Physics – Condensed Matter – Mesoscale and Nanoscale Physics
Scientific paper
2008-03-05
Physics
Condensed Matter
Mesoscale and Nanoscale Physics
Invited paper for forthcoming special issue of Journal of Physics: Condensed Matter
Scientific paper
10.1088/0953-8984/20/37/374115
A comprehensive review is presented of single molecule junction conductance measurements across families of molecules measured while breaking a gold point contact in a solution of molecules with amine end groups. A theoretical framework unifies the picture for the amine-gold link bonding and the tunnel coupling through the junction using Density Functional Theory based calculations. The reproducible electrical characteristics and utility for many molecules is shown to result from the selective binding between the gold electrodes and amine link groups through a donor-acceptor bond to undercoordinated gold atoms. While the bond energy is modest, the maximum force sustained by the junction is comparable to, but less than, that required to break gold point contacts. The calculated tunnel coupling provides conductance trends for all 41 molecule measurements presented here, as well as insight into the variability of conductance due to the conformational changes within molecules with torsional degrees of freedom. The calculated trends agree to within a factor of two of the measured values for conductance ranging from 10-7 G0 to 10-2 G0, where G0 is the quantum of conductance (2e2/h).
Hybertsen Mark S.
Klare Jennifer E.
Nuckolls Colin
Steigerwald Michael L.
Venkataraman Latha
No associations
LandOfFree
Amine-Linked Single Molecule Circuits: Systematic Trends Across Molecular Families does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this scientific paper.
If you have personal experience with Amine-Linked Single Molecule Circuits: Systematic Trends Across Molecular Families, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Amine-Linked Single Molecule Circuits: Systematic Trends Across Molecular Families will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFWR-SCP-O-160595