Electric-Field-Induced Connectivity Switching in Single-Molecule Junctions.

Junyang Liu,Jie Bai,Yiling Ye,Chun Tang,Lichuan Chen,Jia Shi,Jueting Zheng,Xiaoyan Huang,Lijue Chen,Haiping Xia,Zhixin Chen,Zhewei Yan,Wenjing Hong,Zhaobin Chen

doi:10.1016/j.isci.2019.100770

Abstract

SummaryThe manipulation of molecule-electrode interaction is essential for the fabrication of molecular devices and determines the connectivity from electrodes to molecular components. Although the connectivity of molecular devices could be controlled by molecular design to place anchor groups in different positions of molecule backbones, the reversible switching of such connectivities remains challenging. Here, we develop an electric-field-induced strategy to switch the connectivity of single-molecule junctions reversibly, leading to the manipulation of different connectivities in the same molecular backbone. Our results offer a new concept of single-molecule manipulation and provide a feasible strategy to regulate molecule-electrode interaction.

Highlights

The interaction between molecular components and electrodes is of fundamental importance to fabricate molecular devices (Hines et al, 2013; Moth-Poulsen and Bjørnholm, 2009; Ratner, 2013; Su et al, 2016; Xiang et al, 2016a)
The manipulation of molecule-electrode interaction is essential for the fabrication of molecular devices and determines the connectivity from electrodes to molecular components
The connectivity of molecular devices could be controlled by molecular design to place anchor groups in different positions of molecule backbones, the reversible switching of such connectivities remains challenging

Summary

Introduction

The interaction between molecular components and electrodes is of fundamental importance to fabricate molecular devices (Hines et al, 2013; Moth-Poulsen and Bjørnholm, 2009; Ratner, 2013; Su et al, 2016; Xiang et al, 2016a). The connectivity of single-molecule junctions can determine the coupling site from the electrode to the molecule component, which has been utilized to construct a molecular switch by mechanical control (Aradhya et al, 2012a; Meisner et al, 2012; Quek et al, 2009). Such connectivity can regulate the coupling between electrodes and functional units of molecular components, which is essential for the design of molecular devices (Chen et al, 2017; Mayor et al, 2003; Xiang et al, 2016b). The efforts to reversibly tune the connectivity in the same molecular backbone would arouse new strategy to regulate the molecule-electrode interaction and lead to molecular devices with unique performances

Methods

Results

Discussion

Conclusion