule conductance results for the simple reason that an unexpected reaction mediated or triggered by electrons might take place in the single-molecule junction. Here, we describe a counterintuitive structure-property relationship that molecules, both linear and cyclic, employing a saturated bipyridinium-ethane backbone, display a similar conductance signature when compared to junctions formed with molecules containing conjugated bipyridinium-ethene backbones. We describe an ethane-to-ethene transformation, which proceeds in the single-molecule junction by an electron-catalyzed dehydrogenation. Electrochemically based ensemble experiments and theoretical calculations have revealed that the electrons trigger the redox process, and the electric field promotes the dehydrogenation. This finding not only demonstrates the importance of electron catalysis when interpreting experimental results, but also charts a pathway to gaining more insight into the mechanism of electrocatalytic hydrogen production at the single-molecule level.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hongliang Chen
- Department of Chemistry, Northwestern University, 2145 Sheridan Road, Evanston, Illinois 60208, United States.,Stoddart Institute of Molecular Science, Department of Chemistry, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310021, China.,ZJU-Hangzhou Global Scientific and Technological Innovation Center, Hangzhou 311215, China
| | - Feng Jiang
- State Key Laboratory of Physical Chemistry of Solid Surfaces, iChEM, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361005, China
| | - Chen Hu
- Center for the Physics of Materials and Department of Physics, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec H3A 2T8, Canada
| | - Yang Jiao
- Department of Chemistry, Northwestern University, 2145 Sheridan Road, Evanston, Illinois 60208, United States
| | - Su Chen
- Department of Chemistry, Northwestern University, 2145 Sheridan Road, Evanston, Illinois 60208, United States
| | - Yunyan Qiu
- Department of Chemistry, Northwestern University, 2145 Sheridan Road, Evanston, Illinois 60208, United States
| | - Ping Zhou
- State Key Laboratory of Physical Chemistry of Solid Surfaces, iChEM, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361005, China
| | - Long Zhang
- Department of Chemistry, Northwestern University, 2145 Sheridan Road, Evanston, Illinois 60208, United States
| | - Kang Cai
- Department of Chemistry, Northwestern University, 2145 Sheridan Road, Evanston, Illinois 60208, United States
| | - Bo Song
- Department of Chemistry, Northwestern University, 2145 Sheridan Road, Evanston, Illinois 60208, United States
| | - Xiao-Yang Chen
- Department of Chemistry, Northwestern University, 2145 Sheridan Road, Evanston, Illinois 60208, United States
| | - Xingang Zhao
- Department of Chemistry, Northwestern University, 2145 Sheridan Road, Evanston, Illinois 60208, United States
| | - Michael R Wasielewski
- Department of Chemistry, Northwestern University, 2145 Sheridan Road, Evanston, Illinois 60208, United States
| | - Hong Guo
- Center for the Physics of Materials and Department of Physics, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec H3A 2T8, Canada
| | - Wenjing Hong
- State Key Laboratory of Physical Chemistry of Solid Surfaces, iChEM, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361005, China
| | - J Fraser Stoddart
- Department of Chemistry, Northwestern University, 2145 Sheridan Road, Evanston, Illinois 60208, United States.,Stoddart Institute of Molecular Science, Department of Chemistry, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310021, China.,School of Chemistry, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW 2052, Australia.,ZJU-Hangzhou Global Scientific and Technological Innovation Center, Hangzhou 311215, China
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6
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Yuan S, Gao T, Cao W, Pan Z, Liu J, Shi J, Hong W. The Characterization of Electronic Noise in the Charge Transport through Single-Molecule Junctions. SMALL METHODS 2021; 5:e2001064. [PMID: 34927823 DOI: 10.1002/smtd.202001064] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/31/2020] [Revised: 12/09/2020] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
With the goal of creating single-molecule devices and integrating them into circuits, the emergence of single-molecule electronics provides various techniques for the fabrication of single-molecule junctions and the investigation of charge transport through such junctions. Among the techniques for characterization of charge transport through molecular junctions, electronic noise characterization is an effective strategy with which issues from molecule-electrode interfaces, mechanisms of charge transport, and changes in junction configurations are studied. Electronic noise analysis in single-molecule junctions can be used to identify molecular conformations and even monitor reaction kinetics. This review summarizes the various types of electronic noise that have been characterized during single-molecule electrical detection, including the functions of random telegraph signal (RTS) noise, flicker noise, shot noise, and their corresponding applications, which provide some guidelines for the future application of these techniques to problems of charge transport through single-molecule junctions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Saisai Yuan
- State Key Laboratory of Physical Chemistry of Solid Surfaces, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering iChEM, Xiamen University, Xiamen, 361005, China
| | - Tengyang Gao
- State Key Laboratory of Physical Chemistry of Solid Surfaces, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering iChEM, Xiamen University, Xiamen, 361005, China
| | - Wenqiang Cao
- State Key Laboratory of Physical Chemistry of Solid Surfaces, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering iChEM, Xiamen University, Xiamen, 361005, China
| | - Zhichao Pan
- State Key Laboratory of Physical Chemistry of Solid Surfaces, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering iChEM, Xiamen University, Xiamen, 361005, China
| | - Junyang Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Physical Chemistry of Solid Surfaces, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering iChEM, Xiamen University, Xiamen, 361005, China
| | - Jia Shi
- State Key Laboratory of Physical Chemistry of Solid Surfaces, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering iChEM, Xiamen University, Xiamen, 361005, China
| | - Wenjing Hong
- State Key Laboratory of Physical Chemistry of Solid Surfaces, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering iChEM, Xiamen University, Xiamen, 361005, China
- Beijing National Laboratory for Molecular Sciences, Beijing, 100190, China
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7
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Han Y, Nijhuis CA. Functional Redox-Active Molecular Tunnel Junctions. Chem Asian J 2020; 15:3752-3770. [PMID: 33015998 PMCID: PMC7756406 DOI: 10.1002/asia.202000932] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/07/2020] [Revised: 09/29/2020] [Indexed: 01/10/2023]
Abstract
Redox-active molecular junctions have attracted considerable attention because redox-active molecules provide accessible energy levels enabling electronic function at the molecular length scales, such as, rectification, conductance switching, or molecular transistors. Unlike charge transfer in wet electrochemical environments, it is still challenging to understand how redox-processes proceed in solid-state molecular junctions which lack counterions and solvent molecules to stabilize the charge on the molecules. In this minireview, we first introduce molecular junctions based on redox-active molecules and discuss their properties from both a chemistry and nanoelectronics point of view, and then discuss briefly the mechanisms of charge transport in solid-state redox-junctions followed by examples where redox-molecules generate new electronic function. We conclude with challenges that need to be addressed and interesting future directions from a chemical engineering and molecular design perspectives.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yingmei Han
- Department of ChemistryNational University of Singapore3 Science Drive 3Singapore117543Singapore
| | - Christian A. Nijhuis
- Department of ChemistryNational University of Singapore3 Science Drive 3Singapore117543Singapore
- Centre for Advanced 2D Materials and Graphene Research CentreNational University of Singapore6 Science Drive 2Singapore117546Singapore
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8
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Liu B, Yokota K, Komoto Y, Tsutsui M, Taniguchi M. Thermally activated charge transport in carbon atom chains. NANOSCALE 2020; 12:11001-11007. [PMID: 32270842 DOI: 10.1039/d0nr01827a] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Charge transport through single molecules is at the heart of molecular electronics for realizing the practical use of the rich quantum characteristics of electrode-molecule-electrode systems. Despite the extensive studies reported in the past, little experimental efforts have been focused on the electron transport mechanism at a temperature higher than the ambient temperature. In this work, we have reported the observation of the subtle interplay between electron tunneling and charge hopping in carbon chains connected to two Au electrodes at elevated temperatures. We measured the single-molecule conductance of Au-alkanedithiol-Au molecular junctions at various temperatures from 300 K to 420 K in vacuum. The temperature dependence of conductance suggested substantial roles of superexchange with inter-chain charge hopping under elevated temperatures for alkane chains longer than heptane. This finding provides a guide to design functional molecular junctions under practical conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bo Liu
- The Institute of Scientific and Industrial Research, Osaka University, Ibaraki, Osaka 567-0047, Japan.
| | - Kazumichi Yokota
- National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology, Takamatsu, Kagawa 761-0395, Japan
| | - Yuki Komoto
- The Institute of Scientific and Industrial Research, Osaka University, Ibaraki, Osaka 567-0047, Japan.
| | - Makusu Tsutsui
- The Institute of Scientific and Industrial Research, Osaka University, Ibaraki, Osaka 567-0047, Japan.
| | - Masateru Taniguchi
- The Institute of Scientific and Industrial Research, Osaka University, Ibaraki, Osaka 567-0047, Japan.
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9
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Han B, Li Y, Ji X, Song X, Ding S, Li B, Khalid H, Zhang Y, Xu X, Tian L, Dong H, Yu X, Hu W. Systematic Modulation of Charge Transport in Molecular Devices through Facile Control of Molecule-Electrode Coupling Using a Double Self-Assembled Monolayer Nanowire Junction. J Am Chem Soc 2020; 142:9708-9717. [PMID: 32362123 DOI: 10.1021/jacs.0c02215] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/22/2023]
Abstract
We report a novel solid-state molecular device structure based on double self-assembled monolayers (D-SAM) incorporated into the suspended nanowire architecture to form a "Au|SAM-1||SAM-2|Au" junction. Using commercially available thiol molecules that are devoid of synthetic difficulty, we constructed a "Au|S-(CH2)6-ferrocene||SAM-2|Au" junction with various lengths and chemical structures of SAM-2 to tune the coupling between the ferrocene conductive molecular orbital and electrode of the junction. Combining low noise and a wide temperature range measurement, we demonstrated systematically modulated conduction depending on the length and chemical nature of SAM-2. Meanwhile, the transport mechanism transition from tunneling to hopping and the intermediate state accompanied by the current fluctuation due to the coexistence of the hopping and tunneling transport channels were observed. Considering the versatility of this solid-state D-SAM in modulating the electrode-molecule interface and electroactive groups, this strategy thus provides a novel facile strategy for tailorable nanoscale charge transport studies and functional molecular devices.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bin Han
- Tianjin Key Laboratory of Molecular Optoelectronic Sciences, Department of Chemistry, School of Science, Tianjin University & Collaborative Innovation Center of Chemical Science and Engineering, Tianjin 300072, China
| | - Yao Li
- Tianjin Key Laboratory of Molecular Optoelectronic Sciences, Department of Chemistry, School of Science, Tianjin University & Collaborative Innovation Center of Chemical Science and Engineering, Tianjin 300072, China
| | - Xuan Ji
- Tianjin Key Laboratory of Molecular Optoelectronic Sciences, Department of Chemistry, School of Science, Tianjin University & Collaborative Innovation Center of Chemical Science and Engineering, Tianjin 300072, China
| | - Xianneng Song
- Tianjin Key Laboratory of Molecular Optoelectronic Sciences, Department of Chemistry, School of Science, Tianjin University & Collaborative Innovation Center of Chemical Science and Engineering, Tianjin 300072, China
| | - Shuaishuai Ding
- Beijing National Laboratory for Molecular Sciences, Key Laboratory of Organic Solids, Institute of Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100190, China
| | - Baili Li
- Tianjin Key Laboratory of Molecular Optoelectronic Sciences, Department of Chemistry, School of Science, Tianjin University & Collaborative Innovation Center of Chemical Science and Engineering, Tianjin 300072, China
| | - Hira Khalid
- Tianjin Key Laboratory of Molecular Optoelectronic Sciences, Department of Chemistry, School of Science, Tianjin University & Collaborative Innovation Center of Chemical Science and Engineering, Tianjin 300072, China
| | - Yaogang Zhang
- School of Science, Yanshan University, Qinhuangdao 066004, China
| | - Xiaona Xu
- School of Science, Yanshan University, Qinhuangdao 066004, China
| | - Lixian Tian
- Tianjin Key Laboratory of Molecular Optoelectronic Sciences, Department of Chemistry, School of Science, Tianjin University & Collaborative Innovation Center of Chemical Science and Engineering, Tianjin 300072, China
| | - Huanli Dong
- Beijing National Laboratory for Molecular Sciences, Key Laboratory of Organic Solids, Institute of Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100190, China
| | - Xi Yu
- Tianjin Key Laboratory of Molecular Optoelectronic Sciences, Department of Chemistry, School of Science, Tianjin University & Collaborative Innovation Center of Chemical Science and Engineering, Tianjin 300072, China
| | - Wenping Hu
- Tianjin Key Laboratory of Molecular Optoelectronic Sciences, Department of Chemistry, School of Science, Tianjin University & Collaborative Innovation Center of Chemical Science and Engineering, Tianjin 300072, China
- Joint School of National University of Singapore and Tianjin University, International Campus of Tianjin University, Binhai New City, Fuzhou 350207, China
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10
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Song X, Han B, Yu X, Hu W. The analysis of charge transport mechanism in molecular junctions based on current-voltage characteristics. Chem Phys 2020. [DOI: 10.1016/j.chemphys.2019.110514] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/26/2022]
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11
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Wang T, Du W, Tomczak N, Wang L, Nijhuis CA. In Operando Characterization and Control over Intermittent Light Emission from Molecular Tunnel Junctions via Molecular Backbone Rigidity. ADVANCED SCIENCE (WEINHEIM, BADEN-WURTTEMBERG, GERMANY) 2019; 6:1900390. [PMID: 31637155 PMCID: PMC6794720 DOI: 10.1002/advs.201900390] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/20/2019] [Revised: 07/19/2019] [Indexed: 05/06/2023]
Abstract
In principle, excitation of surface plasmons by molecular tunnel junctions can be controlled at the molecular level. Stable electrical excitation sources of surface plasmons are therefore desirable. Herein, molecular junctions are reported where tunneling charge carriers excite surface plasmons in the gold bottom electrodes via inelastic tunneling and it is shown that the intermittent light emission (blinking) originates from conformational dynamics of the molecules. The blinking rates, in turn, are controlled by changing the rigidity of the molecular backbone. Power spectral density analysis shows that molecular junctions with flexible aliphatic molecules blink, while junctions with rigid aromatic molecules do not.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tao Wang
- Department of ChemistryNational University of Singapore3 Science Drive 3117543SingaporeSingapore
| | - Wei Du
- Department of ChemistryNational University of Singapore3 Science Drive 3117543SingaporeSingapore
| | - Nikodem Tomczak
- Department of ChemistryNational University of Singapore3 Science Drive 3117543SingaporeSingapore
- Institute of Materials Research and EngineeringA*STAR (Agency for Science, Technology and Research)2 Fusionopolis Way, Innovis138634SingaporeSingapore
| | - Lejia Wang
- Department of ChemistryNational University of Singapore3 Science Drive 3117543SingaporeSingapore
| | - Christian A. Nijhuis
- Department of ChemistryNational University of Singapore3 Science Drive 3117543SingaporeSingapore
- Centre for Advanced 2D Materials and Graphene Research CentreNational University of Singapore6 Science Drive 2117546SingaporeSingapore
- NUSNNI NanocoreNational University of Singapore117411SingaporeSingapore
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12
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Miwa K, Najarian AM, McCreery RL, Galperin M. Hubbard Nonequilibrium Green's Function Analysis of Photocurrent in Nitroazobenzene Molecular Junction. J Phys Chem Lett 2019; 10:1550-1557. [PMID: 30879300 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jpclett.9b00270] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
We present a combined experimental and theoretical study of photoinduced current in molecular junctions consisting of monolayers of nitroazobenzene oligomers chemisorbed on carbon surfaces and illuminated by ultraviolet-visible light through a transparent electrode. Experimentally observed dependence of the photocurrent on light frequency, temperature, and monolayer thickness is analyzed within first-principles simulations employing the Hubbard nonequilibrium Green's function diagrammatic technique. We reproduce qualitatively correct behavior and discuss mechanisms leading to the characteristic behavior of dark and photoinduced currents in response to changes in bias, frequency of radiation, temperature, and thickness of molecular layer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kuniyuki Miwa
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry , University of California San Diego , La Jolla , California 92034 , United States
| | | | | | - Michael Galperin
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry , University of California San Diego , La Jolla , California 92034 , United States
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13
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Roemer M, Wild DA, Sobolev AN, Skelton BW, Nealon GL, Piggott MJ, Koutsantonis GA. Carbon-Rich Trinuclear Octamethylferrocenophanes. Inorg Chem 2019; 58:3789-3799. [DOI: 10.1021/acs.inorgchem.8b03389] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/31/2023]
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14
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Puczkarski P, Wu Q, Sadeghi H, Hou S, Karimi A, Sheng Y, Warner JH, Lambert CJ, Briggs GAD, Mol JA. Low-Frequency Noise in Graphene Tunnel Junctions. ACS NANO 2018; 12:9451-9460. [PMID: 30114902 DOI: 10.1021/acsnano.8b04713] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/17/2023]
Abstract
Graphene tunnel junctions are a promising experimental platform for single molecule electronics and biosensing. Ultimately their noise properties will play a critical role in developing these applications. Here we report a study of electrical noise in graphene tunnel junctions fabricated through feedback-controlled electroburning. We observe random telegraph signals characterized by a Lorentzian noise spectrum at cryogenic temperatures (77 K) and a 1/ f noise spectrum at room temperature. To gain insight into the origin of these noise features, we introduce a theoretical model that couples a quantum mechanical tunnel barrier to one or more classical fluctuators. The fluctuators are identified as charge traps in the underlying dielectric, which through random fluctuations in their occupation introduce time-dependent modulations in the electrostatic environment that shift the potential barrier of the junction. Analysis of the experimental results and the tight-binding model indicate that the random trap occupation is governed by Poisson statistics. In the 35 devices measured at room temperature, we observe a 20-60% time-dependent variance of the current, which can be attributed to a relative potential barrier shift of between 6% and 10%. In 10 devices measured at 77 K, we observe a 10% time-dependent variance of the current, which can be attributed to a relative potential barrier shift of between 3% and 4%. Our measurements reveal a high sensitivity of the graphene tunnel junctions to their local electrostatic environment, with observable features of intertrap Coulomb interactions in the distribution of current switching amplitudes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paweł Puczkarski
- Department of Materials , University of Oxford , 16 Parks Road , Oxford OX1 3PH , United Kingdom
| | - Qingqing Wu
- Department of Physics , Lancaster University , Bailrigg , Lancaster LA1 4YB , United Kingdom
| | - Hatef Sadeghi
- Department of Physics , Lancaster University , Bailrigg , Lancaster LA1 4YB , United Kingdom
| | - Songjun Hou
- Department of Physics , Lancaster University , Bailrigg , Lancaster LA1 4YB , United Kingdom
| | - Amin Karimi
- Department of Materials , University of Oxford , 16 Parks Road , Oxford OX1 3PH , United Kingdom
| | - Yuewen Sheng
- Department of Materials , University of Oxford , 16 Parks Road , Oxford OX1 3PH , United Kingdom
| | - Jamie H Warner
- Department of Materials , University of Oxford , 16 Parks Road , Oxford OX1 3PH , United Kingdom
| | - Colin J Lambert
- Department of Physics , Lancaster University , Bailrigg , Lancaster LA1 4YB , United Kingdom
| | - G Andrew D Briggs
- Department of Materials , University of Oxford , 16 Parks Road , Oxford OX1 3PH , United Kingdom
| | - Jan A Mol
- Department of Materials , University of Oxford , 16 Parks Road , Oxford OX1 3PH , United Kingdom
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15
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Bevan KH, Roy-Gobeil A, Miyahara Y, Grutter P. Relating Franck-Condon blockade to redox chemistry in the single-particle picture. J Chem Phys 2018; 149:104109. [DOI: 10.1063/1.5043480] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Kirk H. Bevan
- Division of Materials Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, McGill University, Montréal, Québec H3A 0C5, Canada
| | - Antoine Roy-Gobeil
- Department of Physics, McGill University, 3600 Rue University, Montréal, Québec H3A 2T8, Canada
| | - Yoichi Miyahara
- Department of Physics, McGill University, 3600 Rue University, Montréal, Québec H3A 2T8, Canada
| | - Peter Grutter
- Department of Physics, McGill University, 3600 Rue University, Montréal, Québec H3A 2T8, Canada
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16
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Direct observation of single-molecule hydrogen-bond dynamics with single-bond resolution. Nat Commun 2018; 9:807. [PMID: 29476061 PMCID: PMC5825177 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-018-03203-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 53] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/06/2017] [Accepted: 01/26/2018] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
The hydrogen bond represents a fundamental interaction widely existing in nature, which plays a key role in chemical, physical and biochemical processes. However, hydrogen bond dynamics at the molecular level are extremely difficult to directly investigate. Here, in this work we address direct electrical measurements of hydrogen bond dynamics at the single-molecule and single-event level on the basis of the platform of molecular nanocircuits, where a quadrupolar hydrogen bonding system is covalently incorporated into graphene point contacts to build stable supramolecule-assembled single-molecule junctions. The dynamics of individual hydrogen bonds in different solvents at different temperatures are studied in combination with density functional theory. Both experimental and theoretical results consistently show a multimodal distribution, stemming from the stochastic rearrangement of the hydrogen bond structure mainly through intermolecular proton transfer and lactam-lactim tautomerism. This work demonstrates an approach of probing hydrogen bond dynamics with single-bond resolution, making an important contribution to broad fields beyond supramolecular chemistry.
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17
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Bostick CD, Mukhopadhyay S, Pecht I, Sheves M, Cahen D, Lederman D. Protein bioelectronics: a review of what we do and do not know. REPORTS ON PROGRESS IN PHYSICS. PHYSICAL SOCIETY (GREAT BRITAIN) 2018; 81:026601. [PMID: 29303117 DOI: 10.1088/1361-6633/aa85f2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 136] [Impact Index Per Article: 22.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/25/2023]
Abstract
We review the status of protein-based molecular electronics. First, we define and discuss fundamental concepts of electron transfer and transport in and across proteins and proposed mechanisms for these processes. We then describe the immobilization of proteins to solid-state surfaces in both nanoscale and macroscopic approaches, and highlight how different methodologies can alter protein electronic properties. Because immobilizing proteins while retaining biological activity is crucial to the successful development of bioelectronic devices, we discuss this process at length. We briefly discuss computational predictions and their connection to experimental results. We then summarize how the biological activity of immobilized proteins is beneficial for bioelectronic devices, and how conductance measurements can shed light on protein properties. Finally, we consider how the research to date could influence the development of future bioelectronic devices.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christopher D Bostick
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, West Virginia University, Morgantown, WV 26506, United States of America. Institute for Genomic Medicine, Columbia University Medical Center, New York, NY 10032, United States of America
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18
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Gu C, Wang H, Sun H, Liao J, Hou S, Guo X. Origin and mechanism analysis of asymmetric current fluctuations in single-molecule junctions. RSC Adv 2018; 8:39408-39413. [PMID: 35558058 PMCID: PMC9090728 DOI: 10.1039/c8ra08508k] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/15/2018] [Accepted: 11/20/2018] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
The measurements of molecular electronic devices usually suffer from serious noise. Although noise hampers the operation of electric circuits in most cases, current fluctuations in single-molecule junctions are essentially related to their intrinsic quantum effects in the process of electron transport. Noise analysis can reveal and understand these processes from the behavior of current fluctuations. Here, in this study we observe and analyze the faint asymmetric current distribution in single-molecule junctions, in which the asymmetric intensity is highly related to the applied biases. The exploration of high-order moments within bias and temperature dependent measurements, in combination with model Hamiltonian calculations, statistically prove that the asymmetric current distribution originates from the inelastic electron tunneling process. Such results demonstrate a potential noise analysis method based on the fine structures of the current distribution rather than the noise power, which has obvious advantages in the investigation of the inelastic electron tunneling process in single-molecule junctions. The asymmetric current noise in a single-molecule device was observed, which is relevant to an inelastic electron transport process.![]()
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Affiliation(s)
- Chunhui Gu
- Beijing National Laboratory for Molecular Sciences
- State Key Laboratory for Structural Chemistry of Unstable and Stable Species
- College of Chemistry and Molecular Engineering
- Peking University
- Beijing 100871
| | - Hao Wang
- Key Laboratory for the Physics and Chemistry of Nanodevices
- Department of Electronics
- Peking University
- Beijing 100871
- P. R. China
| | - Hantao Sun
- Key Laboratory for the Physics and Chemistry of Nanodevices
- Department of Electronics
- Peking University
- Beijing 100871
- P. R. China
| | - Jianhui Liao
- Key Laboratory for the Physics and Chemistry of Nanodevices
- Department of Electronics
- Peking University
- Beijing 100871
- P. R. China
| | - Shimin Hou
- Key Laboratory for the Physics and Chemistry of Nanodevices
- Department of Electronics
- Peking University
- Beijing 100871
- P. R. China
| | - Xuefeng Guo
- Beijing National Laboratory for Molecular Sciences
- State Key Laboratory for Structural Chemistry of Unstable and Stable Species
- College of Chemistry and Molecular Engineering
- Peking University
- Beijing 100871
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19
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Li Y, Haworth NL, Xiang L, Ciampi S, Coote ML, Tao N. Mechanical Stretching-Induced Electron-Transfer Reactions and Conductance Switching in Single Molecules. J Am Chem Soc 2017; 139:14699-14706. [DOI: 10.1021/jacs.7b08239] [Citation(s) in RCA: 48] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
Affiliation(s)
| | - Naomi L. Haworth
- ARC
Centre of Excellence for Electromaterials Science, Research School
of Chemistry, Australian National University, Canberra, Australian Capital
Territory 2601, Australia
| | | | - Simone Ciampi
- Department
of Chemistry, Curtin University, Bentley, Western Australia 6102, Australia
| | - Michelle L. Coote
- ARC
Centre of Excellence for Electromaterials Science, Research School
of Chemistry, Australian National University, Canberra, Australian Capital
Territory 2601, Australia
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20
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Nachman N, Selzer Y. Thermometry of Plasmonic Heating by Inelastic Electron Tunneling Spectroscopy (IETS). NANO LETTERS 2017; 17:5855-5861. [PMID: 28834435 DOI: 10.1021/acs.nanolett.7b03153] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
The electronic and lattice heating accompanying plasmonic structures under illumination is suggested to be utilized in a broad range of thermoplasmonic applications. Specifically, in molecular electronics precise determination of the temperature of illuminated junctions is crucial, because the temperature-dependent energy distribution of charge carriers in the leads affects the possibility to steer various light-controlled conductance processes. Existing optical methods to characterize the local temperature in all these applications lack the spatial resolution to probe the few nanometers in size hot spots and therefore typically report average values over a diffraction limited length scale. Here we demonstrate that inelastic electron tunneling spectroscopy of molecular junctions based on thiol-alkyl chains can be used to precisely measure the temperature of metal nanoscale gaps under illumination. The nature of this measurement guarantees that the reported temperature indeed characterizes the confined volume in which heat is produced by the relaxation of hot carriers. Using a simple model, we suggest that the accuracy of the method enables also one to semiquantify the energy distribution of the hot carriers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nirit Nachman
- School of Chemistry, Tel Aviv University , Tel Aviv 69978, Israel
| | - Yoram Selzer
- School of Chemistry, Tel Aviv University , Tel Aviv 69978, Israel
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21
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Arielly R, Nachman N, Zelinskyy Y, May V, Selzer Y. Picosecond time resolved conductance measurements of redox molecular junctions. J Chem Phys 2017. [DOI: 10.1063/1.4972073] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Rani Arielly
- School of Chemistry, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv 69978, Israel
| | - Nirit Nachman
- School of Chemistry, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv 69978, Israel
| | - Yaroslav Zelinskyy
- Institute für Physik, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Newtonstraße 15, D-12489 Berlin, Germany
| | - Volkhard May
- Institute für Physik, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Newtonstraße 15, D-12489 Berlin, Germany
| | - Yoram Selzer
- School of Chemistry, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv 69978, Israel
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22
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Vilan A, Aswal D, Cahen D. Large-Area, Ensemble Molecular Electronics: Motivation and Challenges. Chem Rev 2017; 117:4248-4286. [DOI: 10.1021/acs.chemrev.6b00595] [Citation(s) in RCA: 243] [Impact Index Per Article: 34.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/20/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Ayelet Vilan
- Department
of Materials and Interfaces, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel
| | | | - David Cahen
- Department
of Materials and Interfaces, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel
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23
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Zhang B, Song W, Pang P, Zhao Y, Zhang P, Csabai I, Vattay G, Lindsay S. Observation of Giant Conductance Fluctuations in a Protein. NANO FUTURES 2017; 1:035002. [PMID: 29552645 PMCID: PMC5851656 DOI: 10.1088/2399-1984/aa8f91] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/07/2023]
Abstract
Proteins are insulating molecular solids, yet even those containing easily reduced or oxidized centers can have single-molecule electronic conductances that are too large to account for with conventional transport theories. Here, we report the observation of remarkably high electronic conductance states in an electrochemically-inactive protein, the ~200 kD αVβ3 extracelluar domain of human integrin. Large current pulses (up to nA) were observed for long durations (many ms, corresponding to many pC of charge transfer) at large gap (>5nm) distances in an STM when the protein was bound specifically by a small peptide ligand attached to the electrodes. The effect is greatly reduced when a homologous, weakly-binding protein (α4β1) is used as a control. In order to overcome the limitations of the STM, the time- and voltage-dependence of the conductance were further explored using a fixed-gap (5 nm) tunneling junction device that was small enough to trap a single protein molecule at any one time. Transitions to a high conductance (~ nS) state were observed, the protein being "on" for times from ms to tenths of a second. The high-conductance states only occur above ~ 100mV applied bias, and thus are not an equilibrium property of the protein. Nanoamp two-level signals indicate the specific capture of a single molecule in an electrode gap functionalized with the ligand. This offers a new approach to label-free electronic detection of single protein molecules. Electronic structure calculations yield a distribution of energy level spacings that is consistent with a recently proposed quantum-critical state for proteins, in which small fluctuations can drive transitions between localized and band-like electronic states.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bintian Zhang
- Biodesign Institute, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ 85287, USA
| | - Weisi Song
- Biodesign Institute, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ 85287, USA
| | - Pei Pang
- Biodesign Institute, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ 85287, USA
| | - Yanan Zhao
- Biodesign Institute, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ 85287, USA
| | - Peiming Zhang
- Biodesign Institute, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ 85287, USA
| | - István Csabai
- Department of Physics of Complex Systems, Eötvös Loránd University, H-1117 Budapest, Pázmány P. s. 1/A, Hungary
| | - Gábor Vattay
- Department of Physics of Complex Systems, Eötvös Loránd University, H-1117 Budapest, Pázmány P. s. 1/A, Hungary
| | - Stuart Lindsay
- Biodesign Institute, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ 85287, USA
- School of Molecular Sciences, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ 85287, USA
- Department of Physics, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ 85287, USA
- To whom correspondence should be addressed:
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24
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Yu X, Lovrincic R, Sepunaru L, Li W, Vilan A, Pecht I, Sheves M, Cahen D. Insights into Solid-State Electron Transport through Proteins from Inelastic Tunneling Spectroscopy: The Case of Azurin. ACS NANO 2015; 9:9955-63. [PMID: 26381112 DOI: 10.1021/acsnano.5b03950] [Citation(s) in RCA: 41] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/25/2023]
Abstract
Surprisingly efficient solid-state electron transport has recently been demonstrated through "dry" proteins (with only structural, tightly bound H2O left), suggesting proteins as promising candidates for molecular (bio)electronics. Using inelastic electron tunneling spectroscopy (IETS), we explored electron-phonon interaction in metal/protein/metal junctions, to help understand solid-state electronic transport across the redox protein azurin. To that end an oriented azurin monolayer on Au is contacted by soft Au electrodes. Characteristic vibrational modes of amide and amino acid side groups as well as of the azurin-electrode contact were observed, revealing the azurin native conformation in the junction and the critical role of side groups in the charge transport. The lack of abrupt changes in the conductance and the line shape of IETS point to far off-resonance tunneling as the dominant transport mechanism across azurin, in line with previously reported (and herein confirmed) azurin junctions. The inelastic current and hence electron-phonon interaction appear to be rather weak and comparable in magnitude with the inelastic fraction of tunneling current via alkyl chains, which may reflect the known structural rigidity of azurin.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Robert Lovrincic
- Institute for High Frequency Technology, TU Braunschweig, and Innovationlab , Speyerer Str. 4, 69115 Heidelberg, Germany
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25
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Amdursky N, Sepunaru L, Raichlin S, Pecht I, Sheves M, Cahen D. Electron Transfer Proteins as Electronic Conductors: Significance of the Metal and Its Binding Site in the Blue Cu Protein, Azurin. ADVANCED SCIENCE (WEINHEIM, BADEN-WURTTEMBERG, GERMANY) 2015; 2:1400026. [PMID: 27980928 PMCID: PMC5115354 DOI: 10.1002/advs.201400026] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/31/2014] [Revised: 02/08/2015] [Indexed: 05/07/2023]
Abstract
Electron transfer (ET) proteins are biomolecules with specific functions, selected by evolution. As such they are attractive candidates for use in potential bioelectronic devices. The blue copper protein azurin (Az) is one of the most-studied ET proteins. Traditional spectroscopic, electrochemical, and kinetic methods employed for studying ET to/from the protein's Cu ion have been complemented more recently by studies of electrical conduction through a monolayer of Az in the solid-state, sandwiched between electrodes. As the latter type of measurement does not require involvement of a redox process, it also allows monitoring electronic transport (ETp) via redox-inactive Az-derivatives. Here, results of macroscopic ETp via redox-active and -inactive Az derivatives, i.e., Cu(II) and Cu(I)-Az, apo-Az, Co(II)-Az, Ni(II)-Az, and Zn(II)-Az are reported and compared. It is found that earlier reported temperature independence of ETp via Cu(II)-Az (from 20 K until denaturation) is unique, as ETp via all other derivatives is thermally activated at temperatures >≈200 K. Conduction via Cu(I)-Az shows unexpected temperature dependence >≈200 K, with currents decreasing at positive and increasing at negative bias. Taking all the data together we find a clear compensation effect of Az conduction around the Az denaturation temperature. This compensation can be understood by viewing the Az binding site as an electron trap, unless occupied by Cu(II), as in the native protein, with conduction of the native protein setting the upper transport efficiency limit.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nadav Amdursky
- Departments of Materials and Interfaces Weizmann Institute of Science Rehovot 76100 Israel; Departments of Organic Chemistry Weizmann Institute of Science Rehovot 76100 Israel
| | - Lior Sepunaru
- Departments of Materials and Interfaces Weizmann Institute of Science Rehovot 76100 Israel
| | - Sara Raichlin
- Departments of Materials and Interfaces Weizmann Institute of Science Rehovot 76100 Israel; Departments of Organic Chemistry Weizmann Institute of Science Rehovot 76100 Israel
| | - Israel Pecht
- Departments of Immunology Weizmann Institute of Science Rehovot 76100 Israel
| | - Mordechai Sheves
- Departments of Organic Chemistry Weizmann Institute of Science Rehovot 76100 Israel
| | - David Cahen
- Departments of Materials and Interfaces Weizmann Institute of Science Rehovot 76100 Israel
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26
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Migliore A, Nitzan A. Irreversibility in redox molecular conduction: single versus double metal-molecule interfaces. Electrochim Acta 2015. [DOI: 10.1016/j.electacta.2015.01.174] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
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27
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Ochoa MA, Selzer Y, Peskin U, Galperin M. Pump-Probe Noise Spectroscopy of Molecular Junctions. J Phys Chem Lett 2015; 6:470-476. [PMID: 26261965 DOI: 10.1021/jz502484z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/04/2023]
Abstract
The slow response of electronic components in junctions limits the direct applicability of pump-probe type spectroscopy in assessing the intramolecular dynamics. Recently the possibility of getting information on a sub-picosecond time scale from dc current measurements was proposed. We revisit the idea of picosecond resolution by pump-probe spectroscopy from dc measurements and show that any intramolecular dynamics not directly related to charge transfer in the current direction is missed by current measurements. We propose a pump-probe dc shot noise spectroscopy as a suitable alternative. Numerical examples of time-dependent and average responses of junctions are presented for generic models.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Yoram Selzer
- ‡School of Chemistry, Tel-Aviv University, Tel Aviv 69978, Israel
| | - Uri Peskin
- §Schulich Faculty of Chemistry and the Lise Meitner Center for Computational Quantum Chemistry, Technion - Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa 32000, Israel
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28
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Solid-state electron transport via cytochrome c depends on electronic coupling to electrodes and across the protein. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2014; 111:5556-61. [PMID: 24706771 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1319351111] [Citation(s) in RCA: 45] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Electronic coupling to electrodes, Γ, as well as that across the examined molecules, H, is critical for solid-state electron transport (ETp) across proteins. Assessing the importance of each of these couplings helps to understand the mechanism of electron flow across molecules. We provide here experimental evidence for the importance of both couplings for solid-state ETp across the electron-mediating protein cytochrome c (CytC), measured in a monolayer configuration. Currents via CytC are temperature-independent between 30 and ∼130 K, consistent with tunneling by superexchange, and thermally activated at higher temperatures, ascribed to steady-state hopping. Covalent protein-electrode binding significantly increases Γ, as currents across CytC mutants, bound covalently to the electrode via a cysteine thiolate, are higher than those through electrostatically adsorbed CytC. Covalent binding also reduces the thermal activation energy, Ea, of the ETp by more than a factor of two. The importance of H was examined by using a series of seven CytC mutants with cysteine residues at different surface positions, yielding distinct electrode-protein(-heme) orientations and separation distances. We find that, in general, mutants with electrode-proximal heme have lower Ea values (from high-temperature data) and higher conductance at low temperatures (in the temperature-independent regime) than those with a distal heme. We conclude that ETp across these mutants depends on the distance between the heme group and the top or bottom electrode, rather than on the total separation distance between electrodes (protein width).
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