1
|
Deng JR, González MT, Zhu H, Anderson HL, Leary E. Ballistic Conductance through Porphyrin Nanoribbons. J Am Chem Soc 2024; 146:3651-3659. [PMID: 38301131 PMCID: PMC10870699 DOI: 10.1021/jacs.3c07734] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/19/2023] [Revised: 11/22/2023] [Accepted: 11/22/2023] [Indexed: 02/03/2024]
Abstract
The search for long molecular wires that can transport charge with maximum efficiency over many nanometers has driven molecular electronics since its inception. Single-molecule conductance normally decays with length and is typically far below the theoretical limit of G0 (77.5 μS). Here, we measure the conductances of a family of edge-fused porphyrin ribbons (lengths 1-7 nm) that display remarkable behavior. The low-bias conductance is high across the whole series. Charging the molecules in situ results in a dramatic realignment of the frontier orbitals, increasing the conductance to 1 G0 (corresponding to a current of 20 μA). This behavior is most pronounced in the longer molecules due to their smaller HOMO-LUMO gaps. The conductance-voltage traces frequently exhibit peaks at zero bias, showing that a molecular energy level is in resonance with the Fermi level. This work lays the foundations for long, perfectly transmissive, molecular wires with technological potential.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jie-Ren Deng
- Department
of Chemistry, Chemistry Research Laboratory, Oxford University, Oxford OX1 3TA, U.K.
| | - M. Teresa González
- Fundación
IMDEA Nanociencia, Calle
Faraday 9, Campus de Cantoblanco, 28049 Madrid, Spain
| | - He Zhu
- Department
of Chemistry, Chemistry Research Laboratory, Oxford University, Oxford OX1 3TA, U.K.
| | - Harry L. Anderson
- Department
of Chemistry, Chemistry Research Laboratory, Oxford University, Oxford OX1 3TA, U.K.
| | - Edmund Leary
- Fundación
IMDEA Nanociencia, Calle
Faraday 9, Campus de Cantoblanco, 28049 Madrid, Spain
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Signatures of Room-Temperature Quantum Interference in Molecular Junctions. Acc Chem Res 2023; 56:322-331. [PMID: 36693627 PMCID: PMC9910048 DOI: 10.1021/acs.accounts.2c00726] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/26/2023]
Abstract
ConspectusDuring the past decade or so, research groups around the globe have sought to answer the question: "How does electricity flow through single molecules?" In seeking the answer to this question, a series of joint theory and experimental studies have demonstrated that electrons passing through single-molecule junctions exhibit exquisite quantum interference (QI) effects, which have no classical analogues in conventional circuits. These signatures of QI appear even at room temperature and can be described by simple quantum circuit rules and a rather intuitive magic ratio theory. The latter describes the effect of varying the connectivity of electrodes to a molecular core and how electrical conductance can be controlled by the addition of heteroatoms to molecular cores. The former describes how individual moieties contribute to the overall conductance of a molecule and how the overall conductance can change when the connectivities between different moieties are varied. Related circuit rules have been derived and demonstrated, which describe the effects of connectivity on Seebeck coefficients of organic molecules. This simplicity arises because when a molecule is placed between two electrodes, charge transfer between the molecule and electrodes causes the molecular energy levels to adjust, such that the Fermi energy (EF) of the electrodes lies within the energy gap between the highest occupied molecular orbital and lowest unoccupied molecular orbital. Consequently, when electrons of energy EF pass through a molecule, their phase is protected and transport takes place via phase-coherent tunneling. Remarkably, these effects have been scaled up to self-assembled monolayers of molecules, thereby creating two-dimensional materials, whose room temperature transport properties are controlled by QI. This leads to new molecular design strategies for increasing the on/off conductance ratio of molecular switches and to improving the performance of organic thermoelectric materials. In particular, destructive quantum interference has been shown to improve the Seebeck coefficient of organic molecules and increase their on/off ratio under the influence of electrochemical gating. The aim of this Account is to introduce the novice reader to these signatures of QI in molecules, many of which have been identified in joint studies involving our theory group in Lancaster University and experimental group in Bern University.
Collapse
|
3
|
Bennett TLR, Alshammari M, Au-Yong S, Almutlg A, Wang X, Wilkinson LA, Albrecht T, Jarvis SP, Cohen LF, Ismael A, Lambert CJ, Robinson BJ, Long NJ. Multi-Component Self-Assembled Molecular-Electronic Films: Towards New High-Performance Thermoelectric Systems. Chem Sci 2022; 13:5176-5185. [PMID: 35655580 PMCID: PMC9093172 DOI: 10.1039/d2sc00078d] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/05/2022] [Accepted: 04/14/2022] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
The thermoelectric properties of parallel arrays of organic molecules on a surface offer the potential for large-area, flexible, solution processed, energy harvesting thin-films, whose room-temperature transport properties are controlled by quantum interference (QI). Recently, it has been demonstrated that constructive QI (CQI) can be translated from single molecules to self-assembled monolayers (SAMs), boosting both electrical conductivities and Seebeck coefficients. However, these CQI-enhanced systems are limited by rigid coupling of the component molecules to metallic electrodes, preventing the introduction of additional layers which would be advantageous for their further development. These rigid couplings also limit our ability to suppress the transport of phonons through these systems, which could act to boost their thermoelectric output, without comprising on their impressive electronic features. Here, through a combined experimental and theoretical study, we show that cross-plane thermoelectricity in SAMs can be enhanced by incorporating extra molecular layers. We utilize a bottom-up approach to assemble multi-component thin-films that combine a rigid, highly conductive ‘sticky’-linker, formed from alkynyl-functionalised anthracenes, and a ‘slippery’-linker consisting of a functionalized metalloporphyrin. Starting from an anthracene-based SAM, we demonstrate that subsequent addition of either a porphyrin layer or a graphene layer increases the Seebeck coefficient, and addition of both porphyrin and graphene leads to a further boost in their Seebeck coefficients. This demonstration of Seebeck-enhanced multi-component SAMs is the first of its kind and presents a new strategy towards the design of thin-film thermoelectric materials. Through an experimental and theoretical study, cross-plane thermoelectricity in Self-Assembled Monolayers (SAMs) was enhanced by adding extra molecular layers, presenting a new strategy towards the design of high thermoelectric materials.![]()
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Troy L R Bennett
- Department of Chemistry, Imperial College London, MSRH White City London W12 0BZ UK
| | - Majed Alshammari
- Physics Department, Lancaster University Lancaster LA1 4YB UK
- Department of Physics, College of Science, Jouf University Skaka Saudi Arabia
| | - Sophie Au-Yong
- Physics Department, Lancaster University Lancaster LA1 4YB UK
| | - Ahmad Almutlg
- Physics Department, Lancaster University Lancaster LA1 4YB UK
- Department of Mathematics, College of Science, Qassim University Almethnab Saudi Arabia
| | - Xintai Wang
- Physics Department, Lancaster University Lancaster LA1 4YB UK
- The Blackett Laboratory, Imperial College London, South Kensington Campus London SW7 2AZ UK
| | - Luke A Wilkinson
- Department of Chemistry, University of York Heslington York YO10 5DD UK
| | - Tim Albrecht
- Department of Chemistry, Birmingham University Edgbaston Birmingham B15 2TT UK
| | - Samuel P Jarvis
- Physics Department, Lancaster University Lancaster LA1 4YB UK
| | - Lesley F Cohen
- The Blackett Laboratory, Imperial College London, South Kensington Campus London SW7 2AZ UK
| | - Ali Ismael
- Physics Department, Lancaster University Lancaster LA1 4YB UK
- Department of Physics, College of Education for Pure Science, Tikrit University Tikrit Iraq
| | - Colin J Lambert
- Physics Department, Lancaster University Lancaster LA1 4YB UK
| | | | - Nicholas J Long
- Department of Chemistry, Imperial College London, MSRH White City London W12 0BZ UK
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
O'Driscoll LJ, Bryce MR. A review of oligo(arylene ethynylene) derivatives in molecular junctions. NANOSCALE 2021; 13:10668-10711. [PMID: 34110337 DOI: 10.1039/d1nr02023d] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Oligo(arylene ethynylene) (OAE) derivatives are the "workhorse" molecules of molecular electronics. Their ease of synthesis and flexibility of functionalisation mean that a diverse array of OAE molecular wires have been designed, synthesised and studied theoretically and experimentally in molecular junctions using both single-molecule and ensemble methods. This review summarises the breadth of molecular designs that have been investigated with emphasis on structure-property relationships with respect to the electronic conductance of OAEs. The factors considered include molecular length, connectivity, conjugation, (anti)aromaticity, heteroatom effects and quantum interference (QI). Growing interest in the thermoelectric properties of OAE derivatives, which are expected to be at the forefront of research into organic thermoelectric devices, is also explored.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Luke J O'Driscoll
- Department of Chemistry, Durham University, Lower Mountjoy, Stockton Road, Durham, UKDH1 3LE.
| | - Martin R Bryce
- Department of Chemistry, Durham University, Lower Mountjoy, Stockton Road, Durham, UKDH1 3LE.
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
Li H, Kopiec G, Müller F, Nyßen F, Shimizu K, Ceccato M, Daasbjerg K, Plumeré N. Spectroscopic Evidence for a Covalent Sigma Au-C Bond on Au Surfaces Using 13C Isotope Labeling. JACS AU 2021; 1:362-368. [PMID: 33829214 PMCID: PMC8016281 DOI: 10.1021/jacsau.0c00108] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/12/2020] [Indexed: 05/20/2023]
Abstract
The Au-C linkage has been demonstrated as a robust interface for coupling thin organic films on Au surfaces. However, the nature of the Au-C interaction remains elusive up to now. Surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy was previously used to assign a band at 412 cm-1 as a covalent sigma Au-C bond for films generated by spontaneous reduction of the 4-nitrobenzenediazonium salt on Au nanoparticles. However, this assignment is disputed based on our isotopic shift study. We now provide direct evidence for covalent Au-C bonds on the surface of Au nanoparticles using 13C cross-polarization/magic angle spinning solid-state NMR spectroscopy combined with isotope substitution. A 13C NMR shift at 165 ppm was identified as an aromatic carbon linked to the gold surface, while the shift at 148 ppm was attributed to C-C junctions in the arylated organic film. This demonstration of the covalent sigma Au-C bond fills the gap in metal-C bonds for organic films on surfaces, and it has great practical and theoretical significance in understanding and designing a molecular junction based on the Au-C bond.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Huaiguang Li
- Center
for Electrochemical Sciences (CES), Faculty of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Ruhr University Bochum, Universitätsstr. 150, D-44780 Bochum, Germany
- Campus
Straubing for Biotechnology and Sustainability, Technical University Munich, Schulgasse 22, 94315 Straubing, Germany
- . (H.L.)
| | - Gabriel Kopiec
- Center
for Electrochemical Sciences (CES), Faculty of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Ruhr University Bochum, Universitätsstr. 150, D-44780 Bochum, Germany
| | - Frank Müller
- Center
for Electrochemical Sciences (CES), Faculty of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Ruhr University Bochum, Universitätsstr. 150, D-44780 Bochum, Germany
| | - Frauke Nyßen
- Center
for Electrochemical Sciences (CES), Faculty of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Ruhr University Bochum, Universitätsstr. 150, D-44780 Bochum, Germany
| | - Kyoko Shimizu
- Interdisciplinary
Nanoscience Center/Department of Chemistry, Aarhus University, Gustav Wieds Vej 14, 8000 Aarhus C, Denmark
| | - Marcel Ceccato
- Interdisciplinary
Nanoscience Center/Department of Chemistry, Aarhus University, Gustav Wieds Vej 14, 8000 Aarhus C, Denmark
| | - Kim Daasbjerg
- Interdisciplinary
Nanoscience Center/Department of Chemistry, Aarhus University, Gustav Wieds Vej 14, 8000 Aarhus C, Denmark
| | - Nicolas Plumeré
- Center
for Electrochemical Sciences (CES), Faculty of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Ruhr University Bochum, Universitätsstr. 150, D-44780 Bochum, Germany
- Campus
Straubing for Biotechnology and Sustainability, Technical University Munich, Schulgasse 22, 94315 Straubing, Germany
- . (N.P.)
| |
Collapse
|
6
|
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
|
7
|
Li S, Yu H, Chen X, Gewirth AA, Moore JS, Schroeder CM. Covalent Ag-C Bonding Contacts from Unprotected Terminal Acetylenes for Molecular Junctions. NANO LETTERS 2020; 20:5490-5495. [PMID: 32511930 DOI: 10.1021/acs.nanolett.0c02015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Robust molecule-metal linkages are essential for developing high-performance and air-stable devices for molecular and organic electronics. In this work, we report a facile method for forming robust and covalent bonding contacts between unprotected terminal acetylenes and metal (Ag) interfaces. Using this approach, we study the charge transport properties of conjugated oligophenylenes with covalent metal-carbon contacts to silver electrodes formed from unprotected terminal acetylene anchors. We performed single molecule charge transport experiments and molecular simulations on a series of arylacetylenes using gold and silver electrodes. Our results show that molecular junctions on silver electrodes spontaneously form silver-carbynyl carbon (Ag-C) contacts, resulting in a nearly 10-fold increase in conductance compared to the same molecules on gold electrodes. Overall, this work presents a simple, new electrode-anchor pair that reliably forms molecular junctions with stable and robust contacts for molecular electronics.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Songsong Li
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois 61801, United States
- Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois 61801, United States
| | - Hao Yu
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois 61801, United States
| | - Xinyi Chen
- Department of Chemistry, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois 61801, United States
- International Institute for Carbon Neutral Energy Research (WPI-I2CNER), Kyushu University, Fukuoka 819-0385, Japan
| | - Andrew A Gewirth
- Department of Chemistry, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois 61801, United States
- International Institute for Carbon Neutral Energy Research (WPI-I2CNER), Kyushu University, Fukuoka 819-0385, Japan
| | - Jeffrey S Moore
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois 61801, United States
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois 61801, United States
- Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois 61801, United States
| | - Charles M Schroeder
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois 61801, United States
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois 61801, United States
- Department of Chemistry, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois 61801, United States
- Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois 61801, United States
| |
Collapse
|
8
|
Deng C, Liu H, Si S, Zhu X, Tu Q, Jin Y, Xiang J. An electrochemical aptasensor for amyloid-β oligomer based on double-stranded DNA as "conductive spring". Mikrochim Acta 2020; 187:239. [PMID: 32189141 DOI: 10.1007/s00604-020-4217-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/02/2019] [Accepted: 03/06/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
In order to overcome the antibody-based sensor's shortcomings, an electrochemical aptamer (Apt)-based sensor was developed for amyloid-β40 oligomer (Aβ40-O). The aptasensor was constructed by locating Apt and ferrocence (Fc) on streptavidin-modified gold (SA-gold) nanoparticles. The obtained AptFc@SA-gold nanoparticles were linked onto the Au electrode via the connection of double-stranded DNA (dsDNA) as a "conductive spring." The determination of Aβ40-O was performed with square-wave voltammetry (SWV). Upon bio-recognition between Apt and Aβ40-O, the conformation of Apt changed and the formed Apt/Aβ40-O complex separated from the SA-gold surface. As a result, the surface charge of SA-gold positively shifted, weakening the electrostatic attraction between the SA-gold and the positively charged Au electrode surface (at potential range of 0.1~0.5 V, corresponding to the Fc redox transformation), and stretching the dsDNA chain. Based on the exponential decay of dsDNA's electron transfer efficiency on its chain stretching, the oxidation current density from Fc decreased and displayed linear correlation to the concentration of Aβ40-O. A wide linear range of 0.100 nM to 1.00 μM with a low detection limit of 93.0 pM was obtained. The aptasensor displayed excellent selectivity toward Aβ40-O in contrast to other possible interfering analogs (Aβ40 monomer, Aβ42 monomer, and oligomer) at × 100 higher concentrations. The recoveries for Aβ40-O-spiked artificial cerebrospinal fluid and healthy human serum were 94.0~104% and 92.8~95.4%, respectively. The electrochemical aptasensor meets the demands of clinic determination of Aβ40-O, which is significant for the early diagnosis of AD. Graphical abstract Schematic representation of the electrochemical aptasensor for amyloid-β oligomer based on the surface charge change induced by target binding.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Chunyan Deng
- Hunan Provincial Key Laboratory of Micro & Nano Materials Interface Science, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Central South University, Changsha, 410083, People's Republic of China
| | - Hui Liu
- Hunan Provincial Key Laboratory of Micro & Nano Materials Interface Science, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Central South University, Changsha, 410083, People's Republic of China
| | - Shihui Si
- Hunan Provincial Key Laboratory of Micro & Nano Materials Interface Science, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Central South University, Changsha, 410083, People's Republic of China
| | - Xiaojun Zhu
- School of Information Science and Technology, Nantong University, Nantong, 226019, Jiangsu, People's Republic of China
| | - Qiuyun Tu
- Department of Geratology, The Third Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, 410013, People's Republic of China
| | - Yan Jin
- Department of Geratology, The Third Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, 410013, People's Republic of China
| | - Juan Xiang
- Hunan Provincial Key Laboratory of Micro & Nano Materials Interface Science, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Central South University, Changsha, 410083, People's Republic of China.
| |
Collapse
|
9
|
Herrer L, González-Orive A, Marqués-González S, Martín S, Nichols RJ, Serrano JL, Low PJ, Cea P. Electrically transmissive alkyne-anchored monolayers on gold. NANOSCALE 2019; 11:7976-7985. [PMID: 30968913 DOI: 10.1039/c8nr10464f] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
Well-ordered, tightly-packed (surface coverage 0.97 × 10-9 mol cm-2) monolayer films of 1,4-bis((4-ethynylphenyl)ethynyl)benzene (1) on gold are prepared via a simple self-assembly process, taking advantage of the ready formation of alkynyl C-Au σ-bonds. Electrochemical measurements using [Ru(NH3)6]3+, [Fe(CN)6]3-, and ferrocenylmethanol [Fe(η5-C5H4CH2OH)(η5-C5H5)] redox probes indicate that the alkynyl C-Au contacted monolayer of 1 presents a relatively low barrier for electron transfer. This contrasts with monolayer films on gold of other oligo(phenylene ethynylene) derivatives of comparable length and surface coverage, but with different contacting groups. Additionally, a low voltage transition (Vtrans = 0.51 V) from direct tunneling (rectangular barrier) to field emission (triangular barrier) is observed. This low transition voltage points to a low tunneling barrier, which is consistent with the facile electron transport observed through the C-Au contacted self-assembled monolayer of 1.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Lucía Herrer
- Departamento de Química Física, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de Zaragoza, 50009, Zaragoza, Spain.
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
10
|
Construction and Electrochemical Property Studies of DNA Duplexes Tethered to Gold Electrode via Au−C Bond. ELECTROANAL 2018. [DOI: 10.1002/elan.201800673] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/07/2022]
|
11
|
Bejarano F, Olavarria-Contreras IJ, Droghetti A, Rungger I, Rudnev A, Gutiérrez D, Mas-Torrent M, Veciana J, van der Zant HSJ, Rovira C, Burzurı E, Crivillers N. Robust Organic Radical Molecular Junctions Using Acetylene Terminated Groups for C-Au Bond Formation. J Am Chem Soc 2018; 140:1691-1696. [PMID: 29307191 DOI: 10.1021/jacs.7b10019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 56] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Organic paramagnetic and electroactive molecules are attracting interest as core components of molecular electronic and spintronic devices. Currently, further progress is hindered by the modest stability and reproducibility of the molecule/electrode contact. We report the synthesis of a persistent organic radical bearing one and two terminal alkyne groups to form Au-C σ bonds. The formation and stability of self-assembled monolayers and the electron transport through single-molecule junctions at room temperature have been studied. The combined analysis of both systems demonstrates that this linker forms a robust covalent bond with gold and a better-defined contact when compared to traditional sulfur-based linkers. Density functional theory and quantum transport calculations support the experimental observation highlighting a reduced variability of conductance values for the C-Au based junction. Our findings advance the quest for robustness and reproducibility of devices based on electroactive molecules.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Francesc Bejarano
- Department of Molecular Nanoscience and Organic Materials, Institut de Ciència de Materials de Barcelona (ICMAB- CSIC) and CIBER-BBN , Campus de la Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (UAB), 08193 Bellaterra, Spain
| | | | - Andrea Droghetti
- Nano-Bio Spectroscopy Group and European Theoretical Spectroscopy Facility (ETSF), Universidad del País Vasco (UPV/EHU) , Avenida Tolosa 72, 20018 San Sebastian, Spain
| | - Ivan Rungger
- National Physical Laboratory , Teddington TW11 0LW, United Kingdom
| | - Alexander Rudnev
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Bern , Freiestrasse 3, 3012 Bern, Switzerland.,Russian Academy of Sciences A. N. Frumkin Institute of Physical Chemistry and Electrochemistry RAS, Leninskii pr. 31, Moscow, 119991, Russia
| | - Diego Gutiérrez
- Department of Molecular Nanoscience and Organic Materials, Institut de Ciència de Materials de Barcelona (ICMAB- CSIC) and CIBER-BBN , Campus de la Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (UAB), 08193 Bellaterra, Spain
| | - Marta Mas-Torrent
- Department of Molecular Nanoscience and Organic Materials, Institut de Ciència de Materials de Barcelona (ICMAB- CSIC) and CIBER-BBN , Campus de la Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (UAB), 08193 Bellaterra, Spain
| | - Jaume Veciana
- Department of Molecular Nanoscience and Organic Materials, Institut de Ciència de Materials de Barcelona (ICMAB- CSIC) and CIBER-BBN , Campus de la Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (UAB), 08193 Bellaterra, Spain
| | - Herre S J van der Zant
- Kavli Institute of Nanoscience, Delft University of Technology , Lorentzweg 1, Delft 2628 CJ, The Netherlands
| | - Concepció Rovira
- Department of Molecular Nanoscience and Organic Materials, Institut de Ciència de Materials de Barcelona (ICMAB- CSIC) and CIBER-BBN , Campus de la Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (UAB), 08193 Bellaterra, Spain
| | - Enrique Burzurı
- Kavli Institute of Nanoscience, Delft University of Technology , Lorentzweg 1, Delft 2628 CJ, The Netherlands.,IMDEA Nanoscience, Ciudad Universitaria de Cantoblanco, c/Faraday 9, 28049 Madrid, Spain
| | - Núria Crivillers
- Department of Molecular Nanoscience and Organic Materials, Institut de Ciència de Materials de Barcelona (ICMAB- CSIC) and CIBER-BBN , Campus de la Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (UAB), 08193 Bellaterra, Spain
| |
Collapse
|
12
|
Al-Owaedi OA, Bock S, Milan DC, Oerthel MC, Inkpen MS, Yufit DS, Sobolev AN, Long NJ, Albrecht T, Higgins SJ, Bryce MR, Nichols RJ, Lambert CJ, Low PJ. Insulated molecular wires: inhibiting orthogonal contacts in metal complex based molecular junctions. NANOSCALE 2017; 9:9902-9912. [PMID: 28678257 DOI: 10.1039/c7nr01829k] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
Metal complexes are receiving increased attention as molecular wires in fundamental studies of the transport properties of metal|molecule|metal junctions. In this context we report the single-molecule conductance of a systematic series of d8 square-planar platinum(ii) trans-bis(alkynyl) complexes with terminal trimethylsilylethynyl (C[triple bond, length as m-dash]CSiMe3) contacting groups, e.g. trans-Pt{C[triple bond, length as m-dash]CC6H4C[triple bond, length as m-dash]CSiMe3}2(PR3)2 (R = Ph or Et), using a combination of scanning tunneling microscopy (STM) experiments in solution and theoretical calculations using density functional theory and non-equilibrium Green's function formalism. The measured conductance values of the complexes (ca. 3-5 × 10-5G0) are commensurate with similarly structured all-organic oligo(phenylene ethynylene) and oligo(yne) compounds. Based on conductance and break-off distance data, we demonstrate that a PPh3 supporting ligand in the platinum complexes can provide an alternative contact point for the STM tip in the molecular junctions, orthogonal to the terminal C[triple bond, length as m-dash]CSiMe3 group. The attachment of hexyloxy side chains to the diethynylbenzene ligands, e.g. trans-Pt{C[triple bond, length as m-dash]CC6H2(Ohex)2C[triple bond, length as m-dash]CSiMe3}2(PPh3)2 (Ohex = OC6H13), hinders contact of the STM tip to the PPh3 groups and effectively insulates the molecule, allowing the conductance through the full length of the backbone to be reliably measured. The use of trialkylphosphine (PEt3), rather than triarylphosphine (PPh3), ancillary ligands at platinum also eliminates these orthogonal contacts. These results have significant implications for the future design of organometallic complexes for studies in molecular junctions.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Oday A Al-Owaedi
- Department of Physics, University of Lancaster, Lancaster, LA1 4YB, UK. and Department of Laser Physics, Women Faculty of Science, Babylon University, Hilla, Iraq
| | - Sören Bock
- School of Molecular Sciences, University of Western Australia, 35 Stirling Highway, Perth 6009, Australia
| | - David C Milan
- Department of Chemistry, University of Liverpool, Crown St, Liverpool, L69 7ZD, UK
| | | | - Michael S Inkpen
- Department of Chemistry, Imperial College London, London SW7 2AZ, UK
| | - Dmitry S Yufit
- Department of Chemistry, Durham University, South Rd, Durham, DH1 3LE, UK
| | - Alexandre N Sobolev
- School of Molecular Sciences, University of Western Australia, 35 Stirling Highway, Perth 6009, Australia and Centre for Microscopy Characterization and Analysis, University of Western Australia, 35 Stirling Highway, Perth 6009, Australia
| | - Nicholas J Long
- Department of Chemistry, Imperial College London, London SW7 2AZ, UK
| | - Tim Albrecht
- Department of Chemistry, Imperial College London, London SW7 2AZ, UK
| | - Simon J Higgins
- Department of Chemistry, University of Liverpool, Crown St, Liverpool, L69 7ZD, UK
| | - Martin R Bryce
- Department of Chemistry, Durham University, South Rd, Durham, DH1 3LE, UK
| | - Richard J Nichols
- Department of Chemistry, University of Liverpool, Crown St, Liverpool, L69 7ZD, UK
| | - Colin J Lambert
- Department of Physics, University of Lancaster, Lancaster, LA1 4YB, UK.
| | - Paul J Low
- School of Molecular Sciences, University of Western Australia, 35 Stirling Highway, Perth 6009, Australia
| |
Collapse
|
13
|
Jöhr R, Hinaut A, Pawlak R, Zajac Ł, Olszowski P, Such B, Glatzel T, Zhang J, Muntwiler M, Bergkamp JJ, Mateo LM, Decurtins S, Liu SX, Meyer E. Thermally induced anchoring of a zinc-carboxyphenylporphyrin on rutile TiO2 (110). J Chem Phys 2017. [DOI: 10.1063/1.4982936] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Res Jöhr
- Department of Physics, University of Basel, Klingelbergstrasse 82, 4056 Basel, Switzerland
| | - Antoine Hinaut
- Department of Physics, University of Basel, Klingelbergstrasse 82, 4056 Basel, Switzerland
| | - Rémy Pawlak
- Department of Physics, University of Basel, Klingelbergstrasse 82, 4056 Basel, Switzerland
| | - Łukasz Zajac
- Physics Department, Jagiellonian University, Ul. Prof. St. Lojasiewicza 11, 30-348 Krakow, Poland
| | - Piotr Olszowski
- Physics Department, Jagiellonian University, Ul. Prof. St. Lojasiewicza 11, 30-348 Krakow, Poland
| | - Bartosz Such
- Physics Department, Jagiellonian University, Ul. Prof. St. Lojasiewicza 11, 30-348 Krakow, Poland
| | - Thilo Glatzel
- Department of Physics, University of Basel, Klingelbergstrasse 82, 4056 Basel, Switzerland
| | - Jun Zhang
- Paul Scherrer Institute, 5232 Villigen, Switzerland
| | | | - Jesse J. Bergkamp
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Bern, Freiestrasse 3, 3012 Bern, Switzerland
| | - Luis-Manuel Mateo
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Bern, Freiestrasse 3, 3012 Bern, Switzerland
| | - Silvio Decurtins
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Bern, Freiestrasse 3, 3012 Bern, Switzerland
| | - Shi-Xia Liu
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Bern, Freiestrasse 3, 3012 Bern, Switzerland
| | - Ernst Meyer
- Department of Physics, University of Basel, Klingelbergstrasse 82, 4056 Basel, Switzerland
| |
Collapse
|
14
|
Martínez-Romero N, Aguilar-Sánchez R, Fu YC, Homberger M, Simon U. Electrochemical stability and electron transfer across 4-methyl-4′-(n-mercaptoalkyl) biphenyl monolayers on Au(100)-(1×1) electrodes in 1-hexyl-3-methylimidazolium hexafluorophosphate ionic liquid. Electrochim Acta 2017. [DOI: 10.1016/j.electacta.2017.02.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
|
15
|
Xu L, Fang G, Li S. Supramolecular catalysis in the methylation of meta-phenylene ethynylene foldamer containing N,N-dimethylaminopyridine. RSC Adv 2017. [DOI: 10.1039/c7ra00710h] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
DFT investigations show that the methylation reaction of N,N-dimethylaminopyridine (DMAP)-modified meta-phenylene ethynylene foldamer can be catalyzed by the noncovalent interactions between the foldamer and the methyl sulfonate esters.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Lina Xu
- Key Laboratory of Carbon Materials of Zhejiang Province
- College of Chemistry and Materials Engineering
- Wenzhou University
- Wenzhou 325035
- China
| | - Guoyong Fang
- Key Laboratory of Carbon Materials of Zhejiang Province
- College of Chemistry and Materials Engineering
- Wenzhou University
- Wenzhou 325035
- China
| | - Shuhua Li
- Institute of Theoretical and Computational Chemistry
- Key Laboratory of Mesoscopic Chemistry of Ministry of Education
- School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering
- Nanjing University
- Nanjing 210093
| |
Collapse
|
16
|
Tu X, Wang H, Shen Z, Wang Y, Sanvito S, Hou S. Cu-metalated carbyne acting as a promising molecular wire. J Chem Phys 2016; 145:244702. [PMID: 28049330 DOI: 10.1063/1.4972867] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
The atomic structure and electronic transport properties of Cu-metalated carbyne are investigated by using the non-equilibrium Green's function formalism combined with density functional theory. Our calculations show that the incorporation of Cu atom in carbyne improves its robustness against Peierls distortion, thus to make Cu-metalated carbyne behave as a one-dimensional metal. When a finite Cu-metalated carbyne chain is connected to two (111)-oriented platinum electrodes, nearly linear current-voltage characteristics are obtained for both the atop and adatom binding sites. This is due to the efficient electronic coupling between the Cu-metalated carbyne chain and the Pt electrodes, demonstrating the promising applications of Cu-metalated carbyne chains as molecular wires in future electronic devices.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Xingchen Tu
- Centre for Nanoscale Science and Technology, Key Laboratory for the Physics and Chemistry of Nanodevices, Department of Electronics, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China
| | - Hao Wang
- Centre for Nanoscale Science and Technology, Key Laboratory for the Physics and Chemistry of Nanodevices, Department of Electronics, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China
| | - Ziyong Shen
- Centre for Nanoscale Science and Technology, Key Laboratory for the Physics and Chemistry of Nanodevices, Department of Electronics, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China
| | - Yongfeng Wang
- Centre for Nanoscale Science and Technology, Key Laboratory for the Physics and Chemistry of Nanodevices, Department of Electronics, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China
| | - Stefano Sanvito
- School of Physics, AMBER and CRANN Institute, Trinity College, Dublin 2, Ireland
| | - Shimin Hou
- Centre for Nanoscale Science and Technology, Key Laboratory for the Physics and Chemistry of Nanodevices, Department of Electronics, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China
| |
Collapse
|
17
|
Liang J, Smith RE, Vezzoli A, Xie L, Milan DC, Davidson R, Beeby A, Low PJ, Higgins SJ, Mao B, Nichols RJ. Electrochemically grafted single molecule junctions exploiting a chemical protection strategy. Electrochim Acta 2016. [DOI: 10.1016/j.electacta.2016.10.095] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
|
18
|
Ferradás RR, Marqués-González S, Osorio HM, Ferrer J, Cea P, Milan DC, Vezzoli A, Higgins SJ, Nichols RJ, Low PJ, García-Suárez VM, Martín S. Low variability of single-molecule conductance assisted by bulky metal–molecule contacts. RSC Adv 2016. [DOI: 10.1039/c6ra15477h] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/14/2023] Open
Abstract
A detailed study of the trimethylsilylethynyl moiety, –CCSiMe3 (TMSE), as an anchoring group, using a combination of experiment and DFT is presented.
Collapse
|
19
|
Huang C, Chen S, Baruël Ørnsø K, Reber D, Baghernejad M, Fu Y, Wandlowski T, Decurtins S, Hong W, Thygesen KS, Liu SX. Controlling Electrical Conductance through a π-Conjugated Cruciform Molecule by Selective Anchoring to Gold Electrodes. Angew Chem Int Ed Engl 2015; 54:14304-7. [PMID: 26444184 DOI: 10.1002/anie.201506026] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/01/2015] [Revised: 08/13/2015] [Indexed: 11/07/2022]
Abstract
Tuning charge transport at the single-molecule level plays a crucial role in the construction of molecular electronic devices. Introduced herein is a promising and operationally simple approach to tune two distinct charge-transport pathways through a cruciform molecule. Upon in situ cleavage of triisopropylsilyl groups, complete conversion from one junction type to another is achieved with a conductance increase by more than one order of magnitude, and it is consistent with predictions from ab initio transport calculations. Although molecules are well known to conduct through different orbitals (either HOMO or LUMO), the present study represents the first experimental realization of switching between HOMO- and LUMO-dominated transport within the same molecule.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Cancan Huang
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Bern, Freiestrasse 3, 3012 Bern (Switzerland)
| | - Songjie Chen
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Bern, Freiestrasse 3, 3012 Bern (Switzerland)
| | - Kristian Baruël Ørnsø
- Center for Atomic-scale Materials Design (CAMD), Department of Physics, Technical University of Denmark, Fysikvej, 2800 Kgs. Lyngby (Denmark)
| | - David Reber
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Bern, Freiestrasse 3, 3012 Bern (Switzerland)
| | - Masoud Baghernejad
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Bern, Freiestrasse 3, 3012 Bern (Switzerland)
| | - Yongchun Fu
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Bern, Freiestrasse 3, 3012 Bern (Switzerland)
| | - Thomas Wandlowski
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Bern, Freiestrasse 3, 3012 Bern (Switzerland)
| | - Silvio Decurtins
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Bern, Freiestrasse 3, 3012 Bern (Switzerland)
| | - Wenjing Hong
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Bern, Freiestrasse 3, 3012 Bern (Switzerland).
| | - Kristian Sommer Thygesen
- Center for Atomic-scale Materials Design (CAMD), Department of Physics, Technical University of Denmark, Fysikvej, 2800 Kgs. Lyngby (Denmark).
| | - Shi-Xia Liu
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Bern, Freiestrasse 3, 3012 Bern (Switzerland).
| |
Collapse
|
20
|
Controlling Electrical Conductance through a π-Conjugated Cruciform Molecule by Selective Anchoring to Gold Electrodes. Angew Chem Int Ed Engl 2015. [DOI: 10.1002/ange.201506026] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/07/2022]
|
21
|
Sangtarash S, Huang C, Sadeghi H, Sorohhov G, Hauser J, Wandlowski T, Hong W, Decurtins S, Liu SX, Lambert CJ. Searching the Hearts of Graphene-like Molecules for Simplicity, Sensitivity, and Logic. J Am Chem Soc 2015; 137:11425-31. [PMID: 26288219 DOI: 10.1021/jacs.5b06558] [Citation(s) in RCA: 70] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
If quantum interference patterns in the hearts of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons could be isolated and manipulated, then a significant step toward realizing the potential of single-molecule electronics would be achieved. Here we demonstrate experimentally and theoretically that a simple, parameter-free, analytic theory of interference patterns evaluated at the mid-point of the HOMO-LUMO gap (referred to as M-functions) correctly predicts conductance ratios of molecules with pyrene, naphthalene, anthracene, anthanthrene, or azulene hearts. M-functions provide new design strategies for identifying molecules with phase-coherent logic functions and enhancing the sensitivity of molecular-scale interferometers.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Sara Sangtarash
- Quantum Technology Centre, Lancaster University , Lancaster LA1 4YB, U.K
| | - Cancan Huang
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Bern , CH-3012 Bern, Switzerland
| | - Hatef Sadeghi
- Quantum Technology Centre, Lancaster University , Lancaster LA1 4YB, U.K
| | - Gleb Sorohhov
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Bern , CH-3012 Bern, Switzerland
| | - Jürg Hauser
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Bern , CH-3012 Bern, Switzerland
| | - Thomas Wandlowski
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Bern , CH-3012 Bern, Switzerland
| | - Wenjing Hong
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Bern , CH-3012 Bern, Switzerland
| | - Silvio Decurtins
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Bern , CH-3012 Bern, Switzerland
| | - Shi-Xia Liu
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Bern , CH-3012 Bern, Switzerland
| | - Colin J Lambert
- Quantum Technology Centre, Lancaster University , Lancaster LA1 4YB, U.K
| |
Collapse
|