Resonant tunnelling through a C60 molecular junction in a liquid environment

Abstract

We present electronic transport measurements through thiolatedC60 molecules in a liquid environment. The molecules were placed within a mechanically controllablebreak junction using a single anchoring group per molecule. On varying the electrode separation ofthe C60-modified junctions, we observed a peak in the conductance traces. The shape of the curvesis strongly influenced by the environment of the junction as shown by measurements in twodistinct solvents. In the framework of a simple resonant tunnelling model, we can extractthe electronic tunnelling rates governing the transport properties of the junctions.