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Xu X, Gao C, Emusani R, Jia C, Xiang D. Toward Practical Single-Molecule/Atom Switches. ADVANCED SCIENCE (WEINHEIM, BADEN-WURTTEMBERG, GERMANY) 2024:e2400877. [PMID: 38810145 DOI: 10.1002/advs.202400877] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/25/2024] [Revised: 04/29/2024] [Indexed: 05/31/2024]
Abstract
Electronic switches have been considered to be one of the most important components of contemporary electronic circuits for processing and storing digital information. Fabricating functional devices with building blocks of atomic/molecular switches can greatly promote the minimization of the devices and meet the requirement of high integration. This review highlights key developments in the fabrication and application of molecular switching devices. This overview offers valuable insights into the switching mechanisms under various stimuli, emphasizing structural and energy state changes in the core molecules. Beyond the molecular switches, typical individual metal atomic switches are further introduced. A critical discussion of the main challenges for realizing and developing practical molecular/atomic switches is provided. These analyses and summaries will contribute to a comprehensive understanding of the switch mechanisms, providing guidance for the rational design of functional nanoswitch devices toward practical applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaona Xu
- Institute of Modern Optics and Center of Single Molecule Sciences, Nankai University, Tianjin Key Laboratory of Micro-scale Optical Information Science and Technology, Tianjin, 300350, China
| | - Chunyan Gao
- Institute of Modern Optics and Center of Single Molecule Sciences, Nankai University, Tianjin Key Laboratory of Micro-scale Optical Information Science and Technology, Tianjin, 300350, China
| | - Ramya Emusani
- Institute of Modern Optics and Center of Single Molecule Sciences, Nankai University, Tianjin Key Laboratory of Micro-scale Optical Information Science and Technology, Tianjin, 300350, China
| | - Chuancheng Jia
- Institute of Modern Optics and Center of Single Molecule Sciences, Nankai University, Tianjin Key Laboratory of Micro-scale Optical Information Science and Technology, Tianjin, 300350, China
| | - Dong Xiang
- Institute of Modern Optics and Center of Single Molecule Sciences, Nankai University, Tianjin Key Laboratory of Micro-scale Optical Information Science and Technology, Tianjin, 300350, China
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2
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Qiao X, Sil A, Sangtarash S, Smith SM, Wu C, Robertson CM, Nichols RJ, Higgins SJ, Sadeghi H, Vezzoli A. Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Chemical Shift as a Probe for Single-Molecule Charge Transport. Angew Chem Int Ed Engl 2024; 63:e202402413. [PMID: 38478719 DOI: 10.1002/anie.202402413] [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: 02/02/2024] [Indexed: 04/05/2024]
Abstract
Existing modelling tools, developed to aid the design of efficient molecular wires and to better understand their charge-transport behaviour and mechanism, have limitations in accuracy and computational cost. Further research is required to develop faster and more precise methods that can yield information on how charge transport properties are impacted by changes in the chemical structure of a molecular wire. In this study, we report a clear semilogarithmic correlation between charge transport efficiency and nuclear magnetic resonance chemical shifts in multiple series of molecular wires, also accounting for the presence of chemical substituents. The NMR data was used to inform a simple tight-binding model that accurately captures the experimental single-molecule conductance values, especially useful in this case as more sophisticated density functional theory calculations fail due to inherent limitations. Our study demonstrates the potential of NMR spectroscopy as a valuable tool for characterising, rationalising, and gaining additional insights on the charge transport properties of single-molecule junctions.
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Affiliation(s)
- X Qiao
- Department of Chemistry, University of Liverpool, Crown Street, Liverpool, L69 7ZD, United Kingdom
| | - A Sil
- Department of Chemistry, University of Liverpool, Crown Street, Liverpool, L69 7ZD, United Kingdom
| | - S Sangtarash
- Device Modelling Group, School of Engineering, University of Warwick, Coventry, CV4 7AL, United Kingdom
| | - S M Smith
- Department of Chemistry, University of Liverpool, Crown Street, Liverpool, L69 7ZD, United Kingdom
| | - C Wu
- Department of Chemistry, University of Liverpool, Crown Street, Liverpool, L69 7ZD, United Kingdom
- Institute of Optoelectronic Materials and Devices, Faculty of Materials Metallurgy and Chemistry, Jiangxi University of Science and Technology, Ganzhou, 341000, China
| | - C M Robertson
- Department of Chemistry, University of Liverpool, Crown Street, Liverpool, L69 7ZD, United Kingdom
| | - R J Nichols
- Department of Chemistry, University of Liverpool, Crown Street, Liverpool, L69 7ZD, United Kingdom
| | - S J Higgins
- Department of Chemistry, University of Liverpool, Crown Street, Liverpool, L69 7ZD, United Kingdom
| | - H Sadeghi
- Device Modelling Group, School of Engineering, University of Warwick, Coventry, CV4 7AL, United Kingdom
| | - A Vezzoli
- Department of Chemistry, University of Liverpool, Crown Street, Liverpool, L69 7ZD, United Kingdom
- Stephenson Institute for Renewable Energy, University of Liverpool, Peach Street, Liverpool, L69 7ZF, United Kingdom
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3
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Zhang W, Zhao Z, Tan M, Adijiang A, Zhong S, Xu X, Zhao T, Ramya E, Sun L, Zhao X, Fan Z, Xiang D. Regulating the orientation of a single coordinate bond by the synergistic action of mechanical forces and electric field. Chem Sci 2023; 14:11456-11465. [PMID: 37886107 PMCID: PMC10599463 DOI: 10.1039/d3sc03892k] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/27/2023] [Accepted: 09/30/2023] [Indexed: 10/28/2023] Open
Abstract
The molecular binding orientation with respect to the electrode plays a pivotal role in determining the performance of molecular devices. However, accomplishing in situ modulation of single-molecule binding orientation remains a great challenge due to the lack of suitable testing systems and characterization approaches. To this end, by employing a developed STM-BJ technique, we demonstrate that the conductance of pyridine-anchored molecular junctions decreases as the applied voltage increases, which is determined by the repeated formation of thousands of gold-molecule-gold dynamic break junctions. In contrast, the static fixed molecular junctions (the distance between two electrodes is fixed) with identical molecules exhibit a reverse tendency as the bias voltage increases. Supported by flicker noise measurements and theoretical calculations, we provide compelling evidence that the orientation of nitrogen-gold bonds (a universal coordinate bond) in the pyridine-anchored molecular junctions can be manipulated to align with the electric field by the synergistic action of the mechanical stretching force and the electric fields, whereas either stimulus alone cannot achieve the same effect. Our study provides a framework for characterizing and regulating the orientation of a single coordinate bond, offering an approach to control electron transport through single molecular junctions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wei Zhang
- Institute of Modern Optics, Center of Single Molecule Sciences, Key Laboratory of Micro-scale Optical Information Science and Technology, Nankai University Tianjin 300350 China
| | - Zhibin Zhao
- Institute of Modern Optics, Center of Single Molecule Sciences, Key Laboratory of Micro-scale Optical Information Science and Technology, Nankai University Tianjin 300350 China
| | - Min Tan
- Institute of Modern Optics, Center of Single Molecule Sciences, Key Laboratory of Micro-scale Optical Information Science and Technology, Nankai University Tianjin 300350 China
| | - Adila Adijiang
- Institute of Modern Optics, Center of Single Molecule Sciences, Key Laboratory of Micro-scale Optical Information Science and Technology, Nankai University Tianjin 300350 China
| | - Shurong Zhong
- Institute of Modern Optics, Center of Single Molecule Sciences, Key Laboratory of Micro-scale Optical Information Science and Technology, Nankai University Tianjin 300350 China
| | - Xiaona Xu
- Institute of Modern Optics, Center of Single Molecule Sciences, Key Laboratory of Micro-scale Optical Information Science and Technology, Nankai University Tianjin 300350 China
| | - Tianran Zhao
- Institute of Modern Optics, Center of Single Molecule Sciences, Key Laboratory of Micro-scale Optical Information Science and Technology, Nankai University Tianjin 300350 China
| | - Emusani Ramya
- Institute of Modern Optics, Center of Single Molecule Sciences, Key Laboratory of Micro-scale Optical Information Science and Technology, Nankai University Tianjin 300350 China
| | - Lu Sun
- Institute of Modern Optics, Center of Single Molecule Sciences, Key Laboratory of Micro-scale Optical Information Science and Technology, Nankai University Tianjin 300350 China
| | - Xueyan Zhao
- Institute of Modern Optics, Center of Single Molecule Sciences, Key Laboratory of Micro-scale Optical Information Science and Technology, Nankai University Tianjin 300350 China
| | - Zhiqiang Fan
- School of Physics and Electronic Science, Changsha University of Science and Technology Changsha 410114 China
| | - Dong Xiang
- Institute of Modern Optics, Center of Single Molecule Sciences, Key Laboratory of Micro-scale Optical Information Science and Technology, Nankai University Tianjin 300350 China
- School of Materials Science and Engineering, Smart Sensing Interdisciplinary Science Center, Nankai University Tianjin 300350 China
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4
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Sun F, Liu L, Zheng CF, Li YC, Yan Y, Fu XX, Wang CK, Liu R, Xu B, Li ZL. Decoding the mechanical conductance switching behaviors of dipyridyl molecular junctions. NANOSCALE 2023; 15:12586-12597. [PMID: 37461829 DOI: 10.1039/d3nr00505d] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 08/04/2023]
Abstract
Dipyridyl molecular junctions often show intriguing conductance switching behaviors with mechanical modulations, but the mechanisms are still not completely revealed. By applying the ab initio-based adiabatic simulation method, the configuration evolution and electron transport properties of dipyridyl molecular junctions in stretching and compressing processes are systematically investigated. The numerical results reveal that the dipyridyl molecular junctions tend to form specific contact configurations during formation processes. In small electrode gaps, the pyridyls almost vertically adsorb on the second Au layers of the tip electrodes by pushing the top Au atoms aside. These specific contact configurations result in stronger molecule-electrode couplings and larger electronic incident cross-sectional areas, which consequently lead to large breaking forces and high conductance. On further elongating the molecular junctions, the pyridyls shift to the top Au atoms of the tip electrodes. The additional scattering of the top Au atoms dramatically decreases the conductance and switches the molecular junctions to the lower conductive states. Perfect cyclical conductance switches are obtained as observed in the experiments by repeatedly stretching and compressing the molecular junctions. The O atom in the side-group tends to hinder the pyridyl from adsorbing on the second Au layer and further inhibits the conductance switch of the dipyridyl molecular junction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Feng Sun
- School of Physics and Electronics, Shandong Normal University, Jinan 250358, China.
| | - Lin Liu
- School of Physics and Electronics, Shandong Normal University, Jinan 250358, China.
| | - Chang-Feng Zheng
- School of Physics and Electronics, Shandong Normal University, Jinan 250358, China.
| | - Yu-Chen Li
- School of Physics and Electronics, Shandong Normal University, Jinan 250358, China.
| | - Yan Yan
- School of Physics and Electronics, Shandong Normal University, Jinan 250358, China.
| | - Xiao-Xiao Fu
- School of Physics and Electronics, Shandong Normal University, Jinan 250358, China.
| | - Chuan-Kui Wang
- School of Physics and Electronics, Shandong Normal University, Jinan 250358, China.
| | - Ran Liu
- Single Molecule Study Laboratory, College of Engineering and Nanoscale Science and Engineering Center, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia 30602, USA.
- Biodesign Center for Bioelectronics and Biosensors, School of Electrical, Computer and Energy Engineering, Arizona State University, Tempe, Arizona 85287, USA
| | - Bingqian Xu
- Single Molecule Study Laboratory, College of Engineering and Nanoscale Science and Engineering Center, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia 30602, USA.
| | - Zong-Liang Li
- School of Physics and Electronics, Shandong Normal University, Jinan 250358, China.
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5
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Wang M, Zhang J, Adijiang A, Zhao X, Tan M, Xu X, Zhang S, Zhang W, Zhang X, Wang H, Xiang D. Plasmon-Assisted Trapping of Single Molecules in Nanogap. MATERIALS (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2023; 16:3230. [PMID: 37110065 PMCID: PMC10144347 DOI: 10.3390/ma16083230] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/07/2023] [Revised: 03/02/2023] [Accepted: 03/09/2023] [Indexed: 06/19/2023]
Abstract
The manipulation of single molecules has attracted extensive attention because of their promising applications in chemical, biological, medical, and materials sciences. Optical trapping of single molecules at room temperature, a critical approach to manipulating the single molecule, still faces great challenges due to the Brownian motions of molecules, weak optical gradient forces of laser, and limited characterization approaches. Here, we put forward localized surface plasmon (LSP)-assisted trapping of single molecules by utilizing scanning tunneling microscope break junction (STM-BJ) techniques, which could provide adjustable plasmonic nanogap and characterize the formation of molecular junction due to plasmonic trapping. We find that the plasmon-assisted trapping of single molecules in the nanogap, revealed by the conductance measurement, strongly depends on the molecular length and the experimental environments, i.e., plasmon could obviously promote the trapping of longer alkane-based molecules but is almost incapable of acting on shorter molecules in solutions. In contrast, the plasmon-assisted trapping of molecules can be ignored when the molecules are self-assembled (SAM) on a substrate independent of the molecular length.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maoning Wang
- Institute of Modern Optics and Center of Single-Molecule Science, Tianjin Key Laboratory of Micro-Scale Optical Information Science and Technology, Nankai University, Tianjin 300350, China
- School of Materials Science and Engineering, Smart Sensing Interdisciplinary Science Center, Nankai University, Tianjin 300350, China
| | - Jieyi Zhang
- Institute of Modern Optics and Center of Single-Molecule Science, Tianjin Key Laboratory of Micro-Scale Optical Information Science and Technology, Nankai University, Tianjin 300350, China
| | - Adila Adijiang
- Institute of Modern Optics and Center of Single-Molecule Science, Tianjin Key Laboratory of Micro-Scale Optical Information Science and Technology, Nankai University, Tianjin 300350, China
| | - Xueyan Zhao
- Institute of Modern Optics and Center of Single-Molecule Science, Tianjin Key Laboratory of Micro-Scale Optical Information Science and Technology, Nankai University, Tianjin 300350, China
| | - Min Tan
- Institute of Modern Optics and Center of Single-Molecule Science, Tianjin Key Laboratory of Micro-Scale Optical Information Science and Technology, Nankai University, Tianjin 300350, China
| | - Xiaona Xu
- Institute of Modern Optics and Center of Single-Molecule Science, Tianjin Key Laboratory of Micro-Scale Optical Information Science and Technology, Nankai University, Tianjin 300350, China
| | - Surong Zhang
- Institute of Modern Optics and Center of Single-Molecule Science, Tianjin Key Laboratory of Micro-Scale Optical Information Science and Technology, Nankai University, Tianjin 300350, China
| | - Wei Zhang
- Institute of Modern Optics and Center of Single-Molecule Science, Tianjin Key Laboratory of Micro-Scale Optical Information Science and Technology, Nankai University, Tianjin 300350, China
| | - Xinyue Zhang
- Institute of Modern Optics and Center of Single-Molecule Science, Tianjin Key Laboratory of Micro-Scale Optical Information Science and Technology, Nankai University, Tianjin 300350, China
| | - Haoyu Wang
- Institute of Modern Optics and Center of Single-Molecule Science, Tianjin Key Laboratory of Micro-Scale Optical Information Science and Technology, Nankai University, Tianjin 300350, China
| | - Dong Xiang
- Institute of Modern Optics and Center of Single-Molecule Science, Tianjin Key Laboratory of Micro-Scale Optical Information Science and Technology, Nankai University, Tianjin 300350, China
- School of Materials Science and Engineering, Smart Sensing Interdisciplinary Science Center, Nankai University, Tianjin 300350, China
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6
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Zhao X, Zhang X, Yin K, Zhang S, Zhao Z, Tan M, Xu X, Zhao Z, Wang M, Xu B, Lee T, Scheer E, Xiang D. In Situ Adjustable Nanogaps and In-Plane Break Junctions. SMALL METHODS 2023; 7:e2201427. [PMID: 36732898 DOI: 10.1002/smtd.202201427] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/02/2022] [Revised: 12/27/2022] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
The ability to precisely regulate the size of a nanogap is essential for establishing high-yield molecular junctions, and it is crucial for the control of optical signals in extreme optics. Although remarkable strategies for the fabrication of nanogaps are proposed, wafer-compatible nanogaps with freely adjustable gap sizes are not yet available. Herein, two approaches for constructing in situ adjustable metal gaps are proposed which allow Ångstrom modulation resolution by employing either a lateral expandable piezoelectric sheet or a stretchable membrane. These in situ adjustable nanogaps are further developed into in-plane molecular break junctions, in which the gaps can be repeatedly closed and opened thousands of times with self-assembled molecules. The conductance of the single 1,4-benzenediamine (BDA) and the BDA molecular dimer is successfully determined using the proposed strategy. The measured conductance agreeing well with the data by employing another well-established scanning tunneling microscopy break junction technique provides insight into the formation of molecule dimer via hydrogen bond at single molecule level. The wafer-compatible nanogaps and in-plane dynamical break-junctions provide a potential approach to fabricate highly compacted devices using a single molecule as a building block and supply a promising in-plane technique to address the dynamical properties of single molecules.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xueyan Zhao
- Institute of Modern Optics and Center of Single-Molecule Science, Tianjin Key Laboratory of Micro-scale Optical Information Science and Technology, Nankai University, Tianjin, 300350, China
| | - Xubin Zhang
- Institute of Modern Optics and Center of Single-Molecule Science, Tianjin Key Laboratory of Micro-scale Optical Information Science and Technology, Nankai University, Tianjin, 300350, China
| | - Kaikai Yin
- Institute of Modern Optics and Center of Single-Molecule Science, Tianjin Key Laboratory of Micro-scale Optical Information Science and Technology, Nankai University, Tianjin, 300350, China
| | - Surong Zhang
- Institute of Modern Optics and Center of Single-Molecule Science, Tianjin Key Laboratory of Micro-scale Optical Information Science and Technology, Nankai University, Tianjin, 300350, China
| | - Zhikai Zhao
- Institute of Modern Optics and Center of Single-Molecule Science, Tianjin Key Laboratory of Micro-scale Optical Information Science and Technology, Nankai University, Tianjin, 300350, China
| | - Min Tan
- Institute of Modern Optics and Center of Single-Molecule Science, Tianjin Key Laboratory of Micro-scale Optical Information Science and Technology, Nankai University, Tianjin, 300350, China
| | - Xiaona Xu
- Institute of Modern Optics and Center of Single-Molecule Science, Tianjin Key Laboratory of Micro-scale Optical Information Science and Technology, Nankai University, Tianjin, 300350, China
| | - Zhibin Zhao
- Institute of Modern Optics and Center of Single-Molecule Science, Tianjin Key Laboratory of Micro-scale Optical Information Science and Technology, Nankai University, Tianjin, 300350, China
| | - Maoning Wang
- Institute of Modern Optics and Center of Single-Molecule Science, Tianjin Key Laboratory of Micro-scale Optical Information Science and Technology, Nankai University, Tianjin, 300350, China
| | - Bingqian Xu
- College of Engineering, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, 30602, USA
| | - Takhee Lee
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, and Institute of Applied Physics, Seoul National University, Seoul, 08826, Korea
| | - Elke Scheer
- Department of Physics, University of Konstanz, 78457, Konstanz, Germany
| | - Dong Xiang
- Institute of Modern Optics and Center of Single-Molecule Science, Tianjin Key Laboratory of Micro-scale Optical Information Science and Technology, Nankai University, Tianjin, 300350, China
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7
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Zhao Z, Soni S, Lee T, Nijhuis CA, Xiang D. Smart Eutectic Gallium-Indium: From Properties to Applications. ADVANCED MATERIALS (DEERFIELD BEACH, FLA.) 2023; 35:e2203391. [PMID: 36036771 DOI: 10.1002/adma.202203391] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 25.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/14/2022] [Revised: 07/30/2022] [Indexed: 05/27/2023]
Abstract
Eutectic gallium-indium (EGaIn), a liquid metal with a melting point close to or below room temperature, has attracted extensive attention in recent years due to its excellent properties such as fluidity, high conductivity, thermal conductivity, stretchability, self-healing capability, biocompatibility, and recyclability. These features of EGaIn can be adjusted by changing the experimental condition, and various composite materials with extended properties can be further obtained by mixing EGaIn with other materials. In this review, not only the are unique properties of EGaIn introduced, but also the working principles for the EGaIn-based devices are illustrated and the developments of EGaIn-related techniques are summarized. The applications of EGaIn in various fields, such as flexible electronics (sensors, antennas, electronic circuits), molecular electronics (molecular memory, opto-electronic switches, or reconfigurable junctions), energy catalysis (heat management, motors, generators, batteries), biomedical science (drug delivery, tumor therapy, bioimaging and neural interfaces) are reviewed. Finally, a critical discussion of the main challenges for the development of EGaIn-based techniques are discussed, and the potential applications in new fields are prospected.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhibin Zhao
- Institute of Modern Optics and Center of Single Molecule Sciences, Tianjin Key Laboratory of Micro-scale Optical Information Science and Technology, Nankai University, 300350, Tianjin, P. R. China
| | - Saurabh Soni
- Department of Molecules and Materials, MESA+ Institute for Nanotechnology, Molecules Center and Center for Brain-Inspired Nano Systems, Faculty of Science and Technology, University of Twente, Enschede, 7500 AE, The Netherlands
| | - Takhee Lee
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, Institute of Applied Physics, Seoul National University, Seoul, 08826, Korea
| | - Christian A Nijhuis
- Department of Molecules and Materials, MESA+ Institute for Nanotechnology, Molecules Center and Center for Brain-Inspired Nano Systems, Faculty of Science and Technology, University of Twente, Enschede, 7500 AE, The Netherlands
| | - Dong Xiang
- Institute of Modern Optics and Center of Single Molecule Sciences, Tianjin Key Laboratory of Micro-scale Optical Information Science and Technology, Nankai University, 300350, Tianjin, P. R. China
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8
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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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Zhu X, Xu Y, Zhao C, Jia C, Guo X. Recent Advances in Photochemical Reactions on Single-Molecule Electrical Platforms. Macromol Rapid Commun 2022; 43:e2200017. [PMID: 35150177 DOI: 10.1002/marc.202200017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/08/2022] [Revised: 02/05/2022] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Abstract
The photochemical reaction is a very important type of chemical reactions. Visualizing and controlling photo-mediated reactions is a long-standing goal and challenge. In this regard, single-molecule electrical detection with label-free, real-time and in situ characteristics has unique advantages in monitoring the dynamic process of photoreactions at the single-molecule level. In this Review, we provide a valuable summary of the latest process of single-molecule photochemical reactions based on single-molecule electrical platforms. The single-molecule electrical detection platforms for monitoring photoreactions are displayed, including their fundamental principles, construction methods and practical applications. The single-molecule studies of two different types of light-mediated reactions are summarized as below: i) photo-induced reactions, including reversible cyclization, conformational isomerization and other photo-related reactions; ii) plasmon-mediated photoreactions, including reaction mechanisms and concrete examples, such as plasmon-induced photolysis of S-S/O-O bonds and tautomerization of porphycene. In addition, the prospects for future research directions and challenges in this field are also discussed. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xin Zhu
- Center of Single-Molecule Sciences, Institute of Modern Optics, Frontiers Science Center for New Organic Matter, Tianjin Key Laboratory of Micro-scale Optical Information Science and Technology, College of Electronic Information and Optical Engineering, Nankai University, 38 Tongyan Road, Jinnan District, Tianjin, 300350, P. R. China.,Beijing National Laboratory for Molecular Sciences, National Biomedical Imaging Center College of Chemistry and Molecular Engineering, Peking University, 292 Chengfu Road, Haidian District, Beijing, 100871, P. R. China
| | - Yanxia Xu
- Center of Single-Molecule Sciences, Institute of Modern Optics, Frontiers Science Center for New Organic Matter, Tianjin Key Laboratory of Micro-scale Optical Information Science and Technology, College of Electronic Information and Optical Engineering, Nankai University, 38 Tongyan Road, Jinnan District, Tianjin, 300350, P. R. China
| | - Cong Zhao
- Beijing National Laboratory for Molecular Sciences, National Biomedical Imaging Center College of Chemistry and Molecular Engineering, Peking University, 292 Chengfu Road, Haidian District, Beijing, 100871, P. R. China
| | - Chuancheng Jia
- Center of Single-Molecule Sciences, Institute of Modern Optics, Frontiers Science Center for New Organic Matter, Tianjin Key Laboratory of Micro-scale Optical Information Science and Technology, College of Electronic Information and Optical Engineering, Nankai University, 38 Tongyan Road, Jinnan District, Tianjin, 300350, P. R. China
| | - Xuefeng Guo
- Center of Single-Molecule Sciences, Institute of Modern Optics, Frontiers Science Center for New Organic Matter, Tianjin Key Laboratory of Micro-scale Optical Information Science and Technology, College of Electronic Information and Optical Engineering, Nankai University, 38 Tongyan Road, Jinnan District, Tianjin, 300350, P. R. China.,Beijing National Laboratory for Molecular Sciences, National Biomedical Imaging Center College of Chemistry and Molecular Engineering, Peking University, 292 Chengfu Road, Haidian District, Beijing, 100871, P. R. China
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10
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Zhu Y, Tan Z, Hong W. Simultaneous Electrical and Mechanical Characterization of Single-Molecule Junctions Using AFM-BJ Technique. ACS OMEGA 2021; 6:30873-30888. [PMID: 34841131 PMCID: PMC8613807 DOI: 10.1021/acsomega.1c04785] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/31/2021] [Accepted: 10/29/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
The fabrication and characterization of single-molecule junctions provide a unique platform to study the physical phenomena of a single molecule, and the electrical characterization enables us to understand the electrical transport properties of a single molecule and guide the fabrication of molecular electronic devices. However, the electrical characterization of single-molecule junctions is sometimes insufficient to extract the structural information on single-molecule junctions, and an alternate method to address this problem is to characterize the mechanical properties of single-molecule junctions. Simultaneous measurement of mechanical and electrical properties can provide complementary information on single molecules to analyze the correlations of their electrical and mechanical properties in the evolution of single-molecule junctions. In this mini-review, we summarize the progress on the simultaneous characterizations of mechanical and electrical properties for single-molecule junctions, and discuss the challenges and perspectives of this research area.
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11
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Li S, Jiang Y, Wang Y, Sanvito S, Hou S. In Situ Tuning of the Charge-Carrier Polarity in Imidazole-Linked Single-Molecule Junctions. J Phys Chem Lett 2021; 12:7596-7604. [PMID: 34347489 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jpclett.1c01996] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Manipulating the nature of the charge carriers at the single-molecule level is one of the major challenges of molecular electronics. Using first-principles quantum transport calculations, we have investigated the electronic transport properties of imidazole-linked single-molecule junctions and identified the hydrogen atom bonded to the pyrrole-like nitrogen in imidazole as a switch to tune the polarity of the charge carriers. Our calculations show that the chemical nature of the imidazole anchors is dramatically altered by dehydrogenation, which changes the dominant charge carriers from electrons to holes. It is also revealed that upon dehydrogenation the interfacial Au-N bonds are modified from donor-acceptor-like to covalent, along with a significant promotion of the low-bias conductance and the junction stability. At variance with other traditional methods that always require drastic modifications of the junction structure, our findings provide a promising approach to tailor in situ the polarity of charge carriers in molecular electronic devices.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shi Li
- Center for Nanoscale Science and Technology, Key Laboratory for the Physics and Chemistry of Nanodevices, Department of Electronics, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China
| | - Yuxuan Jiang
- Center for Nanoscale Science and Technology, Key Laboratory for the Physics and Chemistry of Nanodevices, Department of Electronics, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China
| | - Yongfeng Wang
- Center 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
- Center for Nanoscale Science and Technology, Key Laboratory for the Physics and Chemistry of Nanodevices, Department of Electronics, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China
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