1
|
Wu A, Fan Y, Tao C, Chen X, Dappe YJ, Du J, Zhang Q. Molecular Diodes Induced by a Schottky Barrier with a Gold-Silicon Doped Electrode. J Phys Chem Lett 2024; 15:7011-7019. [PMID: 38949616 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jpclett.4c01351] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/02/2024]
Abstract
To create complementary metal oxide semiconductor compatible molecular devices, more insights into the electrode property regarding its metal/semiconductor doping level and creating a functional molecular device are required. In this work, we constructed an EGaIn/alkanethiol/Au-Si molecular diode (with a rectification ratio R of 50.70) induced by Schottky barriers within a gold-silicon doped electrode instead of the functional property of molecules. The relationship between the rectification ratio and the number of methylene units in alkanethiol was analyzed, revealing a gradual increase in the ratio from 3.33 for C6H14S to 50.70 for C16H34S. The rectification ratio of the junction is well modulated by the temperature due to the change in the Schottky barrier. Such a mechanism is explained by the energy band diagrams of the surface space charge region and a combination of density functional theory and Keldysh-Green formalism calculations.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- An Wu
- School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Chongqing University, Chongqing 400044, China
| | - Yidan Fan
- School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Chongqing University, Chongqing 400044, China
| | - Changyuan Tao
- School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Chongqing University, Chongqing 400044, China
| | - Xiaoping Chen
- College of Chemistry and Environment, Minnan Normal University, Zhangzhou 363000, China
| | - Yannick J Dappe
- SPEC, CEA, CNRS, Université Paris-Saclay, CEA Saclay, Gif-sur-Yvette Cedex 91191, France
| | - Jun Du
- School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Chongqing University, Chongqing 400044, China
| | - Qian Zhang
- School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Chongqing University, Chongqing 400044, China
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Xu X, Gao C, Emusani R, Jia C, Xiang D. Toward Practical Single-Molecule/Atom Switches. ADVANCED SCIENCE (WEINHEIM, BADEN-WURTTEMBERG, GERMANY) 2024:e2400877. [PMID: 38810145 DOI: 10.1002/advs.202400877] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/25/2024] [Revised: 04/29/2024] [Indexed: 05/31/2024]
Abstract
Electronic switches have been considered to be one of the most important components of contemporary electronic circuits for processing and storing digital information. Fabricating functional devices with building blocks of atomic/molecular switches can greatly promote the minimization of the devices and meet the requirement of high integration. This review highlights key developments in the fabrication and application of molecular switching devices. This overview offers valuable insights into the switching mechanisms under various stimuli, emphasizing structural and energy state changes in the core molecules. Beyond the molecular switches, typical individual metal atomic switches are further introduced. A critical discussion of the main challenges for realizing and developing practical molecular/atomic switches is provided. These analyses and summaries will contribute to a comprehensive understanding of the switch mechanisms, providing guidance for the rational design of functional nanoswitch devices toward practical applications.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Xiaona Xu
- Institute of Modern Optics and Center of Single Molecule Sciences, Nankai University, Tianjin Key Laboratory of Micro-scale Optical Information Science and Technology, Tianjin, 300350, China
| | - Chunyan Gao
- Institute of Modern Optics and Center of Single Molecule Sciences, Nankai University, Tianjin Key Laboratory of Micro-scale Optical Information Science and Technology, Tianjin, 300350, China
| | - Ramya Emusani
- Institute of Modern Optics and Center of Single Molecule Sciences, Nankai University, Tianjin Key Laboratory of Micro-scale Optical Information Science and Technology, Tianjin, 300350, China
| | - Chuancheng Jia
- Institute of Modern Optics and Center of Single Molecule Sciences, Nankai University, Tianjin Key Laboratory of Micro-scale Optical Information Science and Technology, Tianjin, 300350, China
| | - Dong Xiang
- Institute of Modern Optics and Center of Single Molecule Sciences, Nankai University, Tianjin Key Laboratory of Micro-scale Optical Information Science and Technology, Tianjin, 300350, China
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Li X, Zheng Y, Zhou Y, Zhu Z, Wu J, Ge W, Zhang Y, Ye Y, Chen L, Shi J, Liu J, Bai J, Liu Z, Hong W. Supramolecular Transistors with Quantum Interference Effect. J Am Chem Soc 2023; 145:21679-21686. [PMID: 37747934 DOI: 10.1021/jacs.3c08615] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 09/27/2023]
Abstract
The charge transport through supramolecular junctions exhibits unique quantum interference (QI) effects, which provide an opportunity for the design of supramolecular transistors. Benefiting from the configuration dependence of QI, configuration control of the supramolecular assemblies to demonstrate the QI features is a key but challenging step. In this work, we fabricated the supramolecular transistors and investigated the charge transport through the conducting channel of the individual π-stacked thiophene/phenylene co-oligomers (TPCOs) using the electrochemically gated scanning tunneling microscope break junction technique. We controlled the configuration of the supramolecular channel and switched the QI features between the anti-resonance and resonance states of the supramolecular channels. We observed the supramolecular transistor with its on/off ratio above 103 (∼1300), a high gating efficiency of ∼165 mV/dec, a low off-state leakage current of ∼30 pA, and the channel length scaled down to <2.0 nm. Density functional theory calculations suggested that the QI features in π-stacked TPCOs vary depending on the supramolecular architecture and can be manipulated efficiently by fine-tuning the supramolecular configurations. This work reveals the potential of the supramolecular channels for molecular electronics and provides a fundamental understanding of intermolecular charge transport.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Xiaohui Li
- State Key Laboratory of Physical Chemistry of Solid Surfaces, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering & College of Materials & IKKEM, Xiamen University, Xiamen, 361005, China
| | - Yan Zheng
- State Key Laboratory of Physical Chemistry of Solid Surfaces, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering & College of Materials & IKKEM, Xiamen University, Xiamen, 361005, China
| | - Yu Zhou
- State Key Laboratory of Physical Chemistry of Solid Surfaces, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering & College of Materials & IKKEM, Xiamen University, Xiamen, 361005, China
| | - Zhiyu Zhu
- State Key Laboratory of Physical Chemistry of Solid Surfaces, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering & College of Materials & IKKEM, Xiamen University, Xiamen, 361005, China
| | - Jiayi Wu
- State Key Laboratory of Physical Chemistry of Solid Surfaces, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering & College of Materials & IKKEM, Xiamen University, Xiamen, 361005, China
| | - Wenhui Ge
- State Key Laboratory of Physical Chemistry of Solid Surfaces, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering & College of Materials & IKKEM, Xiamen University, Xiamen, 361005, China
| | - Yuxuan Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Physical Chemistry of Solid Surfaces, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering & College of Materials & IKKEM, Xiamen University, Xiamen, 361005, China
| | - Yuqing Ye
- State Key Laboratory of Physical Chemistry of Solid Surfaces, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering & College of Materials & IKKEM, Xiamen University, Xiamen, 361005, China
| | - Lichuan Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Physical Chemistry of Solid Surfaces, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering & College of Materials & IKKEM, Xiamen University, Xiamen, 361005, China
| | - Jia Shi
- State Key Laboratory of Physical Chemistry of Solid Surfaces, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering & College of Materials & IKKEM, Xiamen University, Xiamen, 361005, China
| | - Junyang Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Physical Chemistry of Solid Surfaces, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering & College of Materials & IKKEM, Xiamen University, Xiamen, 361005, China
| | - Jie Bai
- State Key Laboratory of Physical Chemistry of Solid Surfaces, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering & College of Materials & IKKEM, Xiamen University, Xiamen, 361005, China
| | - Zitong Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Applied Organic Chemistry (SKLAOC), College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, 730000, China
| | - Wenjing Hong
- State Key Laboratory of Physical Chemistry of Solid Surfaces, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering & College of Materials & IKKEM, Xiamen University, Xiamen, 361005, China
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Dumont R, Dowdell J, Song J, Li J, Wang S, Kang W, Li B. Control of charge transport in electronically active systems towards integrated biomolecular circuits (IbC). J Mater Chem B 2023; 11:8302-8314. [PMID: 37464922 DOI: 10.1039/d3tb00701d] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/20/2023]
Abstract
The miniaturization of traditional silicon-based electronics will soon reach its limitation as quantum tunneling and heat become serious problems at the several-nanometer scale. Crafting integrated circuits via self-assembly of electronically active molecules using a "bottom-up" paradigm provides a potential solution to these technological challenges. In particular, integrated biomolecular circuits (IbC) offer promising advantages to achieve this goal, as nature offers countless examples of functionalities entailed by self-assembly and examples of controlling charge transport at the molecular level within the self-assembled structures. To this end, the review summarizes the progress in understanding how charge transport is regulated in biosystems and the key redox-active amino acids that enable the charge transport. In addition, charge transport mechanisms at different length scales are also reviewed, offering key insights for controlling charge transport in IbC in the future.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Ryan Dumont
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Kennesaw State University, Marietta, GA, USA.
| | - Juwaan Dowdell
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Kennesaw State University, Marietta, GA, USA.
| | - Jisoo Song
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Kennesaw State University, Marietta, GA, USA.
| | - Jiani Li
- State Key Laboratory of Fine Chemicals, Frontiers Science Centre for Smart Materials Oriented Chemical Engineering, School of Bioengineering, Dalian University of Technology, Dalian, China.
| | - Suwan Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Fine Chemicals, Frontiers Science Centre for Smart Materials Oriented Chemical Engineering, School of Bioengineering, Dalian University of Technology, Dalian, China.
| | - Wei Kang
- State Key Laboratory of Fine Chemicals, Frontiers Science Centre for Smart Materials Oriented Chemical Engineering, School of Bioengineering, Dalian University of Technology, Dalian, China.
- Ningbo Institute of Dalian University of Technology, Ningbo, China
| | - Bo Li
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Kennesaw State University, Marietta, GA, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
Qiao X, Vezzoli A, Smith S, Higgins SJ, Davidson RJ, Beeby A, Nichols RJ. Single-Molecule Junction Formation in Deep Eutectic Solvents with Highly Effective Gate Coupling. THE JOURNAL OF PHYSICAL CHEMISTRY. C, NANOMATERIALS AND INTERFACES 2023; 127:12802-12810. [PMID: 37435408 PMCID: PMC10331827 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jpcc.3c03129] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/11/2023] [Revised: 06/07/2023] [Indexed: 07/13/2023]
Abstract
The environment surrounding a molecular junction affects its charge-transport properties and, therefore, must be chosen with care. In the case of measurements in liquid media, the solvent must provide good solvation, grant junction stability, and, in the case of electrolyte gating experiments, allow efficient electrical coupling to the gate electrodes through control of the electrical double layer. We evaluated in this study the deep eutectic solvent mixture (DES) ethaline, which is a mixture of choline chloride and ethylene glycol (1:2), for single-molecule junction fabrication with break-junction techniques. In ethaline, we were able to (i) measure challenging and poorly soluble molecular wires, exploiting the improved solvation capabilities offered by DESs, and (ii) efficiently apply an electrostatic gate able to modulate the conductance of the junction by approximately an order of magnitude within a ∼1 V potential window. The electrochemical gating results on a Au-VDP-Au junction follow exceptionally well the single-level modeling with strong gate coupling (where VDP is 1,2-di(pyridine-4-yl)ethene). Ethaline is also an ideal solvent for the measurement of very short molecular junctions, as it grants a greatly reduced snapback distance of the metallic electrodes upon point-contact rupture. Our work demonstrates that DESs are viable alternatives to often relatively expensive ionic liquids, offering good versatility for single-molecule electrical measurements.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Xiaohang Qiao
- Department
of Chemistry, University of Liverpool, Crown St, Liverpool L69 7ZD, U.K.
| | - Andrea Vezzoli
- Department
of Chemistry, University of Liverpool, Crown St, Liverpool L69 7ZD, U.K.
| | - Shaun Smith
- Department
of Chemistry, University of Liverpool, Crown St, Liverpool L69 7ZD, U.K.
| | - Simon J. Higgins
- Department
of Chemistry, University of Liverpool, Crown St, Liverpool L69 7ZD, U.K.
| | - Ross J. Davidson
- Department
of Chemistry, Durham University, South Rd, Durham DH1 3LE, U.K.
| | - Andrew Beeby
- Department
of Chemistry, Durham University, South Rd, Durham DH1 3LE, U.K.
| | - Richard J. Nichols
- Department
of Chemistry, University of Liverpool, Crown St, Liverpool L69 7ZD, U.K.
| |
Collapse
|
6
|
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.
Collapse
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
| |
Collapse
|
7
|
Dief EM, Low PJ, Díez-Pérez I, Darwish N. Advances in single-molecule junctions as tools for chemical and biochemical analysis. Nat Chem 2023; 15:600-614. [PMID: 37106094 DOI: 10.1038/s41557-023-01178-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/14/2021] [Accepted: 03/02/2023] [Indexed: 04/29/2023]
Abstract
The development of miniaturized electronics has led to the design and construction of powerful experimental platforms capable of measuring electronic properties to the level of single molecules, along with new theoretical concepts to aid in the interpretation of the data. A new area of activity is now emerging concerned with repurposing the tools of molecular electronics for applications in chemical and biological analysis. Single-molecule junction techniques, such as the scanning tunnelling microscope break junction and related single-molecule circuit approaches have a remarkable capacity to transduce chemical information from individual molecules, sampled in real time, to electrical signals. In this Review, we discuss single-molecule junction approaches as emerging analytical tools for the chemical and biological sciences. We demonstrate how these analytical techniques are being extended to systems capable of probing chemical reaction mechanisms. We also examine how molecular junctions enable the detection of RNA, DNA, and traces of proteins in solution with limits of detection at the zeptomole level.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Essam M Dief
- School of Molecular and Life Sciences, Curtin University, Bentley, Western Australia, Australia
| | - Paul J Low
- School of Molecular Sciences, University of Western Australia, Crawley, Western Australia, Australia
| | - Ismael Díez-Pérez
- Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Natural & Mathematical Sciences, King's College London, London, UK
| | - Nadim Darwish
- School of Molecular and Life Sciences, Curtin University, Bentley, Western Australia, Australia.
| |
Collapse
|
8
|
Mo F, Spano CE, Ardesi Y, Ruo Roch M, Piccinini G, Graziano M. Design of Pyrrole-Based Gate-Controlled Molecular Junctions Optimized for Single-Molecule Aflatoxin B1 Detection. SENSORS (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2023; 23:s23031687. [PMID: 36772727 PMCID: PMC9919708 DOI: 10.3390/s23031687] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/30/2022] [Revised: 01/31/2023] [Accepted: 02/01/2023] [Indexed: 05/27/2023]
Abstract
Food contamination by aflatoxins is an urgent global issue due to its high level of toxicity and the difficulties in limiting the diffusion. Unfortunately, current detection techniques, which mainly use biosensing, prevent the pervasive monitoring of aflatoxins throughout the agri-food chain. In this work, we investigate, through ab initio atomistic calculations, a pyrrole-based Molecular Field Effect Transistor (MolFET) as a single-molecule sensor for the amperometric detection of aflatoxins. In particular, we theoretically explain the gate-tuned current modulation from a chemical-physical perspective, and we support our insights through simulations. In addition, this work demonstrates that, for the case under consideration, the use of a suitable gate voltage permits a considerable enhancement in the sensor performance. The gating effect raises the current modulation due to aflatoxin from 100% to more than 103÷104%. In particular, the current is diminished by two orders of magnitude from the μA range to the nA range due to the presence of aflatoxin B1. Our work motivates future research efforts in miniaturized FET electrical detection for future pervasive electrical measurement of aflatoxins.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Fabrizio Mo
- Department of Electronics and Telecommunication, Politecnico di Torino, 10129 Torino, Italy
| | - Chiara Elfi Spano
- Department of Electronics and Telecommunication, Politecnico di Torino, 10129 Torino, Italy
| | - Yuri Ardesi
- Department of Electronics and Telecommunication, Politecnico di Torino, 10129 Torino, Italy
| | - Massimo Ruo Roch
- Department of Electronics and Telecommunication, Politecnico di Torino, 10129 Torino, Italy
| | - Gianluca Piccinini
- Department of Electronics and Telecommunication, Politecnico di Torino, 10129 Torino, Italy
| | - Mariagrazia Graziano
- Department of Applied Science and Technology, Politecnico di Torino, 10129 Torino, Italy
| |
Collapse
|
9
|
Li P, Zhou L, Zhao C, Ju H, Gao Q, Si W, Cheng L, Hao J, Li M, Chen Y, Jia C, Guo X. Single-molecule nano-optoelectronics: insights from physics. REPORTS ON PROGRESS IN PHYSICS. PHYSICAL SOCIETY (GREAT BRITAIN) 2022; 85:086401. [PMID: 35623319 DOI: 10.1088/1361-6633/ac7401] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/29/2021] [Accepted: 05/27/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Single-molecule optoelectronic devices promise a potential solution for miniaturization and functionalization of silicon-based microelectronic circuits in the future. For decades of its fast development, this field has made significant progress in the synthesis of optoelectronic materials, the fabrication of single-molecule devices and the realization of optoelectronic functions. On the other hand, single-molecule optoelectronic devices offer a reliable platform to investigate the intrinsic physical phenomena and regulation rules of matters at the single-molecule level. To further realize and regulate the optoelectronic functions toward practical applications, it is necessary to clarify the intrinsic physical mechanisms of single-molecule optoelectronic nanodevices. Here, we provide a timely review to survey the physical phenomena and laws involved in single-molecule optoelectronic materials and devices, including charge effects, spin effects, exciton effects, vibronic effects, structural and orbital effects. In particular, we will systematically summarize the basics of molecular optoelectronic materials, and the physical effects and manipulations of single-molecule optoelectronic nanodevices. In addition, fundamentals of single-molecule electronics, which are basic of single-molecule optoelectronics, can also be found in this review. At last, we tend to focus the discussion on the opportunities and challenges arising in the field of single-molecule optoelectronics, and propose further potential breakthroughs.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Peihui Li
- Center of Single-Molecule Sciences, Institute of Modern Optics, Frontiers Science Center for New Organic Matter, Tianjin Key Laboratory of Micro-Scale Optical Information Science and Technology, College of Electronic Information and Optical Engineering, Nankai University, 38 Tongyan Road, Jinnan District, Tianjin 300350, People's Republic of China
| | - Li Zhou
- Center of Single-Molecule Sciences, Institute of Modern Optics, Frontiers Science Center for New Organic Matter, Tianjin Key Laboratory of Micro-Scale Optical Information Science and Technology, College of Electronic Information and Optical Engineering, Nankai University, 38 Tongyan Road, Jinnan District, Tianjin 300350, People's Republic of China
| | - Cong Zhao
- Center of Single-Molecule Sciences, Institute of Modern Optics, Frontiers Science Center for New Organic Matter, Tianjin Key Laboratory of Micro-Scale Optical Information Science and Technology, College of Electronic Information and Optical Engineering, Nankai University, 38 Tongyan Road, Jinnan District, Tianjin 300350, People's Republic of China
| | - Hongyu Ju
- Center of Single-Molecule Sciences, Institute of Modern Optics, Frontiers Science Center for New Organic Matter, Tianjin Key Laboratory of Micro-Scale Optical Information Science and Technology, College of Electronic Information and Optical Engineering, Nankai University, 38 Tongyan Road, Jinnan District, Tianjin 300350, People's Republic of China
- School of Pharmaceutical Science and Technology, Tianjin University, 92 Weijin Road, Nankai District, Tianjin 300072, People's Republic of China
| | - Qinghua Gao
- Center of Single-Molecule Sciences, Institute of Modern Optics, Frontiers Science Center for New Organic Matter, Tianjin Key Laboratory of Micro-Scale Optical Information Science and Technology, College of Electronic Information and Optical Engineering, Nankai University, 38 Tongyan Road, Jinnan District, Tianjin 300350, People's Republic of China
| | - Wei Si
- Center of Single-Molecule Sciences, Institute of Modern Optics, Frontiers Science Center for New Organic Matter, Tianjin Key Laboratory of Micro-Scale Optical Information Science and Technology, College of Electronic Information and Optical Engineering, Nankai University, 38 Tongyan Road, Jinnan District, Tianjin 300350, People's Republic of China
| | - Li Cheng
- Center of Single-Molecule Sciences, Institute of Modern Optics, Frontiers Science Center for New Organic Matter, Tianjin Key Laboratory of Micro-Scale Optical Information Science and Technology, College of Electronic Information and Optical Engineering, Nankai University, 38 Tongyan Road, Jinnan District, Tianjin 300350, People's Republic of China
| | - Jie Hao
- Center of Single-Molecule Sciences, Institute of Modern Optics, Frontiers Science Center for New Organic Matter, Tianjin Key Laboratory of Micro-Scale Optical Information Science and Technology, College of Electronic Information and Optical Engineering, Nankai University, 38 Tongyan Road, Jinnan District, Tianjin 300350, People's Republic of China
| | - Mengmeng Li
- Center of Single-Molecule Sciences, Institute of Modern Optics, Frontiers Science Center for New Organic Matter, Tianjin Key Laboratory of Micro-Scale Optical Information Science and Technology, College of Electronic Information and Optical Engineering, Nankai University, 38 Tongyan Road, Jinnan District, Tianjin 300350, People's Republic of China
| | - Yijian Chen
- Center of Single-Molecule Sciences, Institute of Modern Optics, Frontiers Science Center for New Organic Matter, Tianjin Key Laboratory of Micro-Scale Optical Information Science and Technology, College of Electronic Information and Optical Engineering, Nankai University, 38 Tongyan Road, Jinnan District, Tianjin 300350, People's Republic of China
| | - Chuancheng Jia
- Center of Single-Molecule Sciences, Institute of Modern Optics, Frontiers Science Center for New Organic Matter, Tianjin Key Laboratory of Micro-Scale Optical Information Science and Technology, College of Electronic Information and Optical Engineering, Nankai University, 38 Tongyan Road, Jinnan District, Tianjin 300350, People's Republic of China
- Beijing National Laboratory for Molecular Sciences, National Biomedical Imaging Center, College of Chemistry and Molecular Engineering, Peking University, 292 Chengfu Road, Haidian District, Beijing 100871, People's Republic of China
| | - Xuefeng Guo
- Center of Single-Molecule Sciences, Institute of Modern Optics, Frontiers Science Center for New Organic Matter, Tianjin Key Laboratory of Micro-Scale Optical Information Science and Technology, College of Electronic Information and Optical Engineering, Nankai University, 38 Tongyan Road, Jinnan District, Tianjin 300350, People's Republic of China
- Beijing National Laboratory for Molecular Sciences, National Biomedical Imaging Center, College of Chemistry and Molecular Engineering, Peking University, 292 Chengfu Road, Haidian District, Beijing 100871, People's Republic of China
| |
Collapse
|
10
|
Peng HH, Chen C. Charge transport in molecular junctions: General physical pictures, electrical measurement techniques, and their challenges. J CHIN CHEM SOC-TAIP 2022. [DOI: 10.1002/jccs.202200206] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Hao Howard Peng
- Department of Chemistry and Center for Emerging Material and Advanced Devices National Taiwan University Taipei Taiwan
| | - Chun‐hsien Chen
- Department of Chemistry and Center for Emerging Material and Advanced Devices National Taiwan University Taipei Taiwan
| |
Collapse
|
11
|
Naghibi S, Sangtarash S, Kumar VJ, Wu J, Judd MM, Qiao X, Gorenskaia E, Higgins SJ, Cox N, Nichols RJ, Sadeghi H, Low PJ, Vezzoli A. Redox-Addressable Single-Molecule Junctions Incorporating a Persistent Organic Radical. Angew Chem Int Ed Engl 2022; 61:e202116985. [PMID: 35289977 PMCID: PMC9322687 DOI: 10.1002/anie.202116985] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/13/2021] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Integrating radical (open-shell) species into non-cryogenic nanodevices is key to unlocking the potential of molecular electronics. While many efforts have been devoted to this issue, in the absence of a chemical/electrochemical potential the open-shell character is generally lost in contact with the metallic electrodes. Herein, single-molecule devices incorporating a 6-oxo-verdazyl persistent radical have been fabricated using break-junction techniques. The open-shell character is retained at room temperature, and electrochemical gating permits in situ reduction to a closed-shell anionic state in a single-molecule transistor configuration. Furthermore, electronically driven rectification arises from bias-dependent alignment of the open-shell resonances. The integration of radical character, transistor-like switching, and rectification in a single molecular component paves the way to further studies of the electronic, magnetic, and thermoelectric properties of open-shell species.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Saman Naghibi
- Department of ChemistryUniversity of LiverpoolCrown StreetLiverpoolL69 7ZDUK
| | | | - Varshini J. Kumar
- School of Molecular SciencesUniversity of Western AustraliaCrawleyWestern Australia6009Australia
| | - Jian‐Zhong Wu
- School of ChemistrySouth China Normal UniversityGuangzhou510006P.R. China
| | - Martyna M. Judd
- Research School of ChemistryAustralian National UniversityCanberraATC 2601Australia
| | - Xiaohang Qiao
- Department of ChemistryUniversity of LiverpoolCrown StreetLiverpoolL69 7ZDUK
| | - Elena Gorenskaia
- School of Molecular SciencesUniversity of Western AustraliaCrawleyWestern Australia6009Australia
| | - Simon J. Higgins
- Department of ChemistryUniversity of LiverpoolCrown StreetLiverpoolL69 7ZDUK
| | - Nicholas Cox
- Research School of ChemistryAustralian National UniversityCanberraATC 2601Australia
| | - Richard J. Nichols
- Department of ChemistryUniversity of LiverpoolCrown StreetLiverpoolL69 7ZDUK
| | - Hatef Sadeghi
- School of EngineeringUniversity of WarwickCoventryCV4 7ALUK
| | - Paul J. Low
- School of Molecular SciencesUniversity of Western AustraliaCrawleyWestern Australia6009Australia
| | - Andrea Vezzoli
- Department of ChemistryUniversity of LiverpoolCrown StreetLiverpoolL69 7ZDUK
- Stephenson Institute for Renewable EnergyUniversity of LiverpoolPeach StreetLiverpoolL69 7ZFUK
| |
Collapse
|
12
|
Triazole-containing terpyridines with terminal aurophilic groups and their complexes with RhIII for adsorption on the surface of gold. Russ Chem Bull 2022. [DOI: 10.1007/s11172-022-3407-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
|
13
|
Naghibi S, Sangtarash S, Kumar VJ, Wu J, Judd MM, Qiao X, Gorenskaia E, Higgins SJ, Cox N, Nichols RJ, Sadeghi H, Low PJ, Vezzoli A. Redox‐Addressable Single‐Molecule Junctions Incorporating a Persistent Organic Radical**. Angew Chem Int Ed Engl 2022. [DOI: 10.1002/ange.202116985] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Saman Naghibi
- Department of Chemistry University of Liverpool Crown Street Liverpool L69 7ZD UK
| | - Sara Sangtarash
- School of Engineering University of Warwick Coventry CV4 7AL UK
| | - Varshini J. Kumar
- School of Molecular Sciences University of Western Australia Crawley Western Australia 6009 Australia
| | - Jian‐Zhong Wu
- School of Chemistry South China Normal University Guangzhou 510006 P.R. China
| | - Martyna M. Judd
- Research School of Chemistry Australian National University Canberra ATC 2601 Australia
| | - Xiaohang Qiao
- Department of Chemistry University of Liverpool Crown Street Liverpool L69 7ZD UK
| | - Elena Gorenskaia
- School of Molecular Sciences University of Western Australia Crawley Western Australia 6009 Australia
| | - Simon J. Higgins
- Department of Chemistry University of Liverpool Crown Street Liverpool L69 7ZD UK
| | - Nicholas Cox
- Research School of Chemistry Australian National University Canberra ATC 2601 Australia
| | - Richard J. Nichols
- Department of Chemistry University of Liverpool Crown Street Liverpool L69 7ZD UK
| | - Hatef Sadeghi
- School of Engineering University of Warwick Coventry CV4 7AL UK
| | - Paul J. Low
- School of Molecular Sciences University of Western Australia Crawley Western Australia 6009 Australia
| | - Andrea Vezzoli
- Department of Chemistry University of Liverpool Crown Street Liverpool L69 7ZD UK
- Stephenson Institute for Renewable Energy University of Liverpool Peach Street Liverpool L69 7ZF UK
| |
Collapse
|
14
|
Xie X, Li P, Xu Y, Zhou L, Yan Y, Xie L, Jia C, Guo X. Single-Molecule Junction: A Reliable Platform for Monitoring Molecular Physical and Chemical Processes. ACS NANO 2022; 16:3476-3505. [PMID: 35179354 DOI: 10.1021/acsnano.1c11433] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Monitoring and manipulating the physical and chemical behavior of single molecules is an important development direction of molecular electronics that aids in understanding the molecular world at the single-molecule level. The electrical detection platform based on single-molecule junctions can monitor physical and chemical processes at the single-molecule level with a high temporal resolution, stability, and signal-to-noise ratio. Recently, the combination of single-molecule junctions with different multimodal control systems has been widely used to explore significant physical and chemical phenomena because of its powerful monitoring and control capabilities. In this review, we focus on the applications of single-molecule junctions in monitoring molecular physical and chemical processes. The methods developed for characterizing single-molecule charge transfer and spin characteristics as well as revealing the corresponding intrinsic mechanisms are introduced. Dynamic detection and regulation of single-molecule conformational isomerization, intermolecular interactions, and chemical reactions are also discussed in detail. In addition to these dynamic investigations, this review discusses the open challenges of single-molecule detection in the fields of physics and chemistry and proposes some potential applications in this field.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Xinmiao Xie
- Center for Molecular Systems and Organic Devices (CMSOD), Key Laboratory for Organic Electronics and Information Displays and Institute of Advanced Materials (IAM), Nanjing University of Posts and Telecommunications, Nanjing 210023, PR China
| | - Peihui Li
- Center of Single-Molecule Sciences, Institute of Modern Optics, Frontiers Science Center for New Organic Matter, Tianjin Key Laboratory of Micro-scale Optical Information Science and Technology, College of Electronic Information and Optical Engineering, Nankai University, 38 Tongyan Road, Jinnan District, Tianjin 300350, PR China
| | - Yanxia Xu
- Center of Single-Molecule Sciences, Institute of Modern Optics, Frontiers Science Center for New Organic Matter, Tianjin Key Laboratory of Micro-scale Optical Information Science and Technology, College of Electronic Information and Optical Engineering, Nankai University, 38 Tongyan Road, Jinnan District, Tianjin 300350, PR China
| | - Li Zhou
- Center of Single-Molecule Sciences, Institute of Modern Optics, Frontiers Science Center for New Organic Matter, Tianjin Key Laboratory of Micro-scale Optical Information Science and Technology, College of Electronic Information and Optical Engineering, Nankai University, 38 Tongyan Road, Jinnan District, Tianjin 300350, PR China
| | - Yong Yan
- Center for Molecular Systems and Organic Devices (CMSOD), Key Laboratory for Organic Electronics and Information Displays and Institute of Advanced Materials (IAM), Nanjing University of Posts and Telecommunications, Nanjing 210023, PR China
| | - Linghai Xie
- Center for Molecular Systems and Organic Devices (CMSOD), Key Laboratory for Organic Electronics and Information Displays and Institute of Advanced Materials (IAM), Nanjing University of Posts and Telecommunications, Nanjing 210023, PR China
| | - Chuancheng Jia
- Center of Single-Molecule Sciences, Institute of Modern Optics, Frontiers Science Center for New Organic Matter, Tianjin Key Laboratory of Micro-scale Optical Information Science and Technology, College of Electronic Information and Optical Engineering, Nankai University, 38 Tongyan Road, Jinnan District, Tianjin 300350, PR China
- Beijing National Laboratory for Molecular Sciences, National Biomedical Imaging Center, College of Chemistry and Molecular Engineering, Peking University, 292 Chengfu Road, Haidian District, Beijing 100871, PR China
| | - Xuefeng Guo
- Center of Single-Molecule Sciences, Institute of Modern Optics, Frontiers Science Center for New Organic Matter, Tianjin Key Laboratory of Micro-scale Optical Information Science and Technology, College of Electronic Information and Optical Engineering, Nankai University, 38 Tongyan Road, Jinnan District, Tianjin 300350, PR China
- Beijing National Laboratory for Molecular Sciences, National Biomedical Imaging Center, College of Chemistry and Molecular Engineering, Peking University, 292 Chengfu Road, Haidian District, Beijing 100871, PR China
| |
Collapse
|
15
|
Tao S, Zhang Q, Vezzoli A, Zhao C, Zhao C, Higgins SJ, Smogunov A, Dappe YJ, Nichols RJ, Yang L. Electrochemical gating for single-molecule electronics with hybrid Au|graphene contacts. Phys Chem Chem Phys 2022; 24:6836-6844. [PMID: 35244656 DOI: 10.1039/d1cp05486d] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
The single-molecular conductance of a redox active viologen molecular bridge between Au|graphene electrodes has been studied in an electrochemical gating configuration in an ionic liquid medium. A clear "off-on-off" conductance switching behaviour has been achieved through gating of the redox state when the electrochemical potential is swept. The Au|viologen|graphene junctions show single-molecule conductance maxima centred close to the equilibrium redox potentials for both reduction steps. The peak conductance of Au|viologen|graphene junctions during the first reduction is significantly higher than that of previously measured Au|viologen|Au junctions. This shows that even though the central viologen moiety is not directly linked to the enclosing electrodes, substituting one gold contact for a graphene one nevertheless has a significant impact on junction conductance values. The experimental data was compared against two theoretical models, namely a phase coherent tunnelling and an incoherent "hopping" model. The former is a simple gating monoelectronic model within density functional theory (DFT) which discloses the charge state evolution of the molecule with electrode potential. The latter model is the collective Kuznetsov Ulstrup model for 2-step sequential charge transport through the redox centre in the adiabatic limit. The comparison of both models to the experimental data is discussed for the first time. This work opens perspectives for graphene-based molecular transistors with more effective gating and fundamental understanding of electrochemical electron transfer at the single molecular level.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Shuhui Tao
- Department of Chemistry, Xi'an-Jiaotong Liverpool University, Suzhou, 215123, China. .,Department of Chemistry, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, L69 7ZD, UK
| | - Qian Zhang
- Department of Chemistry, Xi'an-Jiaotong Liverpool University, Suzhou, 215123, China. .,Department of Chemistry, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, L69 7ZD, UK
| | - Andrea Vezzoli
- Department of Chemistry, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, L69 7ZD, UK
| | - Cezhou Zhao
- Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering, Xi'an-Jiaotong Liverpool University, Suzhou, 215123, China
| | - Chun Zhao
- Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering, Xi'an-Jiaotong Liverpool University, Suzhou, 215123, China
| | - Simon J Higgins
- Department of Chemistry, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, L69 7ZD, UK
| | - Alexander Smogunov
- SPEC, CEA, CNRS, Université Paris-Saclay, CEA Saclay 91191 Gif-sur-Yvette Cedex, France
| | - Yannick J Dappe
- SPEC, CEA, CNRS, Université Paris-Saclay, CEA Saclay 91191 Gif-sur-Yvette Cedex, France
| | - Richard J Nichols
- Department of Chemistry, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, L69 7ZD, UK
| | - Li Yang
- Department of Chemistry, Xi'an-Jiaotong Liverpool University, Suzhou, 215123, China. .,Department of Chemistry, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, L69 7ZD, UK
| |
Collapse
|
16
|
Engelbrekt C, Nazmutdinov RR, Shermukhamedov S, Ulstrup J, Zinkicheva TT, Xiao X. Complex single‐molecule and molecular scale entities in electrochemical environments: Mechanisms and challenges. ELECTROCHEMICAL SCIENCE ADVANCES 2021. [DOI: 10.1002/elsa.202100157] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Christian Engelbrekt
- Department of Chemistry Technical University of Denmark Building 207, DK0‐2800 Kgs. Lyngby Denmark
| | - Renat R. Nazmutdinov
- Department of Inorganic Chemistry Kazan National Research Technological University Karl Marx Str. 68 Kazan 420015 Russian Federation
| | - Shokirbek Shermukhamedov
- Department of Inorganic Chemistry Kazan National Research Technological University Karl Marx Str. 68 Kazan 420015 Russian Federation
| | - Jens Ulstrup
- Department of Chemistry Technical University of Denmark Building 207, DK0‐2800 Kgs. Lyngby Denmark
| | - Tamara T. Zinkicheva
- Department of Inorganic Chemistry Kazan National Research Technological University Karl Marx Str. 68 Kazan 420015 Russian Federation
| | - Xinxin Xiao
- Department of Chemistry Technical University of Denmark Building 207, DK0‐2800 Kgs. Lyngby Denmark
| |
Collapse
|
17
|
Akhtar A, Rashid U, Seth C, Kumar S, Broekmann P, Kaliginedi V. Modulating the charge transport in metal│molecule│metal junctions via electrochemical gating. Electrochim Acta 2021. [DOI: 10.1016/j.electacta.2021.138540] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
|
18
|
STM studies of electron transfer through single molecules at electrode-electrolyte interfaces. Electrochim Acta 2021. [DOI: 10.1016/j.electacta.2021.138497] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
|
19
|
Salimova IO, Berezina AV, Shikholina IA, Zyk NV, Beloglazkina EK. Design and synthesis of novel terpyridine-based ligands with one and two terminal aurophilic moieties and their Rh(III) and Ru(II) complexes for the adsorption on metal surfaces. Polyhedron 2021. [DOI: 10.1016/j.poly.2021.115149] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
|
20
|
Naher M, Milan DC, Al-Owaedi OA, Planje IJ, Bock S, Hurtado-Gallego J, Bastante P, Abd Dawood ZM, Rincón-García L, Rubio-Bollinger G, Higgins SJ, Agraït N, Lambert CJ, Nichols RJ, Low PJ. Molecular Structure-(Thermo)electric Property Relationships in Single-Molecule Junctions and Comparisons with Single- and Multiple-Parameter Models. J Am Chem Soc 2021; 143:3817-3829. [PMID: 33606524 DOI: 10.1021/jacs.0c11605] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
The most probable single-molecule conductance of each member of a series of 12 conjugated molecular wires, 6 of which contain either a ruthenium or platinum center centrally placed within the backbone, has been determined. The measurement of a small, positive Seebeck coefficient has established that transmission through these molecules takes place by tunneling through the tail of the HOMO resonance near the middle of the HOMO-LUMO gap in each case. Despite the general similarities in the molecular lengths and frontier-orbital compositions, experimental and computationally determined trends in molecular conductance values across this series cannot be satisfactorily explained in terms of commonly discussed "single-parameter" models of junction conductance. Rather, the trends in molecular conductance are better rationalized from consideration of the complete molecular junction, with conductance values well described by transport calculations carried out at the DFT level of theory, on the basis of the Landauer-Büttiker model.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Masnun Naher
- School of Molecular Sciences, University of Western Australia, 35 Stirling Highway, Crawley, Western Australia 6009, Australia
| | - David C Milan
- Department of Chemistry, University of Liverpool, Crown Street, Liverpool L69 7ZD, U.K
| | - Oday A Al-Owaedi
- Department of Laser Physics, College of Science for Girls, The University of Babylon, Hilla 51001, Iraq
| | - Inco J Planje
- Department of Chemistry, University of Liverpool, Crown Street, Liverpool L69 7ZD, U.K
| | - Sören Bock
- School of Molecular Sciences, University of Western Australia, 35 Stirling Highway, Crawley, Western Australia 6009, Australia
| | - Juan Hurtado-Gallego
- Departamento de Física de la Materia Condensada, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Madrid E-28049, Spain
| | - Pablo Bastante
- Departamento de Física de la Materia Condensada, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Madrid E-28049, Spain
| | - Zahra Murtada Abd Dawood
- Department of Laser Physics, College of Science for Girls, The University of Babylon, Hilla 51001, Iraq
| | - Laura Rincón-García
- Departamento de Física de la Materia Condensada, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Madrid E-28049, Spain
| | - Gabino Rubio-Bollinger
- Departamento de Física de la Materia Condensada, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Madrid E-28049, Spain.,Condensed Matter Physics Center (IFIMAC) and Instituto Universitario de Ciencia de Materiales "Nicolás Cabrera" (INC), Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, E-28049 Madrid, Spain
| | - Simon J Higgins
- Department of Chemistry, University of Liverpool, Crown Street, Liverpool L69 7ZD, U.K
| | - Nicolás Agraït
- Departamento de Física de la Materia Condensada, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Madrid E-28049, Spain.,Condensed Matter Physics Center (IFIMAC) and Instituto Universitario de Ciencia de Materiales "Nicolás Cabrera" (INC), Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, E-28049 Madrid, Spain.,Instituto Madrileño de Estudios Avanzados en Nanociencia IMDEA-Nanociencia, E-28049 Madrid, Spain
| | - Colin J Lambert
- Department of Physics, University of Lancaster, Lancaster LA1 4YB, U.K
| | - Richard J Nichols
- Department of Chemistry, University of Liverpool, Crown Street, Liverpool L69 7ZD, U.K
| | - Paul J Low
- School of Molecular Sciences, University of Western Australia, 35 Stirling Highway, Crawley, Western Australia 6009, Australia
| |
Collapse
|
21
|
Nováková Lachmanová Š, Kolivoška V, Šebera J, Gasior J, Mészáros G, Dupeyre G, Lainé PP, Hromadová M. Environmental Control of Single-Molecule Junction Evolution and Conductance: A Case Study of Expanded Pyridinium Wiring. Angew Chem Int Ed Engl 2021; 60:4732-4739. [PMID: 33205862 PMCID: PMC7986070 DOI: 10.1002/anie.202013882] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/15/2020] [Revised: 11/13/2020] [Indexed: 02/03/2023]
Abstract
Environmental control of single-molecule junction evolution and conductance was demonstrated for expanded pyridinium molecules by scanning tunneling microscopy break junction method and interpreted by quantum transport calculations including solvent molecules explicitly. Fully extended and highly conducting molecular junctions prevail in water environment as opposed to short and less conducting junctions formed in non-solvating mesitylene. A theoretical approach correctly models single-molecule conductance values considering the experimental junction length. Most pronounced difference in the molecular junction formation and conductance was identified for a molecule with the highest stabilization energy on the gold substrate confirming the importance of molecule-electrode interactions. Presented concept of tuning conductance through molecule-electrode interactions in the solvent-driven junctions can be used in the development of new molecular electronic devices.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Štěpánka Nováková Lachmanová
- Department of Electrochemistry at NanoscaleJ. Heyrovský Institute of Physical Chemistry of the Czech Academy of SciencesDolejškova 3182 23Prague 8Czech Republic
| | - Viliam Kolivoška
- Department of Electrochemistry at NanoscaleJ. Heyrovský Institute of Physical Chemistry of the Czech Academy of SciencesDolejškova 3182 23Prague 8Czech Republic
| | - Jakub Šebera
- Department of Electrochemistry at NanoscaleJ. Heyrovský Institute of Physical Chemistry of the Czech Academy of SciencesDolejškova 3182 23Prague 8Czech Republic
| | - Jindřich Gasior
- Department of Electrochemistry at NanoscaleJ. Heyrovský Institute of Physical Chemistry of the Czech Academy of SciencesDolejškova 3182 23Prague 8Czech Republic
| | - Gábor Mészáros
- Research Centre for Natural SciencesHungarian Academy of SciencesMagyar tudósok krt. 21117BudapestHungary
| | | | | | - Magdaléna Hromadová
- Department of Electrochemistry at NanoscaleJ. Heyrovský Institute of Physical Chemistry of the Czech Academy of SciencesDolejškova 3182 23Prague 8Czech Republic
| |
Collapse
|
22
|
Nováková Lachmanová Š, Kolivoška V, Šebera J, Gasior J, Mészáros G, Dupeyre G, Lainé PP, Hromadová M. Environmental Control of Single‐Molecule Junction Evolution and Conductance: A Case Study of Expanded Pyridinium Wiring. Angew Chem Int Ed Engl 2021. [DOI: 10.1002/ange.202013882] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Štěpánka Nováková Lachmanová
- Department of Electrochemistry at Nanoscale J. Heyrovský Institute of Physical Chemistry of the Czech Academy of Sciences Dolejškova 3 182 23 Prague 8 Czech Republic
| | - Viliam Kolivoška
- Department of Electrochemistry at Nanoscale J. Heyrovský Institute of Physical Chemistry of the Czech Academy of Sciences Dolejškova 3 182 23 Prague 8 Czech Republic
| | - Jakub Šebera
- Department of Electrochemistry at Nanoscale J. Heyrovský Institute of Physical Chemistry of the Czech Academy of Sciences Dolejškova 3 182 23 Prague 8 Czech Republic
| | - Jindřich Gasior
- Department of Electrochemistry at Nanoscale J. Heyrovský Institute of Physical Chemistry of the Czech Academy of Sciences Dolejškova 3 182 23 Prague 8 Czech Republic
| | - Gábor Mészáros
- Research Centre for Natural Sciences Hungarian Academy of Sciences Magyar tudósok krt. 2 1117 Budapest Hungary
| | | | | | - Magdaléna Hromadová
- Department of Electrochemistry at Nanoscale J. Heyrovský Institute of Physical Chemistry of the Czech Academy of Sciences Dolejškova 3 182 23 Prague 8 Czech Republic
| |
Collapse
|
23
|
Wang YH, Yan F, Li DF, Xi YF, Cao R, Zheng JF, Shao Y, Jin S, Chen JZ, Zhou XS. Enhanced Gating Performance of Single-Molecule Conductance by Heterocyclic Molecules. J Phys Chem Lett 2021; 12:758-763. [PMID: 33405930 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jpclett.0c03430] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Enhancing the gating performance of single-molecule conductance is significant for realizing molecular transistors. Herein, we report a new strategy to improve the electrochemical gating efficiency of single-molecule conductance with fused molecular structures consisting of heterocyclic rings of furan, thiophene, or selenophene. One order magnitude of gating ratio is achieved within a potential window of 1.2 V for the selenophene-based molecule, which is significantly greater than that of other heterocyclic and benzene ring molecules. This is caused by the different electronic structures of heterocyclic molecules and transmission coefficients T(E), and preliminary resonance tunneling is achieved through the highest occupied molecular orbital at high potential. The current work experimentally shows that electrochemical gating performance can be significantly modulated by the alignment of the conducting orbital of the heterocyclic molecule relative to the metal Fermi energy.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Ya-Hao Wang
- Key Laboratory of the Ministry of Education for Advanced Catalysis Materials, Institute of Physical Chemistry, Zhejiang Normal University, Jinhua 321004, China
| | - Feng Yan
- Key Laboratory of Pesticide and Chemical Biology, Ministry of Education, College of Chemistry, Central China Normal University, Wuhan 430079, China
| | - Dong-Fang Li
- Key Laboratory of the Ministry of Education for Advanced Catalysis Materials, Institute of Physical Chemistry, Zhejiang Normal University, Jinhua 321004, China
- Santen Pharmaceutical (China) Co., Ltd., Suzhou 215026, China
| | - Yan-Feng Xi
- Key Laboratory of Pesticide and Chemical Biology, Ministry of Education, College of Chemistry, Central China Normal University, Wuhan 430079, China
| | - Rui Cao
- Department of Physics, Shanghai University, Shanghai 200444, China
| | - Ju-Fang Zheng
- Key Laboratory of the Ministry of Education for Advanced Catalysis Materials, Institute of Physical Chemistry, Zhejiang Normal University, Jinhua 321004, China
| | - Yong Shao
- Key Laboratory of the Ministry of Education for Advanced Catalysis Materials, Institute of Physical Chemistry, Zhejiang Normal University, Jinhua 321004, China
| | - Shan Jin
- Key Laboratory of Pesticide and Chemical Biology, Ministry of Education, College of Chemistry, Central China Normal University, Wuhan 430079, China
| | - Jing-Zhe Chen
- Department of Physics, Shanghai University, Shanghai 200444, China
| | - Xiao-Shun Zhou
- Key Laboratory of the Ministry of Education for Advanced Catalysis Materials, Institute of Physical Chemistry, Zhejiang Normal University, Jinhua 321004, China
| |
Collapse
|
24
|
Gorenskaia E, Naher M, Daukiya L, Moggach SA, Costa Milan D, Vezzoli A, Lambert CJ, Nichols RJ, Becker T, Low PJ. Experimental Validation of Quantum Circuit Rules in Molecular Junctions. Aust J Chem 2021. [DOI: 10.1071/ch21136] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/30/2023]
Abstract
A series of diarylacetylene (tolane) derivatives functionalised at the 4- and 4′-positions by thiolate, thioether, or amine groups capable of serving as anchor groups to secure the molecules within a molecular junction have been prepared and characterised. The series of compounds have a general form X-B-X, Y-B-Y, and X-B-Y where X and Y represent anchor groups and B the molecular bridge. The single-molecule conductance values determined by the scanning tunnelling microscope break-junction method are found to be in excellent agreement with the predictions made on the basis of a recently proposed ‘molecular circuit law’, which states ‘the conductance of an asymmetric molecule X-B-Y is the geometric mean of the conductance of the two symmetric molecules derived from it, and .’ The experimental verification of the circuit law, which holds for systems in which the constituent moieties X, B, and Y are weakly coupled and whose conductance takes place via off-resonance tunnelling, gives further confidence in the use of this relationship in the design of future compounds for use in molecular electronics research.
Collapse
|
25
|
Naher M, Bock S, Langtry ZM, O’Malley KM, Sobolev AN, Skelton BW, Korb M, Low PJ. Synthesis, Structure and Physical Properties of “Wire-like” Metal Complexes. Organometallics 2020. [DOI: 10.1021/acs.organomet.0c00685] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Masnun Naher
- School of Molecular Sciences, University of Western Australia, 35 Stirling Highway, Crawley, Western Australia 6009, Australia
| | - Sören Bock
- School of Molecular Sciences, University of Western Australia, 35 Stirling Highway, Crawley, Western Australia 6009, Australia
| | - Zakary M. Langtry
- School of Molecular Sciences, University of Western Australia, 35 Stirling Highway, Crawley, Western Australia 6009, Australia
| | - Kieran M. O’Malley
- School of Molecular Sciences, University of Western Australia, 35 Stirling Highway, Crawley, Western Australia 6009, Australia
| | - Alexandre N. Sobolev
- School of Molecular Sciences, University of Western Australia, 35 Stirling Highway, Crawley, Western Australia 6009, Australia
| | - Brian W. Skelton
- School of Molecular Sciences, University of Western Australia, 35 Stirling Highway, Crawley, Western Australia 6009, Australia
| | - Marcus Korb
- School of Molecular Sciences, University of Western Australia, 35 Stirling Highway, Crawley, Western Australia 6009, Australia
| | - Paul J. Low
- School of Molecular Sciences, University of Western Australia, 35 Stirling Highway, Crawley, Western Australia 6009, Australia
| |
Collapse
|
26
|
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.
Collapse
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
| |
Collapse
|
27
|
Nanofabrication Techniques in Large-Area Molecular Electronic Devices. APPLIED SCIENCES-BASEL 2020. [DOI: 10.3390/app10176064] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
The societal impact of the electronics industry is enormous—not to mention how this industry impinges on the global economy. The foreseen limits of the current technology—technical, economic, and sustainability issues—open the door to the search for successor technologies. In this context, molecular electronics has emerged as a promising candidate that, at least in the short-term, will not likely replace our silicon-based electronics, but improve its performance through a nascent hybrid technology. Such technology will take advantage of both the small dimensions of the molecules and new functionalities resulting from the quantum effects that govern the properties at the molecular scale. An optimization of interface engineering and integration of molecules to form densely integrated individually addressable arrays of molecules are two crucial aspects in the molecular electronics field. These challenges should be met to establish the bridge between organic functional materials and hard electronics required for the incorporation of such hybrid technology in the market. In this review, the most advanced methods for fabricating large-area molecular electronic devices are presented, highlighting their advantages and limitations. Special emphasis is focused on bottom-up methodologies for the fabrication of well-ordered and tightly-packed monolayers onto the bottom electrode, followed by a description of the top-contact deposition methods so far used.
Collapse
|
28
|
Wu C, Qiao X, Robertson CM, Higgins SJ, Cai C, Nichols RJ, Vezzoli A. A Chemically Soldered Polyoxometalate Single-Molecule Transistor. Angew Chem Int Ed Engl 2020; 59:12029-12034. [PMID: 32271489 PMCID: PMC7383859 DOI: 10.1002/anie.202002174] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/11/2020] [Revised: 03/25/2020] [Indexed: 01/23/2023]
Abstract
Polyoxometalates have been proposed in the literature as nanoelectronic components, where they could offer key advantages with their structural versatility and rich electrochemistry. Apart from a few studies on their ensemble behaviour (as monolayers or thin films), this potential remains largely unexplored. We synthesised a pyridyl-capped Anderson-Evans polyoxometalate and used it to fabricate single-molecule junctions, using the organic termini to chemically "solder" a single cluster to two nanoelectrodes. Operating the device in an electrochemical environment allowed us to probe charge transport through different oxidation states of the polyoxometalate, and we report here an efficient three-state transistor behaviour. Conductance data fits a quantum tunnelling mechanism with different charge-transport probabilities through different charge states. Our results show the promise of polyoxometalates in nanoelectronics and give an insight on their single-entity electrochemical behaviour.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Chuanli Wu
- Department of ChemistryUniversity of LiverpoolCrown StreetLiverpoolL69 7ZDUK
- School of Chemistry and Materials ScienceNanjing Normal UniversityNanjing210023P. R. China
| | - Xiaohang Qiao
- Department of ChemistryUniversity of LiverpoolCrown StreetLiverpoolL69 7ZDUK
| | - Craig M. Robertson
- Department of ChemistryUniversity of LiverpoolCrown StreetLiverpoolL69 7ZDUK
| | - Simon J. Higgins
- Department of ChemistryUniversity of LiverpoolCrown StreetLiverpoolL69 7ZDUK
| | - Chenxin Cai
- School of Chemistry and Materials ScienceNanjing Normal UniversityNanjing210023P. R. China
| | - Richard J. Nichols
- Department of ChemistryUniversity of LiverpoolCrown StreetLiverpoolL69 7ZDUK
| | - Andrea Vezzoli
- Department of ChemistryUniversity of LiverpoolCrown StreetLiverpoolL69 7ZDUK
- Stephenson Institute for Renewable EnergyUniversity of LiverpoolPeach StreetLiverpoolL69 7ZFUK
| |
Collapse
|
29
|
Wu C, Qiao X, Robertson CM, Higgins SJ, Cai C, Nichols RJ, Vezzoli A. A Chemically Soldered Polyoxometalate Single‐Molecule Transistor. Angew Chem Int Ed Engl 2020. [DOI: 10.1002/ange.202002174] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Chuanli Wu
- Department of Chemistry University of Liverpool Crown Street Liverpool L69 7ZD UK
- School of Chemistry and Materials Science Nanjing Normal University Nanjing 210023 P. R. China
| | - Xiaohang Qiao
- Department of Chemistry University of Liverpool Crown Street Liverpool L69 7ZD UK
| | - Craig M. Robertson
- Department of Chemistry University of Liverpool Crown Street Liverpool L69 7ZD UK
| | - Simon J. Higgins
- Department of Chemistry University of Liverpool Crown Street Liverpool L69 7ZD UK
| | - Chenxin Cai
- School of Chemistry and Materials Science Nanjing Normal University Nanjing 210023 P. R. China
| | - Richard J. Nichols
- Department of Chemistry University of Liverpool Crown Street Liverpool L69 7ZD UK
| | - Andrea Vezzoli
- Department of Chemistry University of Liverpool Crown Street Liverpool L69 7ZD UK
- Stephenson Institute for Renewable Energy University of Liverpool Peach Street Liverpool L69 7ZF UK
| |
Collapse
|
30
|
Improving Gating Efficiency of Electron Transport through Redox‐Active Molecular Junctions with Conjugated Chains. ChemElectroChem 2020. [DOI: 10.1002/celc.201902076] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/28/2023]
|
31
|
Yan JF, Zhu GG, Yuan Y, Lin CX, Huang SP, Yuan YF. Carborane bridged ferrocenyl conjugated molecules: synthesis, structure, electrochemistry and photophysical properties. NEW J CHEM 2020. [DOI: 10.1039/d0nj00826e] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
mono- and bis-carborane bridged ferrocenyl conjugated molecules 8–11 have been synthesized and systematically analyzed.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jian-Feng Yan
- Key Laboratory of Molecule Synthesis and Function Discovery (Fujian Province University)
- Department of Chemistry
- Fuzhou University
- Fuzhou 350108
- People's Republic of China
| | - Gai-Ge Zhu
- Key Laboratory of Molecule Synthesis and Function Discovery (Fujian Province University)
- Department of Chemistry
- Fuzhou University
- Fuzhou 350108
- People's Republic of China
| | - Ye Yuan
- Key Laboratory of Molecule Synthesis and Function Discovery (Fujian Province University)
- Department of Chemistry
- Fuzhou University
- Fuzhou 350108
- People's Republic of China
| | - Cai-Xia Lin
- Key Laboratory of Molecule Synthesis and Function Discovery (Fujian Province University)
- Department of Chemistry
- Fuzhou University
- Fuzhou 350108
- People's Republic of China
| | - Shu-Ping Huang
- Key Laboratory of Molecule Synthesis and Function Discovery (Fujian Province University)
- Department of Chemistry
- Fuzhou University
- Fuzhou 350108
- People's Republic of China
| | - Yao-Feng Yuan
- Key Laboratory of Molecule Synthesis and Function Discovery (Fujian Province University)
- Department of Chemistry
- Fuzhou University
- Fuzhou 350108
- People's Republic of China
| |
Collapse
|
32
|
Theoretical study of amplification of the tunnel current in the redox-mediated tunneling junctions for the symmetric and asymmetric electron-molecular coupling in the case of the adiabatic transport regime. J Electroanal Chem (Lausanne) 2019. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jelechem.2019.113534] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
|
33
|
Gobeze HB, Arellano LM, Gutiérrez-Vílchez AM, Gómez-Escalonilla MJ, Sastre-Santos Á, Fernández-Lázaro F, Langa F, D'Souza F. Occurrence of excited state charge separation in a N-doped graphene-perylenediimide hybrid formed via 'click' chemistry. NANOSCALE ADVANCES 2019; 1:4009-4015. [PMID: 36132123 PMCID: PMC9418608 DOI: 10.1039/c9na00416e] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/01/2019] [Accepted: 08/29/2019] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Hetero-atom doped graphene is a two-dimensional material with a band gap, needed to build optoelectronic devices. However, research progress in this area has been sluggish due to synthetic challenges to build energy harvesting materials, especially donor-acceptor type hybrids. In the present study, using click chemistry, we have successfully synthesized a donor-acceptor hybrid comprised of N-doped graphene and perylenediimide (PDI), a well-known electron-accepting photosensitizer. The TGA and XPS results revealed the attachment of the PDI moiety in the hybrid. Ground and excited state interactions were monitored by a variety of spectral and electrochemical techniques. Finally, the ability of the present donor-acceptor hybrid to undergo photoinduced charge separation from singlet excited PDI was systematically probed using femtosecond transient spectral techniques. Evidence of charge separation was possible to achieve from comparison of transient and spectroelectrochemical results. These results suggest the potential use of covalently functionalized, substitutional N-doped graphene as a functional material for building optoelectronic devices.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Habtom B Gobeze
- Department of Chemistry, University of North Texas 1155 Union Circle, #305070 76203-5017 Denton TX USA
| | - Luis M Arellano
- Universidad de Castilla-La Mancha, Instituto de Nanociencia, Nanotecnología y Materiales Moleculares (INAMOL) 45071-Toledo Spain
| | - Ana María Gutiérrez-Vílchez
- Área de Química Orgánica, Instituto de Bioingeniería, Universidad Miguel Hernández Avda. de la Universidad, s/n Elche 03202 Spain
| | - María J Gómez-Escalonilla
- Universidad de Castilla-La Mancha, Instituto de Nanociencia, Nanotecnología y Materiales Moleculares (INAMOL) 45071-Toledo Spain
| | - Ángela Sastre-Santos
- Área de Química Orgánica, Instituto de Bioingeniería, Universidad Miguel Hernández Avda. de la Universidad, s/n Elche 03202 Spain
| | - Fernando Fernández-Lázaro
- Área de Química Orgánica, Instituto de Bioingeniería, Universidad Miguel Hernández Avda. de la Universidad, s/n Elche 03202 Spain
| | - Fernando Langa
- Universidad de Castilla-La Mancha, Instituto de Nanociencia, Nanotecnología y Materiales Moleculares (INAMOL) 45071-Toledo Spain
| | - Francis D'Souza
- Department of Chemistry, University of North Texas 1155 Union Circle, #305070 76203-5017 Denton TX USA
| |
Collapse
|
34
|
Sun H, Liu X, Su Y, Deng B, Peng H, Decurtins S, Sanvito S, Liu SX, Hou S, Liao J. Dirac-cone induced gating enhancement in single-molecule field-effect transistors. NANOSCALE 2019; 11:13117-13125. [PMID: 31268079 DOI: 10.1039/c9nr01551e] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
Using graphene as electrodes provides an opportunity for fabricating stable single-molecule field-effect transistors (FETs) operating at room temperature. However, the role of the unique graphene band structure in charge transport of single-molecule devices is still not clear. Here we report the Dirac-cone induced electrostatic gating effects in single-molecule FETs with graphene electrodes and a solid-state local bottom gate. With the highest occupied molecular orbital (HOMO) as the dominating conduction channel and the graphene leads remaining intrinsic at zero gate voltage, electrostatic gating on the HOMO and the density of states of graphene at the negative gate polarity reinforces each other, resulting in an enhanced conductance modulation. In contrast, gating effects on the HOMO and the graphene states at the positive gate polarity are opposite. Depending on the gating efficiencies, the conductance can decrease, increase or remain almost unchanged when a more positive gate voltage is applied. Our observations can be well understood by a modified single-level model taking into account the linear dispersion of graphene near the Dirac point. Single-molecule FETs with Dirac-cone enhanced gating have shown high performances, with the modulation of a wide range of current over one order of magnitude. Our studies highlight the advantages of using graphene as an electrode material for molecular devices and pave the way for single-molecule FETs toward circuitry applications.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Hantao Sun
- Key Laboratory for the Physics and Chemistry of Nanodevices, Department of Electronics, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China. and Centre for Nanoscale Science and Technology, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China
| | - Xunshan Liu
- Departement für Chemie und Biochemie, Universität Bern, Freiestrasse 3, 3012 Bern, Switzerland.
| | - Yanjie Su
- Key Laboratory for the Physics and Chemistry of Nanodevices, Department of Electronics, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China. and Centre for Nanoscale Science and Technology, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China
| | - Bing Deng
- Center for Nanochemistry, Beijing National Laboratory for Molecular Sciences (BNLMS), College of Chemistry and Molecular Engineering, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China
| | - Hailin Peng
- Center for Nanochemistry, Beijing National Laboratory for Molecular Sciences (BNLMS), College of Chemistry and Molecular Engineering, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China
| | - Silvio Decurtins
- Departement für Chemie und Biochemie, Universität Bern, Freiestrasse 3, 3012 Bern, Switzerland.
| | - Stefano Sanvito
- School of Physics, AMBER and CRANN Institute, Trinity College, Dublin 2, Ireland
| | - Shi-Xia Liu
- Departement für Chemie und Biochemie, Universität Bern, Freiestrasse 3, 3012 Bern, Switzerland.
| | - Shimin Hou
- Key Laboratory for the Physics and Chemistry of Nanodevices, Department of Electronics, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China. and Centre for Nanoscale Science and Technology, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China
| | - Jianhui Liao
- Key Laboratory for the Physics and Chemistry of Nanodevices, Department of Electronics, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China.
| |
Collapse
|
35
|
Harashima T, Hasegawa Y, Kaneko S, Kiguchi M, Ono T, Nishino T. Highly Reproducible Formation of a Polymer Single‐Molecule Junction for a Well‐Defined Current Signal. Angew Chem Int Ed Engl 2019. [DOI: 10.1002/ange.201903717] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Takanori Harashima
- Department of ChemistrySchool of ScienceTokyo Institute of Technology Ookayama, Meguro-ku Tokyo 152-8551 Japan
| | - Yusuke Hasegawa
- Department of ChemistrySchool of ScienceTokyo Institute of Technology Ookayama, Meguro-ku Tokyo 152-8551 Japan
| | - Satoshi Kaneko
- Department of ChemistrySchool of ScienceTokyo Institute of Technology Ookayama, Meguro-ku Tokyo 152-8551 Japan
| | - Manabu Kiguchi
- Department of ChemistrySchool of ScienceTokyo Institute of Technology Ookayama, Meguro-ku Tokyo 152-8551 Japan
| | - Tomoya Ono
- Center for Computational SciencesUniversity of Tsukuba Tennodai Tsukuba 305-8577 Japan
- Present address: Department of Electrical and Electronic EngineeringGraduate School of EngineeringKobe University Rokkodai, Nada-ku Kobe 657-8501 Japan
| | - Tomoaki Nishino
- Department of ChemistrySchool of ScienceTokyo Institute of Technology Ookayama, Meguro-ku Tokyo 152-8551 Japan
| |
Collapse
|
36
|
Harashima T, Hasegawa Y, Kaneko S, Kiguchi M, Ono T, Nishino T. Highly Reproducible Formation of a Polymer Single-Molecule Junction for a Well-Defined Current Signal. Angew Chem Int Ed Engl 2019; 58:9109-9113. [PMID: 31037805 DOI: 10.1002/anie.201903717] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/27/2019] [Indexed: 11/05/2022]
Abstract
Single-molecule devices attract much interest in the development of nanoscale electronics. Although a variety of functional single molecules for single-molecule electronics have been developed, there still remains the need to implement sophisticated functionalization toward practical applications. Given its superior functionality encountered in macroscopic materials, a polymer could be a useful building block in the single-molecule devices. Therefore, a molecular junction composed of polymer has now been created. Furthermore, an automated algorithm was developed to quantitatively analyze the tunneling current through the junction. Quantitative analysis revealed that the polymer junction exhibits a higher formation probability and longer lifetime than its monomer counterpart. These results suggest that the polymer provides a unique opportunity to design both stable and highly functional molecular devices for nanoelectronics.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Takanori Harashima
- Department of Chemistry, School of Science, Tokyo Institute of Technology, Ookayama, Meguro-ku, Tokyo, 152-8551, Japan
| | - Yusuke Hasegawa
- Department of Chemistry, School of Science, Tokyo Institute of Technology, Ookayama, Meguro-ku, Tokyo, 152-8551, Japan
| | - Satoshi Kaneko
- Department of Chemistry, School of Science, Tokyo Institute of Technology, Ookayama, Meguro-ku, Tokyo, 152-8551, Japan
| | - Manabu Kiguchi
- Department of Chemistry, School of Science, Tokyo Institute of Technology, Ookayama, Meguro-ku, Tokyo, 152-8551, Japan
| | - Tomoya Ono
- Center for Computational Sciences, University of Tsukuba, Tennodai, Tsukuba, 305-8577, Japan.,Present address: Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering, Graduate School of Engineering, Kobe University, Rokkodai, Nada-ku, Kobe, 657-8501, Japan
| | - Tomoaki Nishino
- Department of Chemistry, School of Science, Tokyo Institute of Technology, Ookayama, Meguro-ku, Tokyo, 152-8551, Japan
| |
Collapse
|
37
|
Milić JV, Diederich F. The Quest for Molecular Grippers: Photo‐Electric Control of Molecular Gripping Machinery. Chemistry 2019; 25:8440-8452. [DOI: 10.1002/chem.201900852] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/24/2019] [Revised: 03/25/2019] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Jovana V. Milić
- Laboratory of Photonics and InterfacesÉcole Polytechnique Fédéralé de Lausanne 1015 Lausanne Switzerland
| | - François Diederich
- Department of Chemistry and Applied BiosciencesETH Zurich Vladimir-Prelog-Weg 3 8010 Zurich Switzerland
| |
Collapse
|
38
|
Wang K, Vezzoli A, Grace IM, McLaughlin M, Nichols RJ, Xu B, Lambert CJ, Higgins SJ. Charge transfer complexation boosts molecular conductance through Fermi level pinning. Chem Sci 2019; 10:2396-2403. [PMID: 30881668 PMCID: PMC6385675 DOI: 10.1039/c8sc04199g] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/20/2018] [Accepted: 01/02/2019] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Interference features in the transmission spectra can dominate charge transport in metal-molecule-metal junctions when they occur close to the contact Fermi energy (E F). Here, we show that by forming a charge-transfer complex with tetracyanoethylene (TCNE) we can introduce new constructive interference features in the transmission profile of electron-rich, thiophene-based molecular wires that almost coincide with E F. Complexation can result in a large enhancement of junction conductance, with very efficient charge transport even at relatively large molecular lengths. For instance, we report a conductance of 10-3 G 0 (∼78 nS) for the ∼2 nm long α-quaterthiophene:TCNE complex, almost two orders of magnitude higher than the conductance of the bare molecular wire. As the conductance of the complexes is remarkably independent of features such as the molecular backbone and the nature of the contacts to the electrodes, our results strongly suggest that the interference features are consistently pinned near to the Fermi energy of the metallic leads. Theoretical studies indicate that the semi-occupied nature of the charge-transfer orbital is not only important in giving rise to the latter effect, but also could result in spin-dependent transport for the charge-transfer complexes. These results therefore present a simple yet effective way to increase charge transport efficiency in long and poorly conductive molecular wires, with important repercussions in single-entity thermoelectronics and spintronics.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Kun Wang
- Department of Physics and Astronomy & NanoSEC , University of Georgia , 220 Riverbend Road , Athens , GA 30602 , USA .
| | - Andrea Vezzoli
- Department of Chemistry , University of Liverpool , Crown Street , Liverpool L69 7ZD , UK .
| | - Iain M Grace
- Department of Physics , Lancaster University , Lancaster LA1 4YB , UK .
| | - Maeve McLaughlin
- Department of Chemistry , University of Liverpool , Crown Street , Liverpool L69 7ZD , UK .
| | - Richard J Nichols
- Department of Chemistry , University of Liverpool , Crown Street , Liverpool L69 7ZD , UK .
| | - Bingqian Xu
- Department of Physics and Astronomy & NanoSEC , University of Georgia , 220 Riverbend Road , Athens , GA 30602 , USA .
- College of Engineering & NanoSEC , University of Georgia , 220 Riverbend Road , Athens , GA 30602 , USA
| | - Colin J Lambert
- Department of Physics , Lancaster University , Lancaster LA1 4YB , UK .
| | - Simon J Higgins
- Department of Chemistry , University of Liverpool , Crown Street , Liverpool L69 7ZD , UK .
| |
Collapse
|
39
|
Transition from stochastic events to deterministic ensemble average in electron transfer reactions revealed by single-molecule conductance measurement. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2019; 116:3407-3412. [PMID: 30737288 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1814825116] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Electron transfer reactions can now be followed at the single-molecule level, but the connection between the microscopic and macroscopic data remains to be understood. By monitoring the conductance of a single molecule, we show that the individual electron transfer reaction events are stochastic and manifested as large conductance fluctuations. The fluctuation probability follows first-order kinetics with potential dependent rate constants described by the Butler-Volmer relation. Ensemble averaging of many individual reaction events leads to a deterministic dependence of the conductance on the external electrochemical potential that follows the Nernst equation. This study discloses a systematic transition from stochastic kinetics of individual reaction events to deterministic thermodynamics of ensemble averages and provides insights into electron transfer processes of small systems, consisting of a single molecule or a small number of molecules.
Collapse
|
40
|
Guo Y, Dai B, Peng J, Wu C, Xie Y. Electron Transport in Low Dimensional Solids: A Surface Chemistry Perspective. J Am Chem Soc 2018; 141:723-732. [DOI: 10.1021/jacs.8b09821] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Yuqiao Guo
- Hefei National Laboratory for Physical Sciences at the Microscale, Collaborative Innovation Center of Chemistry for Energy Materials, and CAS Key Laboratory of Mechanical Behavior and Design of Materials, University of Science & Technology of China, Hefei, Anhui 230026, People’s Republic of China
| | - Baohu Dai
- Hefei National Laboratory for Physical Sciences at the Microscale, Collaborative Innovation Center of Chemistry for Energy Materials, and CAS Key Laboratory of Mechanical Behavior and Design of Materials, University of Science & Technology of China, Hefei, Anhui 230026, People’s Republic of China
| | - Jing Peng
- Hefei National Laboratory for Physical Sciences at the Microscale, Collaborative Innovation Center of Chemistry for Energy Materials, and CAS Key Laboratory of Mechanical Behavior and Design of Materials, University of Science & Technology of China, Hefei, Anhui 230026, People’s Republic of China
| | - Changzheng Wu
- Hefei National Laboratory for Physical Sciences at the Microscale, Collaborative Innovation Center of Chemistry for Energy Materials, and CAS Key Laboratory of Mechanical Behavior and Design of Materials, University of Science & Technology of China, Hefei, Anhui 230026, People’s Republic of China
| | - Yi Xie
- Hefei National Laboratory for Physical Sciences at the Microscale, Collaborative Innovation Center of Chemistry for Energy Materials, and CAS Key Laboratory of Mechanical Behavior and Design of Materials, University of Science & Technology of China, Hefei, Anhui 230026, People’s Republic of China
| |
Collapse
|
41
|
Richter S, Mentovich E, Elnathan R. Realization of Molecular-Based Transistors. ADVANCED MATERIALS (DEERFIELD BEACH, FLA.) 2018; 30:e1706941. [PMID: 29873854 DOI: 10.1002/adma.201706941] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/28/2017] [Revised: 02/06/2018] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
Molecular-based devices are widely considered as significant candidates to play a role in the next generation of "post-complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor" devices. In this context, molecular-based transistors: molecular junctions that can be electrically gated-are of particular interest as they allow new modes of operation. The properties of molecular transistors composed of a single- or multimolecule assemblies, focusing on their practicality as real-world devices, concerning industry demands and its roadmap are compared. Also, the capability of the gate electrode to modulate the molecular transistor characteristics efficiently is addressed, showing that electrical gating can be easily facilitated in single molecular transistors and that gating of transistor composed of molecular assemblies is possible if the device is formed vertically. It is concluded that while the single-molecular transistor exhibits better performance on the lab-scale, its realization faces signifacant challenges when compared to those faced by transistors composed of a multimolecule assembly.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Shachar Richter
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, University Center for Nanoscience and Nanotechnology, Faculty of Engineering, Tel-Aviv University, Tel-Aviv, 6997801, Israel
| | - Elad Mentovich
- Process Technologies, Mellanox Technologies Ltd., Hakidma 26 St., Ofer Industrial Park, Yokneam, 2069200, Israel
| | - Roey Elnathan
- Faculty of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Monash University, 381 Royal Parade, Parkville, VIC, 3052, Australia
| |
Collapse
|
42
|
Electrostatic Gate Control in Molecular Transistors. Top Curr Chem (Cham) 2018; 376:37. [PMID: 30194540 DOI: 10.1007/s41061-018-0215-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/05/2018] [Accepted: 08/27/2018] [Indexed: 10/28/2022]
Abstract
Molecular transistors, in which single molecules serve as active channel components in a three-terminal device geometry, constitute the building blocks of molecular scale electronic circuits. To demonstrate such devices, a gate electrode has been incorporated in several test beds of molecular electronics. The frontier orbitals' alignments of a molecular transistor can be delicately tuned by modifying the molecular orbital energy with the gate electrode. In this review, we described electrostatic gate control of solid-state molecular transistors. In particular, we focus on recent experimental accomplishments in fabrication and characterization of molecular transistors.
Collapse
|
43
|
Wang Y, Shan X, Tao N. Emerging tools for studying single entity electrochemistry. Faraday Discuss 2018; 193:9-39. [PMID: 27722354 DOI: 10.1039/c6fd00180g] [Citation(s) in RCA: 70] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/07/2023]
Abstract
Electrochemistry studies charge transfer and related processes at various microscopic structures (atomic steps, islands, pits and kinks on electrodes), and mesoscopic materials (nanoparticles, nanowires, viruses, vesicles and cells) made by nature and humans, involving ions and molecules. The traditional approach measures averaged electrochemical quantities of a large ensemble of these individual entities, including the microstructures, mesoscopic materials, ions and molecules. There is a need to develop tools to study single entities because a real system is usually heterogeneous, e.g., containing nanoparticles with different sizes and shapes. Even in the case of "homogeneous" molecules, they bind to different microscopic structures of an electrode, assume different conformations and fluctuate over time, leading to heterogeneous reactions. Here we highlight some emerging tools for studying single entity electrochemistry, discuss their strengths and weaknesses, and provide personal views on the need for tools with new capabilities for further advancing single entity electrochemistry.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Yixian Wang
- Center for Biosensors and Bioelectronics, Biodesign Institute and School of Electrical, Computer and Energy Engineering, Arizona State University, Tempe, Arizona 85287, USA.
| | - Xiaonan Shan
- Center for Biosensors and Bioelectronics, Biodesign Institute and School of Electrical, Computer and Energy Engineering, Arizona State University, Tempe, Arizona 85287, USA.
| | - Nongjian Tao
- Center for Biosensors and Bioelectronics, Biodesign Institute and School of Electrical, Computer and Energy Engineering, Arizona State University, Tempe, Arizona 85287, USA. and State Key Laboratory of Analytical Chemistry for Life Science, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210093, China
| |
Collapse
|
44
|
Peng LL, Huang B, Zou Q, Hong ZW, Zheng JF, Shao Y, Niu ZJ, Zhou XS, Xie HJ, Chen W. Low Tunneling Decay of Iodine-Terminated Alkane Single-Molecule Junctions. NANOSCALE RESEARCH LETTERS 2018; 13:121. [PMID: 29808266 PMCID: PMC5972139 DOI: 10.1186/s11671-018-2528-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/10/2018] [Accepted: 04/16/2018] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
One key issue for the development of molecular electronic devices is to understand the electron transport of single-molecule junctions. In this work, we explore the electron transport of iodine-terminated alkane single molecular junctions using the scanning tunneling microscope-based break junction approach. The result shows that the conductance decreases exponentially with the increase of molecular length with a decay constant βN = 0.5 per -CH2 (or 4 nm-1). Importantly, the tunneling decay of those molecular junctions is much lower than that of alkane molecules with thiol, amine, and carboxylic acid as the anchoring groups and even comparable to that of the conjugated oligophenyl molecules. The low tunneling decay is attributed to the small barrier height between iodine-terminated alkane molecule and Au, which is well supported by DFT calculations. The work suggests that the tunneling decay can be effectively tuned by the anchoring group, which may guide the manufacturing of molecular wires.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Lin-Lu Peng
- Key Laboratory of the Ministry of Education for Advanced Catalysis Materials, Institute of Physical Chemistry, Zhejiang Normal University, Jinhua, 321004, Zhejiang, China
| | - Bing Huang
- Key Laboratory of the Ministry of Education for Advanced Catalysis Materials, Institute of Physical Chemistry, Zhejiang Normal University, Jinhua, 321004, Zhejiang, China
| | - Qi Zou
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Materials Protection and Advanced Materials in Electric Power, Shanghai University of Electric Power, Shanghai, 200090, China
| | - Ze-Wen Hong
- Key Laboratory of the Ministry of Education for Advanced Catalysis Materials, Institute of Physical Chemistry, Zhejiang Normal University, Jinhua, 321004, Zhejiang, China
| | - Ju-Fang Zheng
- Key Laboratory of the Ministry of Education for Advanced Catalysis Materials, Institute of Physical Chemistry, Zhejiang Normal University, Jinhua, 321004, Zhejiang, China
| | - Yong Shao
- Key Laboratory of the Ministry of Education for Advanced Catalysis Materials, Institute of Physical Chemistry, Zhejiang Normal University, Jinhua, 321004, Zhejiang, China
| | - Zhen-Jiang Niu
- Key Laboratory of the Ministry of Education for Advanced Catalysis Materials, Institute of Physical Chemistry, Zhejiang Normal University, Jinhua, 321004, Zhejiang, China
| | - Xiao-Shun Zhou
- Key Laboratory of the Ministry of Education for Advanced Catalysis Materials, Institute of Physical Chemistry, Zhejiang Normal University, Jinhua, 321004, Zhejiang, China.
| | - Hu-Jun Xie
- Department of Applied Chemistry, Zhejiang Gongshang University, Hangzhou, 310018, China.
| | - Wenbo Chen
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Materials Protection and Advanced Materials in Electric Power, Shanghai University of Electric Power, Shanghai, 200090, China.
| |
Collapse
|
45
|
Peng LL, Chen F, Hong ZW, Zheng JF, Fillaud L, Yuan Y, Huang ML, Shao Y, Zhou XS, Chen JZ, Maisonhaute E. Precise tuning of single molecule conductance in an electrochemical environment. NANOSCALE 2018; 10:7026-7032. [PMID: 29611859 DOI: 10.1039/c8nr00625c] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
Tuning of molecular conductance in a liquid environment is a hot topic in molecular electronics. In this article, we explore a new concept where the Fermi level positions of the metallic ends are varied simply by modifying the electroactive salt concentration in solution. We rely on the electrochemical scanning tunneling microscope break junction method that allows the construction in solution of copper atomic contacts that can be then bridged by single molecules. The experimental conductance evolution is first confronted with an analytical formulation that allows the deduction of the molecule's LUMO position and electronic coupling factors. These parameters are in close agreement with those obtained by independent DFT calculations.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- L-L Peng
- Key Laboratory of the Ministry of Education for Advanced Catalysis Materials, Institute of Physical Chemistry, Zhejiang Normal University, Jinhua, Zhejiang 321004, China.
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
46
|
Brooke RJ, Szumski DS, Vezzoli A, Higgins SJ, Nichols RJ, Schwarzacher W. Dual Control of Molecular Conductance through pH and Potential in Single-Molecule Devices. NANO LETTERS 2018; 18:1317-1322. [PMID: 29357253 DOI: 10.1021/acs.nanolett.7b04995] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
One of the principal aims of single-molecule electronics is to create practical devices out of individual molecules. Such devices are expected to play a particularly important role as novel sensors thanks to their response to wide ranging external stimuli. Here we show that the conductance of a molecular junction can depend on two independent stimuli simultaneously. Using a scanning tunnelling microscope break-junction technique (STM-BJ), we found that the conductance of 4,4'-vinylenedipyridine (44VDP) molecular junctions with Ni contacts depends on both the electrochemically applied gate voltage and the pH of the environment. Hence, not only can the Ni|44VDP|Ni junction function as a pH-sensitive switch, but the value of the pH at which switching takes place can be tuned electrically. Furthermore, through the simultaneous control of pH and potential the STM-BJ technique delivers unique insight into the acid-base reaction, including the observation of discrete proton transfers to and from a single molecule.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Richard J Brooke
- H. H. Wills Physics Laboratory, University of Bristol , Tyndall Avenue, Bristol BS8 1TL, United Kingdom
| | - Doug S Szumski
- H. H. Wills Physics Laboratory, University of Bristol , Tyndall Avenue, Bristol BS8 1TL, United Kingdom
| | - Andrea Vezzoli
- Department of Chemistry, University of Liverpool , Crown Street, Liverpool L69 7ZD, United Kingdom
| | - Simon J Higgins
- Department of Chemistry, University of Liverpool , Crown Street, Liverpool L69 7ZD, United Kingdom
| | - Richard J Nichols
- Department of Chemistry, University of Liverpool , Crown Street, Liverpool L69 7ZD, United Kingdom
| | - Walther Schwarzacher
- H. H. Wills Physics Laboratory, University of Bristol , Tyndall Avenue, Bristol BS8 1TL, United Kingdom
| |
Collapse
|
47
|
Correlation of electrochemical properties of expanded pyridinium compounds with their single molecule conductance. Electrochim Acta 2018. [DOI: 10.1016/j.electacta.2018.01.094] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/05/2023]
|
48
|
Metal/molecule/metal junction studies of organometallic and coordination complexes; What can transition metals do for molecular electronics? Polyhedron 2018. [DOI: 10.1016/j.poly.2017.10.022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
|
49
|
Lovat G, Choi B, Paley DW, Steigerwald ML, Venkataraman L, Roy X. Room-temperature current blockade in atomically defined single-cluster junctions. NATURE NANOTECHNOLOGY 2017; 12:1050-1054. [PMID: 28805817 DOI: 10.1038/nnano.2017.156] [Citation(s) in RCA: 42] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/10/2016] [Accepted: 07/04/2017] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
Fabricating nanoscopic devices capable of manipulating and processing single units of charge is an essential step towards creating functional devices where quantum effects dominate transport characteristics. The archetypal single-electron transistor comprises a small conducting or semiconducting island separated from two metallic reservoirs by insulating barriers. By enabling the transfer of a well-defined number of charge carriers between the island and the reservoirs, such a device may enable discrete single-electron operations. Here, we describe a single-molecule junction comprising a redox-active, atomically precise cobalt chalcogenide cluster wired between two nanoscopic electrodes. We observe current blockade at room temperature in thousands of single-cluster junctions. Below a threshold voltage, charge transfer across the junction is suppressed. The device is turned on when the temporary occupation of the core states by a transiting carrier is energetically enabled, resulting in a sequential tunnelling process and an increase in current by a factor of ∼600. We perform in situ and ex situ cyclic voltammetry as well as density functional theory calculations to unveil a two-step process mediated by an orbital localized on the core of the cluster in which charge carriers reside before tunnelling to the collector reservoir. As the bias window of the junction is opened wide enough to include one of the cluster frontier orbitals, the current blockade is lifted and charge carriers can tunnel sequentially across the junction.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Giacomo Lovat
- Department of Applied Physics and Applied Mathematics, Columbia University, New York, New York 10027, USA
| | - Bonnie Choi
- Department of Chemistry, Columbia University, New York, New York 10027, USA
| | - Daniel W Paley
- Department of Chemistry, Columbia University, New York, New York 10027, USA
- Columbia Nano Initiative, Columbia University, New York, New York 10027, USA
| | | | - Latha Venkataraman
- Department of Applied Physics and Applied Mathematics, Columbia University, New York, New York 10027, USA
- Department of Chemistry, Columbia University, New York, New York 10027, USA
| | - Xavier Roy
- Department of Chemistry, Columbia University, New York, New York 10027, USA
| |
Collapse
|
50
|
Yin X, Zang Y, Zhu L, Low JZ, Liu ZF, Cui J, Neaton JB, Venkataraman L, Campos LM. A reversible single-molecule switch based on activated antiaromaticity. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2017; 3:eaao2615. [PMID: 29098181 PMCID: PMC5659654 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.aao2615] [Citation(s) in RCA: 60] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/01/2017] [Accepted: 10/05/2017] [Indexed: 05/30/2023]
Abstract
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 derivative that switches to an antiaromatic state with 6-4-6-π electrons. Through supporting nuclear magnetic resonance measurements, we show that the doubly oxidized core has antiaromatic character and we use density functional theory calculations to rationalize the origin of the high-conductance state for the oxidized single-molecule junction. Together, our work demonstrates how the concept of antiaromaticity can be exploited to create single-molecule devices that are highly conducting.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Xiaodong Yin
- Department of Chemistry, Columbia University, New York, NY 10027, USA
| | - Yaping Zang
- Department of Applied Physics, Columbia University, New York, NY 10027, USA
| | - Liangliang Zhu
- State Key Laboratory of Molecular Engineering of Polymers, Department of Macromolecular Science, Fudan University, Shanghai 200433, China
| | - Jonathan Z. Low
- Department of Chemistry, Columbia University, New York, NY 10027, USA
| | - Zhen-Fei Liu
- Molecular Foundry, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, and Department of Physics, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA
| | - Jing Cui
- Department of Applied Physics, Columbia University, New York, NY 10027, USA
| | - Jeffrey B. Neaton
- Molecular Foundry, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, and Department of Physics, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA
| | - Latha Venkataraman
- Department of Chemistry, Columbia University, New York, NY 10027, USA
- Department of Applied Physics, Columbia University, New York, NY 10027, USA
| | - Luis M. Campos
- Department of Chemistry, Columbia University, New York, NY 10027, USA
| |
Collapse
|