Resonance capture of electrons by electroactive organic molecules

Abstract

Bound states of electrons with electroactive aromatic molecules, promising for use in molecular electronics, are studied employing electron attachment spectroscopy Anions are produced in the gas phase through the capture of electrons with energies of up to 15 eV by molecules via the resonance mechanism. The possible pathways of fragmentation of molecular anions and the times of electron retention by the test molecules at various incident electron energies are measured. The resonance states identified are interpreted with the help of quantum-chemical calculations. The possibility of applying the results obtained to molecular electronics is discussed.