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  • Review Article
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From molecular to supramolecular electronics

Nature Reviews Materials volume 6, pages 804–828 (2021)Cite this article

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Abstract

Using individual molecules as conducting bridges for electrons offers opportunities when investigating quantum phenomena that are not readily accessible from experiments involving ensembles of molecules. The probing of single molecules has led, over the past few decades, to the rise of molecular electronics. Although single-supermolecule electronics is an emerging field, it is not yet a well-defined area of molecular electronics. There is little doubt, however, that single-supermolecule electronics is poised to have an impact on molecular electronics for the simple reason that non-covalent interactions between molecular components in complexes have a profound effect on electron conductivities. In this Review, we survey this emerging field from the standpoint of non-covalent interactions in mechanically interlocked molecules, as well as in supermolecules, and discuss the (super)structure–property relationship of four different interactions associated with (supra)molecular junctions. They are host–guest interactions, hydrogen bonding, π–π interactions, and non-covalent interactions present in mechanically interlocked molecules. We focus our attention on providing a supramolecular-level understanding of charge transport behaviour associated with each interaction, as well as demonstrating the theoretical background and experimental readiness of single-supermolecule electronics for potential applications, such as nucleic acid and peptide sequencing, and the design and production of quantum interference devices, random-access memories and integrated devices.

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Fig. 1: Sub-fields within molecular electronics.
Fig. 2: Testbeds for single-supermolecule electronics.
Fig. 3: Molecular circuits based on macrocycles and host-guest complexes.
Fig. 4: Hydrogen-bonding investigation focusing on applications in tunnelling sequencing.
Fig. 5: Charge transport in π-stacked systems.
Fig. 6: Mechanically interlocked molecule (MIM)-based monolayer junctions and integrated circuits.
Fig. 7: Mechanically interlocked molecule (MIM)-based single-molecule junctions.

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Acknowledgements

The authors thank M. E. Schott for feedback on the manuscript, and N. Xin, Y. Jiao, L. Zhang, K. Cai and D. Shen for their discussion and support in preparing the manuscript. The authors also thank Northwestern University for its continuing financial support.

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  1. Department of Chemistry, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, USA

    Hongliang Chen & J. Fraser Stoddart

  2. Stoddart Institute of Molecular Science, Department of Chemistry, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China

    Hongliang Chen & J. Fraser Stoddart

  3. ZJU-Hangzhou Global Scientific and Technological Innovation Center, Hangzhou, China

    Hongliang Chen & J. Fraser Stoddart

  4. School of Chemistry, University of New South Wales, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia

    J. Fraser Stoddart

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Chen, H., Fraser Stoddart, J. From molecular to supramolecular electronics. Nat Rev Mater 6, 804–828 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41578-021-00302-2

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