Article abstract
Nature Nanotechnology 3, 569 - 574 (2008)
Published online: 17 August 2008 | doi:10.1038/nnano.2008.237
Subject Category: Electronic properties and devices
Molecular junctions based on aromatic coupling
Songmei Wu1, Maria Teresa González1, Roman Huber1, Sergio Grunder2, Marcel Mayor2,3, Christian Schönenberger1 & Michel Calame1
Abstract
If individual molecules are to be used as building blocks for electronic devices, it will be essential to understand charge transport at the level of single molecules. Most existing experiments rely on the synthesis of functional rod-like molecules with chemical linker groups at both ends to provide strong, covalent anchoring to the source and drain contacts. This approach has proved very successful, providing quantitative measures of single-molecule conductance, and demonstrating rectification and switching at the single-molecule level. However, the influence of intermolecular interactions on the formation and operation of molecular junctions has been overlooked. Here we report the use of oligo-phenylene ethynylene molecules as a model system, and establish that molecular junctions can still form when one of the chemical linker groups is displaced or even fully removed. Our results demonstrate that aromatic 
- coupling between adjacent molecules is efficient enough to allow for the controlled formation of molecular bridges between nearby electrodes.
- Department of Physics, University of Basel, Klingelbergstrasse. 82, CH-4056 Basel, Switzerland
- Department of Chemistry, University of Basel, St Johanns-Ring 19, CH-4056 Basel, Switzerland
- Forschungszentrum Karlsruhe GmbH, Institute for Nanotechnology, PO Box 3640, D-76021 Karlsruhe, Germany
Correspondence to: Marcel Mayor2,3 e-mail: marcel.mayor@unibas.ch
Correspondence to: Michel Calame1 e-mail: michel.calame@unibas.ch
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