Electronic and transport properties of azobenzene monolayer junctions as molecular switches

Details Electronic and transport properties of azobenzene monolayer junctions as molecular switches Electronic and transport properties of azobenzene monolayer junctions as molecular switches

2012-03-30

arxiv.org/abs/1203.6862v1

Physics

Condensed Matter

Mesoscale and Nanoscale Physics

10 pages, 11 figures, submitted

Scientific paper

We investigate from first-principles the change in transport properties of a two-dimensional azobenzene monolayer sandwiched between two Au electrodes that undergoes molecular switching. We focus on transport differences between a chemisorbed and physisorbed top monolayer-electrode contact. The conductance of the monolayer junction with a chemisorbed top contact is higher in \textit{trans} configuration, in agreement with the previous theoretical predictions of one-dimensional single molecule junctions. However, with a physisorbed top contact, the "ON" state with larger conductance is associated with the \textit{cis} configuration due to a reduced effective tunneling pathway by switching from \textit{trans} to \textit{cis}, which successfully explains recently experimental measurements of azobenzene monolayer junctions. A simple model is developed to explain electron transmission across subsystems in the molecular junction. We also discuss the effects of monolayer packing density, molecule tilt angle, and contact geometry on the calculated transmission functions. In particular, we find that a tip-like contact with chemisorption significantly affects the electric current through the \textit{cis} monolayer, leading to highly asymmetric current-voltage characteristics as well as large negative differential resistance behavior.

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