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Mateos D, Jover O, Varea M, Lauwaet K, Granados D, Miranda R, Fernandez-Dominguez AI, Martin-Jimenez A, Otero R. Directional picoantenna behavior of tunnel junctions formed by an atomic-scale surface defect. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2024; 10:eadn2295. [PMID: 39321296 PMCID: PMC11423879 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.adn2295] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/21/2024] [Accepted: 08/21/2024] [Indexed: 09/27/2024]
Abstract
Plasmonic nanoantennas have attracted much attention lately, among other reasons because of the directionality of light emitted by fluorophores coupled to their localized surface plasmon resonances. Plasmonic picocavities, i.e., cavities with mode volumes below 1 nm3, could act as enhanced antennas due to their extreme field confinement, but the directionality on their emission is difficult to control. In this work, we show that the plasmonic picocavity formed between the tip of a scanning tunneling microscope and a metal surface with a monoatomic step shows directional emission profiles and, thus, can be considered as a realization of a picoantenna. Electromagnetic calculations demonstrate that the observed directionality arises from the reshaping and tilting of the surface charges induced at the scanning tip due to the atomic step. Our results pave the way to exploiting picoantennas as an efficient way for the far-field probing and control of light-matter interactions below the nanoscale.
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Affiliation(s)
- David Mateos
- IMDEA Nanociencia, Madrid, Spain
- Departamento de Física de la Materia Condensada and Condensed Matter Physics Center (IFIMAC), Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Madrid, Spain
| | - Oscar Jover
- IMDEA Nanociencia, Madrid, Spain
- Departamento de Física de la Materia Condensada and Condensed Matter Physics Center (IFIMAC), Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Madrid, Spain
| | - Miguel Varea
- IMDEA Nanociencia, Madrid, Spain
- Departamento de Física de la Materia Condensada and Condensed Matter Physics Center (IFIMAC), Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Madrid, Spain
| | | | | | - Rodolfo Miranda
- IMDEA Nanociencia, Madrid, Spain
- Departamento de Física de la Materia Condensada and Condensed Matter Physics Center (IFIMAC), Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Madrid, Spain
| | - Antonio I Fernandez-Dominguez
- Departamento de Física Teórica de la Materia Condensada and Condensed Matter Physics Center (IFIMAC), Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Madrid, Spain
| | | | - Roberto Otero
- IMDEA Nanociencia, Madrid, Spain
- Departamento de Física de la Materia Condensada and Condensed Matter Physics Center (IFIMAC), Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Madrid, Spain
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2
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Cirera B, Liu S, Park Y, Hamada I, Wolf M, Shiotari A, Kumagai T. Single-molecule tip-enhanced Raman spectroscopy of C 60 on the Si(111)-(7 × 7) surface. Phys Chem Chem Phys 2024; 26:21325-21331. [PMID: 39082139 DOI: 10.1039/d4cp01803f] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 08/15/2024]
Abstract
Tip-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (TERS), combined with low-temperature scanning tunnelling microscopy (STM), has emerged as a highly sensitive method for chemical characterization, offering even sub-molecular resolution. However, its exceptional sensitivity is generally limited to molecules adsorbed onto plasmonic surfaces. Here we demonstrate single-molecule TERS for fullerene (C60) adsorbed on the Si(111)-(7 × 7) reconstructed surface. Distinct adsorption geometries of C60 are manifested in the TERS spectra. In addition, we reveal that formation of a molecular-point-contact (MPC) drastically enhances Raman scattering and leads to the emergence of additional vibrational peaks, including overtones and combinations. In the MPC regime, the anti-Stokes peaks are observed, revealing that vibrationally excited states are populated through optical excitation of the MPC junction, whereas showing no significant vibrational heating by current flow via inelastic electron-vibration scattering. Our results will open up the possibility of applying TERS for semiconducting surfaces and studying microscopic mechanisms of vibrational heating in metal-molecule-semiconductor nanojunctions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Borja Cirera
- Department of Physical Chemistry, Fritz-Haber Institute of the Max-Planck Society, Faradayweg 4-6, Berlin 14195, Germany.
- Instituto de Ciencia de Materiales de Madrid (CSIC), Campus de Excelencia de la Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, c/Sor Juana Inés de la Cruz 3, 28049, Spain
| | - Shuyi Liu
- Department of Physical Chemistry, Fritz-Haber Institute of the Max-Planck Society, Faradayweg 4-6, Berlin 14195, Germany.
- Wuhan National Laboratory for Optoelectronics, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Youngwook Park
- Department of Physical Chemistry, Fritz-Haber Institute of the Max-Planck Society, Faradayweg 4-6, Berlin 14195, Germany.
| | - Ikutaro Hamada
- Department of Precision Engineering, Graduate School of Engineering, Osaka University, 2-1 Yamadaoka, Suita, Osaka 565-0871, Japan
| | - Martin Wolf
- Department of Physical Chemistry, Fritz-Haber Institute of the Max-Planck Society, Faradayweg 4-6, Berlin 14195, Germany.
| | - Akitoshi Shiotari
- Department of Physical Chemistry, Fritz-Haber Institute of the Max-Planck Society, Faradayweg 4-6, Berlin 14195, Germany.
| | - Takashi Kumagai
- Department of Physical Chemistry, Fritz-Haber Institute of the Max-Planck Society, Faradayweg 4-6, Berlin 14195, Germany.
- Center for Mesoscopic Sciences, Institute for Molecular Science, Okazaki 444-8585, Japan
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3
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Rosławska A, Kaiser K, Romeo M, Devaux E, Scheurer F, Berciaud S, Neuman T, Schull G. Submolecular-scale control of phototautomerization. NATURE NANOTECHNOLOGY 2024; 19:738-743. [PMID: 38413791 DOI: 10.1038/s41565-024-01622-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/31/2023] [Accepted: 01/29/2024] [Indexed: 02/29/2024]
Abstract
Optically activated reactions initiate biological processes such as photosynthesis or vision, but can also control polymerization, catalysis or energy conversion. Methods relying on the manipulation of light at macroscopic and mesoscopic scales are used to control on-surface photochemistry, but do not offer atomic-scale control. Here we take advantage of the confinement of the electromagnetic field at the apex of a scanning tunnelling microscope tip to drive the phototautomerization of a free-base phthalocyanine with submolecular precision. We can control the reaction rate and the relative tautomer population through a change in the laser excitation wavelength or through the tip position. Atomically resolved tip-enhanced photoluminescence spectroscopy and hyperspectral mapping unravel an excited-state mediated process, which is quantitatively supported by a comprehensive theoretical model combining ab initio calculations with a parametric open-quantum-system approach. Our experimental strategy may allow insights in other photochemical reactions and proof useful to control complex on-surface reactions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna Rosławska
- Université de Strasbourg, CNRS, IPCMS, Strasbourg, France.
- Max-Planck-Institut für Festkörperforschung, Stuttgart, Germany.
| | - Katharina Kaiser
- Université de Strasbourg, CNRS, IPCMS, Strasbourg, France
- 4th Physical Institute - Solids and Nanostructures, Georg-August-Universität Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany
| | | | - Eloïse Devaux
- Université de Strasbourg, CNRS, ISIS, Strasbourg, France
| | | | | | - Tomáš Neuman
- Institut des Sciences Moléculaires d'Orsay (ISMO), UMR 8214, CNRS, Université Paris-Saclay, Orsay, France.
- Institute of Physics, Czech Academy of Sciences, Prague, Czech Republic.
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4
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Liu D, Li L, Jiang N. Nanoscale Chemical Probing of Metal-Supported Ultrathin Ferrous Oxide via Tip-Enhanced Raman Spectroscopy and Scanning Tunneling Microscopy. CHEMICAL & BIOMEDICAL IMAGING 2024; 2:345-351. [PMID: 38817320 PMCID: PMC11134605 DOI: 10.1021/cbmi.4c00015] [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: 02/03/2024] [Revised: 03/04/2024] [Accepted: 03/11/2024] [Indexed: 06/01/2024]
Abstract
Metal-supported ultrathin ferrous oxide (FeO) has attracted immense interest in academia and industry due to its widespread applications in heterogeneous catalysis. However, chemical insight into the local structural characteristics of FeO, despite its critical importance in elucidating structure-property relationships, remains elusive. In this work, we report the nanoscale chemical probing of gold (Au)-supported ultrathin FeO via ultrahigh-vacuum tip-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (UHV-TERS) and scanning tunneling microscopy (STM). For comparative analysis, single-crystal Au(111) and Au(100) substrates are used to tune the interfacial properties of FeO. Although STM images show distinctly different moiré superstructures on FeO nanoislands on Au(111) and Au(100), TERS demonstrates the same chemical nature of FeO by comparable vibrational features. In addition, combined TERS and STM measurements identify a unique wrinkled FeO structure on Au(100), which is correlated to the reassembly of the intrinsic Au(100) surface reconstruction due to FeO deposition. Beyond revealing the morphologies of ultrathin FeO on Au substrates, our study provides a thorough understanding of the local interfacial properties and interactions of FeO on Au, which could shed light on the rational design of metal-supported FeO catalysts. Furthermore, this work demonstrates the promising utility of combined TERS and STM in chemically probing the structural properties of metal-supported ultrathin oxides on the nanoscale.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dairong Liu
- Department
of Chemistry, University of Illinois Chicago, Chicago, Illinois 60607, United States
| | - Linfei Li
- Department
of Chemistry, University of Illinois Chicago, Chicago, Illinois 60607, United States
| | - Nan Jiang
- Department
of Chemistry, University of Illinois Chicago, Chicago, Illinois 60607, United States
- Department
of Physics, University of Illinois Chicago, Chicago, Illinois 60607, United States
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5
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Li H, Xiang Z, Naik MH, Kim W, Li Z, Sailus R, Banerjee R, Taniguchi T, Watanabe K, Tongay S, Zettl A, da Jornada FH, Louie SG, Crommie MF, Wang F. Imaging moiré excited states with photocurrent tunnelling microscopy. NATURE MATERIALS 2024; 23:633-638. [PMID: 38172545 DOI: 10.1038/s41563-023-01753-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/05/2023] [Accepted: 11/06/2023] [Indexed: 01/05/2024]
Abstract
Moiré superlattices provide a highly tuneable and versatile platform to explore novel quantum phases and exotic excited states ranging from correlated insulators to moiré excitons. Scanning tunnelling microscopy has played a key role in probing microscopic behaviours of the moiré correlated ground states at the atomic scale. However, imaging of quantum excited states in moiré heterostructures remains an outstanding challenge. Here we develop a photocurrent tunnelling microscopy technique that combines laser excitation and scanning tunnelling spectroscopy to directly visualize the electron and hole distribution within the photoexcited moiré exciton in twisted bilayer WS2. The tunnelling photocurrent alternates between positive and negative polarities at different locations within a single moiré unit cell. This alternating photocurrent originates from the in-plane charge transfer moiré exciton in twisted bilayer WS2, predicted by our GW-Bethe-Salpeter equation calculations, that emerges from the competition between the electron-hole Coulomb interaction and the moiré potential landscape. Our technique enables the exploration of photoexcited non-equilibrium moiré phenomena at the atomic scale.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hongyuan Li
- Department of Physics, University of California at Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, USA
- Graduate Group in Applied Science and Technology, University of California Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, USA
- Materials Sciences Division, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, CA, USA
| | - Ziyu Xiang
- Department of Physics, University of California at Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, USA
- Graduate Group in Applied Science and Technology, University of California Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, USA
- Materials Sciences Division, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, CA, USA
| | - Mit H Naik
- Department of Physics, University of California at Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, USA
- Materials Sciences Division, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, CA, USA
| | - Woochang Kim
- Department of Physics, University of California at Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, USA
- Materials Sciences Division, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, CA, USA
| | - Zhenglu Li
- Department of Physics, University of California at Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, USA
- Materials Sciences Division, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, CA, USA
| | - Renee Sailus
- School for Engineering of Matter, Transport and Energy, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ, USA
| | - Rounak Banerjee
- School for Engineering of Matter, Transport and Energy, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ, USA
| | - Takashi Taniguchi
- International Center for Materials Nanoarchitectonics, National Institute for Materials Science, Tsukuba, Japan
| | - Kenji Watanabe
- Research Center for Functional Materials, National Institute for Materials Science, Tsukuba, Japan
| | - Sefaattin Tongay
- School for Engineering of Matter, Transport and Energy, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ, USA
| | - Alex Zettl
- Department of Physics, University of California at Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, USA
- Materials Sciences Division, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, CA, USA
- Kavli Energy Nano Sciences Institute, University of California Berkeley and Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, CA, USA
| | - Felipe H da Jornada
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Stanford University, Palo Alto, CA, USA
- Stanford Institute for Materials and Energy Sciences, SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory, Menlo Park, CA, USA
| | - Steven G Louie
- Department of Physics, University of California at Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, USA.
- Materials Sciences Division, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, CA, USA.
| | - Michael F Crommie
- Department of Physics, University of California at Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, USA.
- Materials Sciences Division, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, CA, USA.
- Kavli Energy Nano Sciences Institute, University of California Berkeley and Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, CA, USA.
| | - Feng Wang
- Department of Physics, University of California at Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, USA.
- Materials Sciences Division, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, CA, USA.
- Kavli Energy Nano Sciences Institute, University of California Berkeley and Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, CA, USA.
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6
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Duverger E, Riedel D. Optoelectronic Readout of Single Er Adatom's Electronic States Adsorbed on the Si(100) Surface at Low Temperature (9 K). ACS NANO 2024; 18:9656-9669. [PMID: 38502103 DOI: 10.1021/acsnano.4c01008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/20/2024]
Abstract
Integrating nanoscale optoelectronic functions is vital for applications such as optical emitters, detectors, and quantum information. Lanthanide atoms show great potential in this endeavor due to their intrinsic transitions. Here, we investigate Er adatoms on Si(100)-2×1 at 9 K using a scanning tunneling microscope (STM) coupled to a tunable laser. Er adatoms display two main adsorption configurations that are optically excited between 800 and 1200 nm while the STM reads the resulting photocurrents. Our spectroscopic method reveals that various photocurrent signals stem from the bare silicon surface or Er adatoms. Additional photocurrent peaks appear as the signature of the Er adatom relaxation, triggering efficient dissociation of nearby trapped excitons. Calculations using density functional theory with spin-orbit coupling correction highlight the origin of the observed photocurrent peaks as specific 4f→4f or 4f→5d transitions. This spectroscopic technique can facilitate optoelectronic analysis of atomic and molecular assemblies by offering insight into their intrinsic quantum properties.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eric Duverger
- Institut FEMTO-ST, Univ. Franche-Comté, CNRS, F-25030 Besançon, France
| | - Damien Riedel
- Institut des Sciences Moléculaires d'Orsay (ISMO), CNRS, Univ. Paris Sud, Université Paris-Saclay, F-91405 Orsay, France
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7
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Yao J, Park Y, Shi W, Chen S, Ho W. Origin of photoinduced DC current and two-level population dynamics in a single molecule. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2024; 10:eadk9211. [PMID: 38295170 PMCID: PMC10830102 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.adk9211] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/18/2023] [Accepted: 01/02/2024] [Indexed: 02/02/2024]
Abstract
Studying the photoinduced changes of materials with atomic-scale spatial resolution can provide a fundamental understanding of light-matter interaction. A long-standing impediment has been the detrimental thermal effects on the stability of the tunneling gap from intensity-modulated laser irradiation of the scanning tunneling microscope junction. Photoinduced DC current transduces photons to an electric current and is widely applied in optoelectronics as switches and signal transmission. Our results revealed the origin of the light-induced DC current and related it to the two-level population dynamics and related nonlinearity in the conductance of a single molecule. Here, we compensated for the near-visible laser-induced thermal effects to demonstrate photoinduced DC current spectroscopy and microscopy and to observe the persistent photoconductivity of a two-level pyrrolidine molecule. The methodology can be generally applied to the coupling of light to scan probes to investigate light-matter interactions at the atomic scale.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiang Yao
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA 92697-4575, USA
| | - Youngwook Park
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA 92697-4575, USA
| | - Wenlu Shi
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA 92697-4575, USA
| | - Siyu Chen
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA 92697-4575, USA
| | - W. Ho
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA 92697-4575, USA
- Department of Chemistry, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA 92697-2025, USA
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8
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Kaiser K, Lieske LA, Repp J, Gross L. Charge-state lifetimes of single molecules on few monolayers of NaCl. Nat Commun 2023; 14:4988. [PMID: 37591847 PMCID: PMC10435478 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-40692-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/02/2022] [Accepted: 08/02/2023] [Indexed: 08/19/2023] Open
Abstract
In molecular tunnel junctions, where the molecule is decoupled from the electrodes by few-monolayers-thin insulating layers, resonant charge transport takes place by sequential charge transfer to and from the molecule which implies transient charging of the molecule. The corresponding charge state transitions, which involve tunneling through the insulating decoupling layers, are crucial for understanding electrically driven processes such as electroluminescence or photocurrent generation in such a geometry. Here, we use scanning tunneling microscopy to investigate the decharging of single ZnPc and H2Pc molecules through NaCl films of 3 to 5 monolayers thickness on Cu(111) and Au(111). To this end, we approach the tip to the molecule at resonant tunnel conditions up to a regime where charge transport is limited by tunneling through the NaCl film. The resulting saturation of the tunnel current is a direct measure of the lifetimes of the anionic and cationic states, i.e., the molecule's charge-state lifetime, and thus provides a means to study charge dynamics and, thereby, exciton dynamics. Comparison of anion and cation lifetimes on different substrates reveals the critical role of the level alignment with the insulator's conduction and valence band, and the metal-insulator interface state.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katharina Kaiser
- IBM Research Europe-Zurich, Säumerstrasse 4, 8803, Rüschlikon, Switzerland.
- Université de Strasbourg, CNRS, IPCMS, UMR 7504, F-67000, Strasbourg, France.
| | | | - Jascha Repp
- Department of Physics, University of Regensburg, Universitätsstraße 31, 93053, Regensburg, Germany
| | - Leo Gross
- IBM Research Europe-Zurich, Säumerstrasse 4, 8803, Rüschlikon, Switzerland.
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9
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Liu H, Chen L, Zhang H, Yang Z, Ye J, Zhou P, Fang C, Xu W, Shi J, Liu J, Yang Y, Hong W. Single-molecule photoelectron tunnelling spectroscopy. NATURE MATERIALS 2023; 22:1007-1012. [PMID: 37349394 DOI: 10.1038/s41563-023-01591-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/14/2022] [Accepted: 05/25/2023] [Indexed: 06/24/2023]
Abstract
Experimental mapping of transmission is essential for understanding and controlling charge transport through molecular devices and materials. Here we developed a single-molecule photoelectron tunnelling spectroscopy approach for mapping transmission beyond the HOMO-LUMO gap of the single diketopyrrolopyrrole molecule junction using an ultrafast-laser combined scanning tunnelling microscope-based break junction set-up at room temperature. Two resonant transport channels of ultrafast photocurrent are found by our photoelectron tunnelling spectroscopy, ranging from 1.31 eV to 1.77 eV, consistent with the LUMO + 1 and LUMO + 2 in the transmission spectrum obtained by density functional theory calculations. Moreover, we observed the modulation of resonant peaks by varying bias voltages, which demonstrates the ability to quantitatively characterize the effect of the electric field on frontier molecular orbitals. Our single-molecule photoelectron tunnelling spectroscopy offers an avenue that allows us to explore the nature of energy-dependent charge transport through single-molecule junctions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Haojie Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Physical Chemistry of Solid Surfaces, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering & Innovation Laboratory for Sciences and Technologies of Energy Materials of Fujian Province (IKKEM), Xiamen University, Xiamen, China
| | - Lijue Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Physical Chemistry of Solid Surfaces, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering & Innovation Laboratory for Sciences and Technologies of Energy Materials of Fujian Province (IKKEM), Xiamen University, Xiamen, China
| | - Hao Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Physical Chemistry of Solid Surfaces, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering & Innovation Laboratory for Sciences and Technologies of Energy Materials of Fujian Province (IKKEM), Xiamen University, Xiamen, China
| | - Zhangqiang Yang
- State Key Laboratory of Physical Chemistry of Solid Surfaces, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering & Innovation Laboratory for Sciences and Technologies of Energy Materials of Fujian Province (IKKEM), Xiamen University, Xiamen, China
| | - Jingyao Ye
- State Key Laboratory of Physical Chemistry of Solid Surfaces, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering & Innovation Laboratory for Sciences and Technologies of Energy Materials of Fujian Province (IKKEM), Xiamen University, Xiamen, China
| | - Ping Zhou
- State Key Laboratory of Physical Chemistry of Solid Surfaces, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering & Innovation Laboratory for Sciences and Technologies of Energy Materials of Fujian Province (IKKEM), Xiamen University, Xiamen, China
| | - Chao Fang
- State Key Laboratory of Physical Chemistry of Solid Surfaces, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering & Innovation Laboratory for Sciences and Technologies of Energy Materials of Fujian Province (IKKEM), Xiamen University, Xiamen, China
| | - Wei Xu
- State Key Laboratory of Physical Chemistry of Solid Surfaces, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering & Innovation Laboratory for Sciences and Technologies of Energy Materials of Fujian Province (IKKEM), Xiamen University, Xiamen, China
| | - Jia Shi
- State Key Laboratory of Physical Chemistry of Solid Surfaces, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering & Innovation Laboratory for Sciences and Technologies of Energy Materials of Fujian Province (IKKEM), Xiamen University, Xiamen, China
| | - Junyang Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Physical Chemistry of Solid Surfaces, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering & Innovation Laboratory for Sciences and Technologies of Energy Materials of Fujian Province (IKKEM), Xiamen University, Xiamen, China
| | - Ye Yang
- State Key Laboratory of Physical Chemistry of Solid Surfaces, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering & Innovation Laboratory for Sciences and Technologies of Energy Materials of Fujian Province (IKKEM), Xiamen University, Xiamen, China
| | - Wenjing Hong
- State Key Laboratory of Physical Chemistry of Solid Surfaces, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering & Innovation Laboratory for Sciences and Technologies of Energy Materials of Fujian Province (IKKEM), Xiamen University, Xiamen, China.
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10
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Chen Y, Sun M. Plexcitonics: plasmon-exciton coupling for enhancing spectroscopy, optical chirality, and nonlinearity. NANOSCALE 2023. [PMID: 37377142 DOI: 10.1039/d3nr01388j] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/29/2023]
Abstract
Plexcitonics is a rapidly developing interdisciplinary field that holds immense potential for the creation of innovative optical technologies and devices. This field focuses on investigating the interactions between plasmons and excitons in hybrid systems. In this review, we provide an overview of the fundamental principles of plasmonics and plexcitonics and discuss the latest advancements in plexcitonics. Specifically, we highlight the ability to manipulate plasmon-exciton interactions, the emerging field of tip-enhanced spectroscopy, and advancements in optical chirality and nonlinearity. These recent developments have spurred further research in the field of plexcitonics and offer inspiration for the design of advanced materials and devices with enhanced optical properties and functionalities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yichuan Chen
- School of Mathematics and Physics, University of Science and Technology Beijing, Beijing, P. R. China.
| | - Mengtao Sun
- School of Mathematics and Physics, University of Science and Technology Beijing, Beijing, P. R. China.
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11
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Xue R, Ge P, Xie J, Hu Z, Wang X, Li P. Controllable CO 2 Reduction or Hydrocarbon Oxidation Driven by Entire Solar via Silver Quantum Dots Direct Photocatalysis. SMALL (WEINHEIM AN DER BERGSTRASSE, GERMANY) 2023; 19:e2207234. [PMID: 36703519 DOI: 10.1002/smll.202207234] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/21/2022] [Revised: 01/04/2023] [Indexed: 05/18/2023]
Abstract
The current solar-chemical-industry based on semiconductor photocatalyst is impractical. Metal catalysts are extensively employed in thermal- and electro-catalysis industries, but unsuitable for direct-driven photocatalysis. Herein, silver quantum dots (Ag-QDs) are synthesized on support via an in situ photoreduction method, and in situ photocatalysis temperature programmed dynamics chemisorption desorption analyses are designed to demonstrate that Ag-QDs should be the actual photocatalytic sites. The surface plasmon resonance of Ag-QDs could harvests entire visible solar, and the plasmon-driven charge-transfer exhibits opposite directions at the interface when supports are different. Consequently, Ag-QDs could be alternatively regulated as oxidation or reduction active centers. Furthermore, Ag-QDs excite electron tunneling transfer with adsorbate, which does not generate high-energy free-radical intermediates. As a result, the efficiencies of hydrocarbon photooxidation and CO2 photoreduction are improved in several orders of magnitude. Evidently, the Ag-QDs direct photocatalytic technology greatly promotes solar-chemical-industry applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ruiting Xue
- United Technology Center of Western Metal Materials Co., Ltd, Northwest Institute for Non-ferrous Metal Research, Shaanxi Institute for Materials Engineering, Xi'an, 710016, P. R. China
- Key Laboratory of Advanced Technologies of Materials, Ministry of Education, School of Materials Science and Engineering, Southwest Jiaotong University, Chengdu, 610031, P. R. China
| | - Peng Ge
- United Technology Center of Western Metal Materials Co., Ltd, Northwest Institute for Non-ferrous Metal Research, Shaanxi Institute for Materials Engineering, Xi'an, 710016, P. R. China
| | - Jun Xie
- United Technology Center of Western Metal Materials Co., Ltd, Northwest Institute for Non-ferrous Metal Research, Shaanxi Institute for Materials Engineering, Xi'an, 710016, P. R. China
- School of Environment and Energy, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou, 510006, P. R. China
| | - Ziyuan Hu
- United Technology Center of Western Metal Materials Co., Ltd, Northwest Institute for Non-ferrous Metal Research, Shaanxi Institute for Materials Engineering, Xi'an, 710016, P. R. China
| | - Xikui Wang
- United Technology Center of Western Metal Materials Co., Ltd, Northwest Institute for Non-ferrous Metal Research, Shaanxi Institute for Materials Engineering, Xi'an, 710016, P. R. China
| | - Peiqi Li
- United Technology Center of Western Metal Materials Co., Ltd, Northwest Institute for Non-ferrous Metal Research, Shaanxi Institute for Materials Engineering, Xi'an, 710016, P. R. China
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12
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Miwa K, Sakamoto S, Ishizaki A. Control and Enhancement of Single-Molecule Electroluminescence through Strong Light-Matter Coupling. NANO LETTERS 2023; 23:3231-3238. [PMID: 37039831 DOI: 10.1021/acs.nanolett.2c05089] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/19/2023]
Abstract
The energetic positions of molecular electronic states at molecule/electrode interfaces are crucial factors for determining the transport and optoelectronic properties of molecular junctions. Strong light-matter coupling offers a potential for manipulating these factors, enabling a boost in the efficiency and versatility of these junctions. Here, we investigate electroluminescence from single-molecule junctions in which the molecule is strongly coupled with the vacuum electromagnetic field in a plasmonic nanocavity. We demonstrate an improvement in the electroluminescence efficiency by employing the strong light-matter coupling in conjunction with the characteristic feature of single-molecule junctions to selectively control the formation of the lowest-energy excited state. The mechanism of efficiency improvement is discussed based on the energetic position and composition of the formed polaritonic states. Our findings indicate the possibility to manipulate optoelectronic conversion in molecular junctions by strong light-matter coupling and contribute to providing design principles for developing efficient molecular optoelectronic devices.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kuniyuki Miwa
- Institute for Molecular Science, National Institutes of Natural Sciences, Okazaki 444-8585, Japan
- School of Physical Sciences, Graduate University for Advanced Studies, Okazaki 444-8585, Japan
| | - Souichi Sakamoto
- Institute for Molecular Science, National Institutes of Natural Sciences, Okazaki 444-8585, Japan
| | - Akihito Ishizaki
- Institute for Molecular Science, National Institutes of Natural Sciences, Okazaki 444-8585, Japan
- School of Physical Sciences, Graduate University for Advanced Studies, Okazaki 444-8585, Japan
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Yang C, Yang C, Guo Y, Feng J, Guo X. Graphene-molecule-graphene single-molecule junctions to detect electronic reactions at the molecular scale. Nat Protoc 2023:10.1038/s41596-023-00822-x. [PMID: 37045993 DOI: 10.1038/s41596-023-00822-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/20/2022] [Accepted: 02/09/2023] [Indexed: 04/14/2023]
Abstract
The ability to measure the behavior of a single molecule during a reaction implies the detection of inherent dynamic and static disordered states, which may not be represented when measuring ensemble averages. Here, we describe the building of devices with graphene-molecule-graphene single-molecule junctions integrated into an electrical circuit. These devices are simple to build and are stable, showing tolerance to mechanical changes, solution environment and voltage stimulation. The design of a conductive channel based on a single molecule enables single-molecule detection and is sensitive to variations in physical properties and chemical structures of the detected molecules. The on-chip setup of single-molecule junctions further offers complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor (CMOS) compatibility, enabling logic functions in circuit elements, as well as deciphering of reaction intermediates. We detail the experimental procedure to prepare graphene transistor arrays as a basis for single-molecule junctions and the preparation of nanogapped carboxyl-terminal graphene electrodes by using electron-beam lithography and oxygen plasma etching. We describe the basic design of a molecular bridge with desired functions and terminals to form covalent bonds with electrode arrays, via a chemical reaction, to construct stably integrated single-molecule devices with a yield of 30-50% per chip. The immobilization of the single molecules is then characterized by using inelastic electron tunneling spectra, single-molecule imaging and fluorescent spectra. The whole protocol can be implemented within 2 weeks and requires users trained in using ultra-clean laboratory facilities and the aforementioned instrumentation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chen Yang
- Beijing National Laboratory for Molecular Sciences, National Biomedical Imaging Centre, College of Chemistry and Molecular Engineering, Peking University, Beijing, People's Republic of China
| | - Caiyao Yang
- Beijing National Laboratory for Molecular Sciences, National Biomedical Imaging Centre, College of Chemistry and Molecular Engineering, Peking University, Beijing, People's Republic of China
| | - Yilin Guo
- Beijing National Laboratory for Molecular Sciences, National Biomedical Imaging Centre, College of Chemistry and Molecular Engineering, Peking University, Beijing, People's Republic of China
| | - Jianfei Feng
- Beijing National Laboratory for Molecular Sciences, National Biomedical Imaging Centre, College of Chemistry and Molecular Engineering, Peking University, Beijing, People's Republic of China
| | - Xuefeng Guo
- Beijing National Laboratory for Molecular Sciences, National Biomedical Imaging Centre, College of Chemistry and Molecular Engineering, Peking University, Beijing, People's Republic of China.
- Centre of Single-Molecule Sciences, Institute of Modern Optics, Frontiers Science Centre for New Organic Matter, Tianjin Key Laboratory of Micro-scale Optical Information Science and Technology, College of Electronic Information and Optical Engineering, Nankai University, Tianjin, People's Republic of China.
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14
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Mu Y, Yu J, Hu R, Wang CH, Cheng C, Hou BP. Ab initio study revealing remarkable oscillatory effects and negative differential resistance in the molecular device of silicon carbide chains. Phys Chem Chem Phys 2023; 25:13265-13274. [PMID: 36924456 DOI: 10.1039/d2cp05677a] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/06/2023]
Abstract
Inspired by the requirements of miniaturization and multifunction of molecular devices, we investigate the quantum transport properties of three unique molecular devices with silicon carbide chains bridging gold electrodes by an ab initio approach. The pronounced quantum effects, including the oscillation of charge, conductance, and current, together with the negative differential resistance (NDR), have been observed simultaneously over a wide region in the double-chain device. It changes the regular situation that these two effects usually emerge in single-chain systems at the same time. Inspections of the visible differences in the transport behaviors relevant to length and bias between the three devices further evidence that the interchain interaction and molecule-electrode coupling are decisive factors for achieving the quantum effects of oscillation and NDR. These two factors can improve electronic transport capability through enhancing transmission, strengthening the delocalization of frontier molecular orbitals, and reducing potential barriers. Our results not only lay a solid foundation for the application of silicon carbide chains in the miniaturized and multifunctional molecular devices with good performance, but also provide an efficient way to the continuing search for materials with multiple controllable quantum effects in nanoelectronics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yi Mu
- College of Physics and Electronic Engineering, Sichuan Normal University, Chengdu, China.
| | - Jie Yu
- College of Physics and Electronic Engineering, Sichuan Normal University, Chengdu, China.
| | - Rui Hu
- College of Physics and Electronic Engineering, Sichuan Normal University, Chengdu, China.
| | - Cui-Hong Wang
- College of Physics and Electronic Engineering, Sichuan Normal University, Chengdu, China.
| | - Cai Cheng
- College of Physics and Electronic Engineering, Sichuan Normal University, Chengdu, China.
| | - Bang-Pin Hou
- College of Physics and Electronic Engineering, Sichuan Normal University, Chengdu, China.
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15
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Nian LL, Wang T, Lü JT. Plasmon Squeezing in Single-Molecule Junctions. NANO LETTERS 2022; 22:9418-9423. [PMID: 36449564 DOI: 10.1021/acs.nanolett.2c03371] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
Scanning tunneling microscope (STM)-induced luminescence provides an ideal platform for electrical generation and the atomic-scale manipulation of nonclassical states of light. However, despite its extreme importance in quantum technologies, squeezed light emission with reduced quantum fluctuations has hitherto not been demonstrated in such a platform. Here, we theoretically predict that the emitted light from the plasmon mode can be squeezed in an STM single molecular junction subject to an external laser drive. Going beyond the traditional paradigm that generates squeezing with the quadratic interaction of photons, our prediction explores the molecular coherence involved in an anharmonic energy spectrum of a coupled plasmon-molecule-exciton system. Furthermore, we show that, by selectively exciting the energy ladder, the squeezed plasmon can show either sub- or super-Poissonian statistical properties. We also demonstrate that, following the same principle, the molecular excitonic mode can be squeezed simultaneously.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lei-Lei Nian
- School of Physics and Astronomy, Yunnan University, 650091Kunming, People's Republic of China
| | - Tao Wang
- School of Physics, Institute for Quantum Science and Engineering, and Wuhan National High Magnetic Field Center, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, 430074Wuhan, People's Republic of China
| | - Jing-Tao Lü
- School of Physics, Institute for Quantum Science and Engineering, and Wuhan National High Magnetic Field Center, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, 430074Wuhan, People's Republic of China
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