1
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Temperini ME, Polito R, Venanzi T, Baldassarre L, Hu H, Ciracì C, Pea M, Notargiacomo A, Mattioli F, Ortolani M, Giliberti V. An Infrared Nanospectroscopy Technique for the Study of Electric-Field-Induced Molecular Dynamics. NANO LETTERS 2024; 24:9808-9815. [PMID: 39089683 PMCID: PMC11328210 DOI: 10.1021/acs.nanolett.4c01387] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 08/04/2024]
Abstract
Static electric fields play a considerable role in a variety of molecular nanosystems as diverse as single-molecule junctions, molecules supporting electrostatic catalysis, and biological cell membranes incorporating proteins. External electric fields can be applied to nanoscale samples with a conductive atomic force microscopy (AFM) probe in contact mode, but typically, no structural information is retrieved. Here we combine photothermal expansion infrared (IR) nanospectroscopy with electrostatic AFM probes to measure nanometric volumes where the IR field enhancement and the static electric field overlap spatially. We leverage the vibrational Stark effect in the polymer poly(methyl methacrylate) for calibrating the local electric field strength. In the relevant case of membrane protein bacteriorhodopsin, we observe electric-field-induced changes of the protein backbone conformation and residue protonation state. The proposed technique also has the potential to measure DC currents and IR spectra simultaneously, insofar enabling the monitoring of the possible interplay between charge transport and other effects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria Eleonora Temperini
- Department of Physics, Sapienza University of Rome, Piazzale Aldo Moro 5, I-00185 Roma, Italy
- Center for Life Nano- & Neuro-Science, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, Viale Regina Elena 291, I-00161 Roma, Italy
| | - Raffaella Polito
- Department of Physics, Sapienza University of Rome, Piazzale Aldo Moro 5, I-00185 Roma, Italy
| | - Tommaso Venanzi
- Center for Life Nano- & Neuro-Science, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, Viale Regina Elena 291, I-00161 Roma, Italy
| | - Leonetta Baldassarre
- Department of Physics, Sapienza University of Rome, Piazzale Aldo Moro 5, I-00185 Roma, Italy
| | - Huatian Hu
- Center for Biomolecular Nanotechnologies, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, Via Barsanti 14, I-73010 Arnesano, Italy
| | - Cristian Ciracì
- Center for Biomolecular Nanotechnologies, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, Via Barsanti 14, I-73010 Arnesano, Italy
| | - Marialilia Pea
- Istituto di Fotonica e Nanotecnologie, Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche, Via del Fosso del Cavaliere 100, I-00133 Roma, Italy
| | - Andrea Notargiacomo
- Istituto di Fotonica e Nanotecnologie, Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche, Via del Fosso del Cavaliere 100, I-00133 Roma, Italy
| | - Francesco Mattioli
- Istituto di Fotonica e Nanotecnologie, Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche, Via del Fosso del Cavaliere 100, I-00133 Roma, Italy
| | - Michele Ortolani
- Department of Physics, Sapienza University of Rome, Piazzale Aldo Moro 5, I-00185 Roma, Italy
- Center for Life Nano- & Neuro-Science, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, Viale Regina Elena 291, I-00161 Roma, Italy
| | - Valeria Giliberti
- Center for Life Nano- & Neuro-Science, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, Viale Regina Elena 291, I-00161 Roma, Italy
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2
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Boehmke Amoruso A, Boto RA, Elliot E, de Nijs B, Esteban R, Földes T, Aguilar-Galindo F, Rosta E, Aizpurua J, Baumberg JJ. Uncovering low-frequency vibrations in surface-enhanced Raman of organic molecules. Nat Commun 2024; 15:6733. [PMID: 39112490 PMCID: PMC11306350 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-50823-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/29/2023] [Accepted: 07/22/2024] [Indexed: 08/10/2024] Open
Abstract
Accessing the terahertz (THz) spectral domain through surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) is challenging and opens up the study of low-frequency molecular and electronic excitations. Compared to direct THz probing of heterogenous ensembles, the extreme plasmonic confinement of visible light to deep sub-wavelength scales allows the study of hundreds or even single molecules. We show that self-assembled molecular monolayers of a set of simple aromatic thiols confined inside single-particle plasmonic nanocavities can be distinguished by their low-wavenumber spectral peaks below 200 cm-1, after removal of a bosonic inelastic contribution and an exponential background from the spectrum. Developing environment-dependent density-functional-theory simulations of the metal-molecule configuration enables the assignment and classification of their THz vibrations as well as the identification of intermolecular coupling effects and of the influence of the gold surface configuration. Furthermore, we show dramatically narrower THz SERS spectra from individual molecules at picocavities, which indicates the possibility to study intrinsic vibrational properties beyond inhomogeneous broadening, further supporting the key role of local environment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexandra Boehmke Amoruso
- NanoPhotonics Centre, Cavendish Laboratory, J J Thomson Avenue, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | - Roberto A Boto
- Centro de Física de Materiales CFM-MPC (CSIC UPV/EHU), Donostia-San Sebastián, Spain
- Donostia International Physics Center (DIPC), Donostia-San Sebastián, Spain
| | - Eoin Elliot
- NanoPhotonics Centre, Cavendish Laboratory, J J Thomson Avenue, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | - Bart de Nijs
- NanoPhotonics Centre, Cavendish Laboratory, J J Thomson Avenue, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | - Ruben Esteban
- Centro de Física de Materiales CFM-MPC (CSIC UPV/EHU), Donostia-San Sebastián, Spain
- Donostia International Physics Center (DIPC), Donostia-San Sebastián, Spain
| | - Tamás Földes
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, University College London, London, UK
| | - Fernando Aguilar-Galindo
- Donostia International Physics Center (DIPC), Donostia-San Sebastián, Spain
- Institute for Advanced Research in Chemical Sciences (IAdCHEM), Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Madrid, Spain
- Departamento de Química, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Madrid, Spain
| | - Edina Rosta
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, University College London, London, UK
| | - Javier Aizpurua
- Donostia International Physics Center (DIPC), Donostia-San Sebastián, Spain.
- Ikerbasque, Basque Foundation for Science, Bilbao, Spain.
- Dept. of Electricity and Electronics, University of the Basque Country (UPV/EHU), Leioa, Spain.
| | - Jeremy J Baumberg
- NanoPhotonics Centre, Cavendish Laboratory, J J Thomson Avenue, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK.
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3
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Symonowicz J, Jan A, Yan H, Chhowalla M, Di Martino G. Scanning Plasmon-Enhanced Microscopy for Simultaneous Optoelectrical Characterization. ACS NANO 2024; 18:20412-20421. [PMID: 39066717 PMCID: PMC11308916 DOI: 10.1021/acsnano.4c04671] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/09/2024] [Revised: 07/08/2024] [Accepted: 07/16/2024] [Indexed: 07/30/2024]
Abstract
Scanning microscopy methods are crucial for the advancement of nanoelectronics. However, the vertical nanoprobes in such techniques suffer limitations such as the fragility at the tip-sample interface, complex instrumentation, and the lack of in operando functionality in several cases. Here, we introduce scanning plasmon-enhanced microscopy (SPEM) and demonstrate its capabilities on MoS2 and WSe2 nanosheets. SPEM combines a nanoparticle-on-mirror (NPoM) configuration with a portable conductive cantilever, enabling simultaneous optical and electrical characterization. This distinguishes it from other current techniques that cannot provide both characterizations simultaneously. It offers a competitive optical resolution of 600 nm with local enhancement of optical signal up to 20,000 times. A single gold nanoparticle with a 15 nm radius forms pristine, nondamaging van der Waals contact, which allows observation of unexpected p-type behavior of MoS2 at the nanoscale. SPEM reconstructs the NPoM method by eliminating the need for extensive statistical analysis and offering excellent nanoscale mapping resolution of any selected region. It surpasses other scanning techniques in combining precise optical and electrical characterization, interactive simplicity, tip durability, and reproducibility, positioning it as the optimal tool for advancing nanoelectronics.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Han Yan
- Department of Materials Science
and Metallurgy, University of Cambridge, 27 Charles Babbage Road, Cambridge CB3 0FS, United Kingdom
| | - Manish Chhowalla
- Department of Materials Science
and Metallurgy, University of Cambridge, 27 Charles Babbage Road, Cambridge CB3 0FS, United Kingdom
| | - Giuliana Di Martino
- Department of Materials Science
and Metallurgy, University of Cambridge, 27 Charles Babbage Road, Cambridge CB3 0FS, United Kingdom
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4
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Amirtharaj S, Xie Z, Si Yu See J, Rolleri G, Malchow K, Chen W, Bouhelier A, Lörtscher E, Galland C. Light Emission and Conductance Fluctuations in Electrically Driven and Plasmonically Enhanced Molecular Junctions. ACS PHOTONICS 2024; 11:2388-2396. [PMID: 38911841 PMCID: PMC11191743 DOI: 10.1021/acsphotonics.4c00291] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/15/2024] [Revised: 05/17/2024] [Accepted: 05/17/2024] [Indexed: 06/25/2024]
Abstract
Electrically connected and plasmonically enhanced molecular junctions combine the optical functionalities of high field confinement and enhancement (cavity function), and of high radiative efficiency (antenna function) with the electrical functionalities of molecular transport. Such combined optical and electrical probes have proven useful for the fundamental understanding of metal-molecule contacts and contribute to the development of nanoscale optoelectronic devices including ultrafast electronics and nanosensors. Here, we employ a self-assembled metal-molecule-metal junction with a nanoparticle bridge to investigate correlated fluctuations in conductance and tunneling-induced light emission at room temperature. Despite the presence of hundreds of molecules in the junction, the electrical conductance and light emission are both highly sensitive to atomic-scale fluctuations-a phenomenology reminiscent of picocavities observed in Raman scattering and of luminescence blinking from photoexcited plasmonic junctions. Discrete steps in conductance associated with fluctuating emission intensities through the multiple plasmonic modes of the junction are consistent with a finite number of randomly localized, point-like sources dominating the optoelectronic response. Contrasting with these microscopic fluctuations, the overall plasmonic and electronic functionalities of our devices feature long-term survival at room temperature and under an electrical bias of a few volts, allowing for measurements over several months.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sakthi
Priya Amirtharaj
- Institute
of Physics, Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale
de Lausanne (EPFL), CH-1015 Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Zhiyuan Xie
- Institute
of Physics, Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale
de Lausanne (EPFL), CH-1015 Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Josephine Si Yu See
- Institute
of Physics, Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale
de Lausanne (EPFL), CH-1015 Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Gabriele Rolleri
- Institute
of Physics, Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale
de Lausanne (EPFL), CH-1015 Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Konstantin Malchow
- Institute
of Physics, Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale
de Lausanne (EPFL), CH-1015 Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Wen Chen
- Institute
of Physics, Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale
de Lausanne (EPFL), CH-1015 Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Alexandre Bouhelier
- Laboratoire
Interdisciplinaire Carnot de Bourgogne CNRS UMR 6303, Université de Bourgogne, 21000 Dijon, France
| | - Emanuel Lörtscher
- IBM
Research Europe—Zurich, Säumerstrasse 4, CH-8803 Rüschlikon, Switzerland
| | - Christophe Galland
- Institute
of Physics, Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale
de Lausanne (EPFL), CH-1015 Lausanne, Switzerland
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5
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Cahlík A, Ondráček M, Wäckerlin C, Solé AP, Siri O, Švec M, Jelínek P. Light-Controlled Multiconfigurational Conductance Switching in a Single 1D Metal-Organic Wire. ACS NANO 2024; 18:9576-9583. [PMID: 38518264 PMCID: PMC10993641 DOI: 10.1021/acsnano.3c12909] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/21/2023] [Revised: 03/10/2024] [Accepted: 03/14/2024] [Indexed: 03/24/2024]
Abstract
Precise control of multiple spin states on the atomic scale presents a promising avenue for designing and realizing magnetic switches. Despite substantial progress in recent decades, the challenge of achieving control over multiconfigurational reversible switches in low-dimensional nanostructures persists. Our work demonstrates multiple, fully reversible plasmon-driven spin-crossover switches in a single π-d metal-organic chain suspended between two electrodes. The plasmonic nanocavity stimulated by external visible light allows for reversible spin crossover between low- and high-spin states of different cobalt centers within the chain. We show that the distinct spin configurations remain stable for minutes under cryogenic conditions and can be nonperturbatively detected by conductance measurements. This multiconfigurational plasmon-driven spin-crossover demonstration extends the available toolset for designing optoelectrical molecular devices based on SCO compounds.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aleš Cahlík
- Institute
of Physics of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Prague, 16200, Czech Republic
- Department
of Physics, University of Zurich, Winterthurerstrasse 190, CH-8057 Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Martin Ondráček
- Institute
of Physics of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Prague, 16200, Czech Republic
| | - Christian Wäckerlin
- Institute
of Physics of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Prague, 16200, Czech Republic
- Institute
of Physics, École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne
(EPFL), Station 3, CH-1015 Lausanne, Switzerland
- Laboratory
for X-ray Nanoscience and Technologies, Paul-Scherrer-Institut (PSI), CH-5232 Villigen, PSI, Switzerland
| | - Andres Pinar Solé
- Institute
of Physics of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Prague, 16200, Czech Republic
| | - Olivier Siri
- Aix
Marseille Université, CINaM UMR 7325 CNRS, Campus de Luminy, 13288 Marseille
cedex 09, France
| | - Martin Švec
- Institute
of Physics of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Prague, 16200, Czech Republic
| | - Pavel Jelínek
- Institute
of Physics of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Prague, 16200, Czech Republic
- Regional
Centre of Advanced Technologies and Materials, Czech Advanced Technology
and Research Institute (CATRIN), Palacký
University Olomouc, 78371 Olomouc, Czech Republic
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6
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Cai ZY, Ma ZW, Wu WK, Lin JD, Pei LQ, Wang JZ, Wu TR, Jin S, Wu DY, Tian ZQ. Stereoelectronic Switches of Single-Molecule Junctions through Conformation-Modulated Intramolecular Coupling Approaches. J Phys Chem Lett 2023; 14:9539-9547. [PMID: 37856238 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jpclett.3c02577] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/21/2023]
Abstract
Stereoelectronic effects in single-molecule junctions have been widely utilized to achieve a molecular switch, but high-efficiency and reproducible switching remain challenging. Here, we demonstrate that there are three stable intramolecular conformations in the 9,10-diphenyl-9,10-methanoanthracen-11-one (DPMAO) systems due to steric effect. Interestingly, different electronic coupling approaches including weak coupling (through-space), decoupling, and strong coupling (through-bond) between two terminal benzene rings are accomplished in the three stable conformations, respectively. Theoretical calculations show that the molecular conductance of three stable conformations differs by more than 1 order of magnitude. Furthermore, the populations of the three stable conformations are highly dependent on the solvent effect and the external electric field. Therefore, an excellent molecular switch can be achieved using the DPMAO molecule junctions and external stimuli. Our findings reveal that modulating intramolecular electronic coupling approaches may be a useful manner to enable molecular switches with high switching ratios. This opens up a new route for building high-efficiency molecular switches in single-molecular junctions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhuan-Yun Cai
- State Key Laboratory of Physical Chemistry of Solid Surface, Collaborative Innovation Center of Chemistry for Energy Materials, and Department of Chemistry, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Xiamen University, Xiamen, 361005, People's Republic of China
| | - Zi-Wei Ma
- State Key Laboratory of Physical Chemistry of Solid Surface, Collaborative Innovation Center of Chemistry for Energy Materials, and Department of Chemistry, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Xiamen University, Xiamen, 361005, People's Republic of China
| | - Wen-Kai Wu
- State Key Laboratory of Physical Chemistry of Solid Surface, Collaborative Innovation Center of Chemistry for Energy Materials, and Department of Chemistry, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Xiamen University, Xiamen, 361005, People's Republic of China
| | - Jian-De Lin
- State Key Laboratory of Physical Chemistry of Solid Surface, Collaborative Innovation Center of Chemistry for Energy Materials, and Department of Chemistry, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Xiamen University, Xiamen, 361005, People's Republic of China
| | - Lin-Qi Pei
- Key Laboratory of Pesticide and Chemical Biology, Ministry of Education, College of Chemistry, Central China Normal University, Wuhan 430079, China
| | - Jia-Zheng Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Physical Chemistry of Solid Surface, Collaborative Innovation Center of Chemistry for Energy Materials, and Department of Chemistry, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Xiamen University, Xiamen, 361005, People's Republic of China
| | - Tai-Rui Wu
- State Key Laboratory of Physical Chemistry of Solid Surface, Collaborative Innovation Center of Chemistry for Energy Materials, and Department of Chemistry, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Xiamen University, Xiamen, 361005, People's Republic of China
| | - Shan Jin
- Key Laboratory of Pesticide and Chemical Biology, Ministry of Education, College of Chemistry, Central China Normal University, Wuhan 430079, China
| | - De-Yin Wu
- State Key Laboratory of Physical Chemistry of Solid Surface, Collaborative Innovation Center of Chemistry for Energy Materials, and Department of Chemistry, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Xiamen University, Xiamen, 361005, People's Republic of China
| | - Zhong-Qun Tian
- State Key Laboratory of Physical Chemistry of Solid Surface, Collaborative Innovation Center of Chemistry for Energy Materials, and Department of Chemistry, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Xiamen University, Xiamen, 361005, People's Republic of China
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7
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Lawless J, McCormack O, Pepper J, McEvoy N, Bradley AL. Spectral Tuning of a Nanoparticle-on-Mirror System by Graphene Doping and Gap Control with Nitric Acid. ACS APPLIED MATERIALS & INTERFACES 2023; 15:38901-38909. [PMID: 37534572 PMCID: PMC10436242 DOI: 10.1021/acsami.3c05302] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/13/2023] [Accepted: 07/24/2023] [Indexed: 08/04/2023]
Abstract
Nanoparticle-on-mirror systems are a stable, robust, and reproducible method of squeezing light into sub-nanometer volumes. Graphene is a particularly interesting material to use as a spacer in such systems as it is the thinnest possible 2D material and can be doped both chemically and electrically to modulate the plasmonic modes. We investigate a simple nanoparticle-on-mirror system, consisting of a Au nanosphere on top of an Au mirror, separated by a monolayer of graphene. With this system, we demonstrate, with both experiments and numerical simulations, how the doping of the graphene and the control of the gap size can be controlled to tune the plasmonic response of the coupled nanosphere using nitric acid. The coupling of the Au nanosphere and Au thin film reveals multipolar modes which can be tuned by adjusting the gap size or doping an intermediate graphene monolayer. At high doping levels, the interaction between the charge-transfer plasmon and gap plasmon leads to splitting of the plasmon energies. The study provides evidence for the unification of theories proposed by previous works investigating similar systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julia Lawless
- School
of Physics and AMBER, Trinity College Dublin, College Green, Dublin 2, Ireland
| | - Oisín McCormack
- School
of Physics and AMBER, Trinity College Dublin, College Green, Dublin 2, Ireland
| | - Joshua Pepper
- School
of Chemistry and AMBER, Trinity College
Dublin, College Green, Dublin 2, Ireland
| | - Niall McEvoy
- School
of Chemistry and AMBER, Trinity College
Dublin, College Green, Dublin 2, Ireland
| | - A. Louise Bradley
- School
of Physics and AMBER, Trinity College Dublin, College Green, Dublin 2, Ireland
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8
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Homma K, Kaneko S, Tsukagoshi K, Nishino T. Intermolecular and Electrode-Molecule Bonding in a Single Dimer Junction of Naphthalenethiol as Revealed by Surface-Enhanced Raman Scattering Combined with Transport Measurements. J Am Chem Soc 2023. [PMID: 37437895 PMCID: PMC10375526 DOI: 10.1021/jacs.3c02050] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/14/2023]
Abstract
Electron transport through noncovalent interaction is of fundamental and practical importance in nanomaterials and nanodevices. Recent single-molecule studies employing single-molecule junctions have revealed unique electron transport properties through noncovalent interactions, especially those through a π-π interaction. However, the relationship between the junction structure and electron transport remains elusive due to the insufficient knowledge of geometric structures. In this article, we employ surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) synchronized with current-voltage (I-V) measurements to characterize the junction structure, together with the transport properties, of a single dimer and monomer junction of naphthalenethiol, the former of which was formed by the intermolecular π-π interaction. The correlation analysis of the vibrational energy and electrical conductance enables identifying the intermolecular and molecule-electrode interactions in these molecular junctions and, consequently, addressing the transport properties exclusively associated with the π-π interaction. In addition, the analysis achieved discrimination of the interaction between the NT molecule and the Au electrode of the junction, i.e., Au-π interactions through-π coupling and though-space coupling. The power density spectra support the noncovalent character at the interfaces in the molecular junctions. These results demonstrate that the simultaneous SERS and I-V technique provides a unique means for the structural and electrical investigation of noncovalent interactions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kanji Homma
- Department of Chemistry, School of Science, Tokyo Institute of Technology, 2-12-1 W4-10 Ookayama, Meguro-ku, Tokyo 152-8551, Japan
| | - Satoshi Kaneko
- Department of Chemistry, School of Science, Tokyo Institute of Technology, 2-12-1 W4-10 Ookayama, Meguro-ku, Tokyo 152-8551, Japan
| | - Kazuhito Tsukagoshi
- International Center for Materials Nanoarchitectonics (WPI-MANA), National Institute for Materials Science (NIMS), 1-1 Namiki, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-0044, Japan
| | - Tomoaki Nishino
- Department of Chemistry, School of Science, Tokyo Institute of Technology, 2-12-1 W4-10 Ookayama, Meguro-ku, Tokyo 152-8551, Japan
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9
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Li T, Bandari VK, Schmidt OG. Molecular Electronics: Creating and Bridging Molecular Junctions and Promoting Its Commercialization. ADVANCED MATERIALS (DEERFIELD BEACH, FLA.) 2023; 35:e2209088. [PMID: 36512432 DOI: 10.1002/adma.202209088] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/02/2022] [Revised: 11/28/2022] [Indexed: 06/02/2023]
Abstract
Molecular electronics is driven by the dream of expanding Moore's law to the molecular level for next-generation electronics through incorporating individual or ensemble molecules into electronic circuits. For nearly 50 years, numerous efforts have been made to explore the intrinsic properties of molecules and develop diverse fascinating molecular electronic devices with the desired functionalities. The flourishing of molecular electronics is inseparable from the development of various elegant methodologies for creating nanogap electrodes and bridging the nanogap with molecules. This review first focuses on the techniques for making lateral and vertical nanogap electrodes by breaking, narrowing, and fixed modes, and highlights their capabilities, applications, merits, and shortcomings. After summarizing the approaches of growing single molecules or molecular layers on the electrodes, the methods of constructing a complete molecular circuit are comprehensively grouped into three categories: 1) directly bridging one-molecule-electrode component with another electrode, 2) physically bridging two-molecule-electrode components, and 3) chemically bridging two-molecule-electrode components. Finally, the current state of molecular circuit integration and commercialization is discussed and perspectives are provided, hoping to encourage the community to accelerate the realization of fully scalable molecular electronics for a new era of integrated microsystems and applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tianming Li
- Research Center for Materials, Architectures and Integration of Nanomembranes (MAIN), Chemnitz University of Technology, 09126, Chemnitz, Germany
- Material Systems for Nanoelectronics, Chemnitz University of Technology, 09111, Chemnitz, Germany
| | - Vineeth Kumar Bandari
- Research Center for Materials, Architectures and Integration of Nanomembranes (MAIN), Chemnitz University of Technology, 09126, Chemnitz, Germany
- Material Systems for Nanoelectronics, Chemnitz University of Technology, 09111, Chemnitz, Germany
| | - Oliver G Schmidt
- Research Center for Materials, Architectures and Integration of Nanomembranes (MAIN), Chemnitz University of Technology, 09126, Chemnitz, Germany
- Material Systems for Nanoelectronics, Chemnitz University of Technology, 09111, Chemnitz, Germany
- Nanophysics, Dresden University of Technology, 01069, Dresden, Germany
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10
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Hu S, Elliott E, Sánchez‐Iglesias A, Huang J, Guo C, Hou Y, Kamp M, Goerlitzer ESA, Bedingfield K, de Nijs B, Peng J, Demetriadou A, Liz‐Marzán LM, Baumberg JJ. Full Control of Plasmonic Nanocavities Using Gold Decahedra-on-Mirror Constructs with Monodisperse Facets. ADVANCED SCIENCE (WEINHEIM, BADEN-WURTTEMBERG, GERMANY) 2023; 10:e2207178. [PMID: 36737852 PMCID: PMC10104671 DOI: 10.1002/advs.202207178] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/19/2022] [Revised: 01/10/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
Bottom-up assembly of nanoparticle-on-mirror (NPoM) nanocavities enables precise inter-metal gap control down to ≈ 0.4 nm for confining light to sub-nanometer scales, thereby opening opportunities for developing innovative nanophotonic devices. However limited understanding, prediction, and optimization of light coupling and the difficulty of controlling nanoparticle facet shapes restricts the use of such building blocks. Here, an ultraprecise symmetry-breaking plasmonic nanocavity based on gold nanodecahedra is presented, to form the nanodecahedron-on-mirror (NDoM) which shows highly consistent cavity modes and fields. By characterizing > 20 000 individual NDoMs, the variability of light in/output coupling is thoroughly explored and a set of robust higher-order plasmonic whispering gallery modes uniquely localized at the edges of the triangular facet in contact with the metallic substrate is found. Assisted by quasinormal mode simulations, systematic elaboration of NDoMs is proposed to give nanocavities with near hundred-fold enhanced radiative efficiencies. Such systematically designed and precisely-assembled metallic nanocavities will find broad application in nanophotonic devices, optomechanics, and surface science.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shu Hu
- Nanophotonics CentreDepartment of PhysicsCavendish LaboratoryUniversity of CambridgeCambridgeEnglandCB3 0HEUK
| | - Eoin Elliott
- Nanophotonics CentreDepartment of PhysicsCavendish LaboratoryUniversity of CambridgeCambridgeEnglandCB3 0HEUK
| | - Ana Sánchez‐Iglesias
- CIC biomaGUNEBasque Research and Technology Alliance (BRTA)Paseo de Miramón 194Donostia‐San Sebastián20014Spain
| | - Junyang Huang
- Nanophotonics CentreDepartment of PhysicsCavendish LaboratoryUniversity of CambridgeCambridgeEnglandCB3 0HEUK
| | - Chenyang Guo
- Nanophotonics CentreDepartment of PhysicsCavendish LaboratoryUniversity of CambridgeCambridgeEnglandCB3 0HEUK
| | - Yidong Hou
- Nanophotonics CentreDepartment of PhysicsCavendish LaboratoryUniversity of CambridgeCambridgeEnglandCB3 0HEUK
| | - Marlous Kamp
- Nanophotonics CentreDepartment of PhysicsCavendish LaboratoryUniversity of CambridgeCambridgeEnglandCB3 0HEUK
| | - Eric S. A. Goerlitzer
- Nanophotonics CentreDepartment of PhysicsCavendish LaboratoryUniversity of CambridgeCambridgeEnglandCB3 0HEUK
| | - Kalun Bedingfield
- School of Physics and AstronomyUniversity of BirminghamBirminghamB15 2TTUK
| | - Bart de Nijs
- Nanophotonics CentreDepartment of PhysicsCavendish LaboratoryUniversity of CambridgeCambridgeEnglandCB3 0HEUK
| | - Jialong Peng
- Nanophotonics CentreDepartment of PhysicsCavendish LaboratoryUniversity of CambridgeCambridgeEnglandCB3 0HEUK
- Present address:
College of Advanced Interdisciplinary Studies and Hunan Provincial Key Laboratory of Novel Nano‐Optoelectronic Information Materials and DevicesNational University of Defense TechnologyChangsha410073P. R. China
| | - Angela Demetriadou
- School of Physics and AstronomyUniversity of BirminghamBirminghamB15 2TTUK
| | - Luis M. Liz‐Marzán
- CIC biomaGUNEBasque Research and Technology Alliance (BRTA)Paseo de Miramón 194Donostia‐San Sebastián20014Spain
- IkerbasqueBasque Foundation for ScienceBilbao43009Spain
| | - Jeremy J. Baumberg
- Nanophotonics CentreDepartment of PhysicsCavendish LaboratoryUniversity of CambridgeCambridgeEnglandCB3 0HEUK
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11
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Symonowicz J, Polyushkin D, Mueller T, Di Martino G. Fully Optical in Operando Investigation of Ambient Condition Electrical Switching in MoS 2 Nanodevices. ADVANCED MATERIALS (DEERFIELD BEACH, FLA.) 2023; 35:e2209968. [PMID: 36539947 DOI: 10.1002/adma.202209968] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/28/2022] [Revised: 12/04/2022] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
MoS2 nanoswitches have shown superb ultralow switching energies without excessive leakage currents. However, the debate about the origin and volatility of electrical switching is unresolved due to the lack of adequate nanoimaging of devices in operando. Here, three optical techniques are combined to perform the first noninvasive in situ characterization of nanosized MoS2 devices. This study reveals volatile threshold resistive switching due to the intercalation of metallic atoms from electrodes directly between Mo and S atoms, without the assistance of sulfur vacancies. A "semi-memristive" effect driven by an organic adlayer adjacent to MoS2 is observed, which suggests that nonvolatility can be achieved by careful interface engineering. These findings provide a crucial understanding of nanoprocess in vertically biased MoS2 nanosheets, which opens new routes to conscious engineering and optimization of 2D electronics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joanna Symonowicz
- Department of Materials Science and Metallurgy, University of Cambridge, 27 Charles Babbage Rd, Cambridge, CB3 0FS, UK
| | - Dmitry Polyushkin
- Vienna University of Technology, Institute of Photonics, Gusshausstrasse 27-29 / 387, Vienna, 1040, Austria
| | - Thomas Mueller
- Vienna University of Technology, Institute of Photonics, Gusshausstrasse 27-29 / 387, Vienna, 1040, Austria
| | - Giuliana Di Martino
- Department of Materials Science and Metallurgy, University of Cambridge, 27 Charles Babbage Rd, Cambridge, CB3 0FS, UK
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12
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Plasmonic phenomena in molecular junctions: principles and applications. Nat Rev Chem 2022; 6:681-704. [PMID: 37117494 DOI: 10.1038/s41570-022-00423-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 08/15/2022] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Abstract
Molecular junctions are building blocks for constructing future nanoelectronic devices that enable the investigation of a broad range of electronic transport properties within nanoscale regions. Crossing both the nanoscopic and mesoscopic length scales, plasmonics lies at the intersection of the macroscopic photonics and nanoelectronics, owing to their capability of confining light to dimensions far below the diffraction limit. Research activities on plasmonic phenomena in molecular electronics started around 2010, and feedback between plasmons and molecular junctions has increased over the past years. These efforts can provide new insights into the near-field interaction and the corresponding tunability in properties, as well as resultant plasmon-based molecular devices. This Review presents the latest advancements of plasmonic resonances in molecular junctions and details the progress in plasmon excitation and plasmon coupling. We also highlight emerging experimental approaches to unravel the mechanisms behind the various types of light-matter interactions at molecular length scales, where quantum effects come into play. Finally, we discuss the potential of these plasmonic-electronic hybrid systems across various future applications, including sensing, photocatalysis, molecular trapping and active control of molecular switches.
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13
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Kobayashi S, Kaneko S, Tamaki T, Kiguchi M, Tsukagoshi K, Terao J, Nishino T. Principal Component Analysis of Surface-Enhanced Raman Scattering Spectra Revealing Isomer-Dependent Electron Transport in Spiropyran Molecular Junctions: Implications for Nanoscale Molecular Electronics. ACS OMEGA 2022; 7:5578-5583. [PMID: 35187372 PMCID: PMC8851897 DOI: 10.1021/acsomega.1c07105] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/16/2021] [Accepted: 01/19/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
The characterization of single-molecule structures could provide significant insights into the operation mechanisms of functional devices. Structural transformation via isomerization has been extensively employed to implement device functionalities. Although single-molecule identification has recently been achieved using near-field spectroscopy, discrimination between isomeric forms remains challenging. Further, the structure-function relationship at the single-molecule scale remains unclear. Herein, we report the observation of the isomerization of spiropyran in a single-molecule junction (SMJ) using simultaneous surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) and conductance measurements. SERS spectra were used to discriminate between isomers based on characteristic peaks. Moreover, conductance measurements, in conjunction with the principal component analysis of the SERS spectra, clearly showed the isomeric effect on the conductance of the SMJ.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shuji Kobayashi
- Department
of Chemistry, School of Science, Tokyo Institute
of Technology, 2-12-1 Ookayama, Meguro-ku, Tokyo 152-8551, Japan
| | - Satoshi Kaneko
- Department
of Chemistry, School of Science, Tokyo Institute
of Technology, 2-12-1 Ookayama, Meguro-ku, Tokyo 152-8551, Japan
- JST
PRESTO, 4-1-8 Honcho, Kawaguchi 332-0012, Japan
| | - Takashi Tamaki
- Department
of Basic Science, Graduate School of Arts and Sciences, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo 153-8902, Japan
| | - Manabu Kiguchi
- Department
of Chemistry, School of Science, Tokyo Institute
of Technology, 2-12-1 Ookayama, Meguro-ku, Tokyo 152-8551, Japan
| | - Kazuhito Tsukagoshi
- International
Center for Materials Nanoarchitectonics (WPI-MANA), National Institute for Materials Science (NIMS), 1-1 Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-0044, Japan
| | - Jun Terao
- Department
of Basic Science, Graduate School of Arts and Sciences, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo 153-8902, Japan
| | - Tomoaki Nishino
- Department
of Chemistry, School of Science, Tokyo Institute
of Technology, 2-12-1 Ookayama, Meguro-ku, Tokyo 152-8551, Japan
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14
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Jiang W, Tan Z, Almughathawi R, Wu Q, Liu Z, Liu J, Hou S, Zhang G, Lambert CJ, Hong W, Zhang D. Single-Molecule Charge-Transport Modulation Induced by Steric Effects of Side Alkyl Chains. Chemphyschem 2021; 22:2573-2578. [PMID: 34636146 DOI: 10.1002/cphc.202100634] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/31/2021] [Revised: 10/09/2021] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Abstract
The experimental investigation of side-chain effects on intramolecular charge transport in π-conjugated molecules is essential but remains challenging. Herein, the dependence of intra-molecular conductance on the nature of branching alkyl chains is investigated through a combination of the scanning tunneling microscope break junction (STM-BJ) technique and density functional theory. Three thiophene-flanked diketopyrrolopyrrole (DPP) derivatives with different branching alkyl chains (isopentane, 3-methylheptane, and 9-methylnonadecane) are used with phenylthiomethyl groups as the anchoring groups. The results of single-molecule conductance measurements show that as the alkyl chain becomes longer, the torsional angles between the aromatic rings increase due to steric crowding, and therefore, the molecular conductance of DPP decreases due to reduction in conjugation. Both theoretical simulations and 1 H NMR spectra demonstrate that the planarity of the DPPs is directly reduced after introducing longer branching alkyl chains, which leads to a reduced conductance. This work indicates that the effect of the insulating side chain on the single-molecule conductance cannot be neglected, which should be considered for the design of future organic semiconducting materials.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wenlin Jiang
- Beijing National Laboratory for Molecular Sciences, CAS Key Laboratory for Organic Solids, Institute of Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100190, China
| | - Zhibing Tan
- State Key Laboratory of Physical Chemistry of Solid Surfaces, iChEM, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Xiamen University, Xiamen, Siming South Road, China
| | | | - Qingqing Wu
- Department of Physics, Lancaster University, Lancaster, LA1 4YB, UK
| | - Zitong Liu
- Beijing National Laboratory for Molecular Sciences, CAS Key Laboratory for Organic Solids, Institute of Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100190, China
| | - Junyang Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Physical Chemistry of Solid Surfaces, iChEM, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Xiamen University, Xiamen, Siming South Road, China
| | - Songjun Hou
- Department of Physics, Lancaster University, Lancaster, LA1 4YB, UK
| | - Guanxin Zhang
- Beijing National Laboratory for Molecular Sciences, CAS Key Laboratory for Organic Solids, Institute of Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100190, China
| | - Colin J Lambert
- Department of Physics, Lancaster University, Lancaster, LA1 4YB, UK
| | - Wenjing Hong
- State Key Laboratory of Physical Chemistry of Solid Surfaces, iChEM, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Xiamen University, Xiamen, Siming South Road, China
| | - Deqing Zhang
- Beijing National Laboratory for Molecular Sciences, CAS Key Laboratory for Organic Solids, Institute of Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100190, China
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15
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Zhou P, Zheng J, Han T, Chen L, Cao W, Zhu Y, Zhou D, Li R, Tian Y, Liu Z, Liu J, Hong W. Electrostatic gating of single-molecule junctions based on the STM-BJ technique. NANOSCALE 2021; 13:7600-7605. [PMID: 33928979 DOI: 10.1039/d1nr00157d] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
The gating of charge transport through single-molecule junctions is considered a critical step towards molecular circuits but remains challenging. In this work, we report an electrostatic gating method to tune the conductance of single-molecule junctions using the scanning tunneling microscope break junction (STM-BJ) technique incorporated with a back-gated chip as a substrate. We demonstrated that the conductance varied at different applied gating voltages (Vgs). The HOMO-dominated molecules show a decrease in conductance with an increase in Vg, and the LUMO-dominated molecules show the opposite trend. The measured conductance trends with Vg are consistent with the transition voltage spectroscopy measurements. Moreover, the transmission functions simulated from density functional theory (DFT) calculations and the finite element analysis all suggest that Vg changed the energy alignment of the molecular junction. This work provides a simple method for modulating the molecular orbitals' alignment relative to the Fermi energy (Ef) of metal electrodes to explore the charge transport properties at the single-molecule scale.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ping Zhou
- State Key Laboratory of Physical Chemistry of Solid Surfaces, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, iChEM, Xiamen University, 361005, Xiamen, China.
| | - Jueting Zheng
- State Key Laboratory of Physical Chemistry of Solid Surfaces, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, iChEM, Xiamen University, 361005, Xiamen, China.
| | - Tianyang Han
- State Key Laboratory of Physical Chemistry of Solid Surfaces, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, iChEM, Xiamen University, 361005, Xiamen, China.
| | - Lijue Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Physical Chemistry of Solid Surfaces, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, iChEM, Xiamen University, 361005, Xiamen, China.
| | - Wenqiang Cao
- State Key Laboratory of Physical Chemistry of Solid Surfaces, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, iChEM, Xiamen University, 361005, Xiamen, China.
| | - Yixuan Zhu
- State Key Laboratory of Physical Chemistry of Solid Surfaces, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, iChEM, Xiamen University, 361005, Xiamen, China.
| | - Dahai Zhou
- State Key Laboratory of Physical Chemistry of Solid Surfaces, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, iChEM, Xiamen University, 361005, Xiamen, China.
| | - Ruihao Li
- State Key Laboratory of Physical Chemistry of Solid Surfaces, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, iChEM, Xiamen University, 361005, Xiamen, China.
| | - Yingyu Tian
- State Key Laboratory of Physical Chemistry of Solid Surfaces, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, iChEM, Xiamen University, 361005, Xiamen, China.
| | - Zitong Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Applied Organic Chemistry (SKLAOC), College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, P. R. China
| | - Junyang Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Physical Chemistry of Solid Surfaces, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, iChEM, Xiamen University, 361005, Xiamen, China.
| | - Wenjing Hong
- State Key Laboratory of Physical Chemistry of Solid Surfaces, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, iChEM, Xiamen University, 361005, Xiamen, China.
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16
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Ma W, Wang W, Huang Y, Zhou T, Wang S. A multi-functional spintronic device based on 1,4,5,8-naphthalenetetracarboxylic diimide. COMPUT THEOR CHEM 2021. [DOI: 10.1016/j.comptc.2021.113170] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
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