Article abstract
Nature Materials 5, 63 - 68 (2006)
Published online: 4 December 2005 | doi:10.1038/nmat1526
Subject Categories: Molecular electronics | Characterisation and analytical techniques | Nanoscale materials
Metal-free silicon–molecule–nanotube testbed and memory device
Jianli He, Bo Chen, Austen K. Flatt, Jason J. Stephenson, Condell D. Doyle & James M. Tour
Abstract
Work from several laboratories has shown that metal nanofilaments cause problems in some molecular electronics testbeds. A new testbed for exploring the electrical properties of single molecules has been developed to eliminate the possibility of metal nanofilament formation and to ensure that molecular effects are measured. This metal-free system uses single-crystal silicon and single-walled carbon nanotubes as electrodes for the molecular monolayer. A direct Si–arylcarbon grafting method is used. Use of this structure with 
-conjugated organic molecules resulted in a hysteresis loop with current–voltage measurements that are useful for an electronic memory device. The memory is non-volatile for more than 3 days, non-destructive for more than 1,000 reading operations and capable of more than 1,000 write–erase cycles before device breakdown. Devices without -conjugated molecules (Si–H surface only) or with long-chain alkyl-bearing molecules produced no hysteresis, indicating that the observed memory effect is molecularly relevant.
- Departments of Chemistry, Computer Science, and Mechanical Engineering and Materials Science and Center for Nanoscale Science and Technology, Rice University, MS 222, 6100 Main St., Houston, Texas 77005, USA
Correspondence to: James M. Tour e-mail: tour@rice.edu
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