Three‐State Single‐Molecule Naphthalenediimide Switch: Integration of a Pendant Redox Unit for Conductance Tuning. Issue 46 (25th September 2015)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Li, Yonghai; Baghernejad, Masoud; Qusiy, Al‐Galiby; Zsolt Manrique, David; Zhang, Guanxin; Hamill, Joseph; Fu, Yongchun; Broekmann, Peter; Hong, Wenjing; Wandlowski, Thomas; Zhang, Deqing; Lambert, Colin
• Is Part Of: Angewandte Chemie international edition. Volume 54:Issue 46(2015)
• Page Start: 13586
• Page End: 13589
• Publication Date: 2015-09-25
• Subjects: break junction -- electrochemical gating -- molecular electronics -- naphthalenediimide -- single molecule studies; Chemistry -- Periodicals; 540
• DOI: 10.1002/anie.201506458
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1433-7851

Abstract

Abstract: We studied charge transport through core‐substituted naphthalenediimide (NDI) single‐molecule junctions using the electrochemical STM‐based break‐junction technique in combination with DFT calculations. Conductance switching among three well‐defined states was demonstrated by electrochemically controlling the redox state of the pendent diimide unit of the molecule in an ionic liquid. The electrical conductances of the dianion and neutral states differ by more than one order of magnitude. The potential‐dependence of the charge‐transport characteristics of the NDI molecules was confirmed by DFT calculations, which account for electrochemical double‐layer effects on the conductance of the NDI junctions. This study suggests that integration of a pendant redox unit with strong coupling to a molecular backbone enables the tuning of charge transport through single‐molecule devices by controlling their redox states. Abstract : Charge‐transport phenomena through core‐substituted naphthalenediimide (NDI) single‐molecule junctions have been studied using the electrochemical scanning‐tunneling microscopy based break‐junction technique in combination with DFT calculations. Three well‐distinguished conductance states of the NDI molecule could be accessed, which can be reversibly switched by adjusting the potential.