Selective Fabrication of Single‐Molecule Junctions by Interface Engineering. Issue 48 (5th November 2020)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Zeng, Biao‐Feng; Wang, Gan; Qian, Qiao‐Zan; Chen, Zhi‐Xin; Zhang, Xia‐Guang; Lu, Zhi‐Xing; Zhao, Shi‐Qiang; Feng, An‐Ni; Shi, Jia; Yang, Yang; Hong, Wenjing
• Is Part Of: Small. Volume 16:Issue 48(2020)
• Page Start: n/a
• Page End: n/a
• Publication Date: 2020-11-05
• Subjects: electrode interface -- molecular electronics -- single‐molecule conductance -- STM‐break junction; Nanotechnology -- Periodicals; Nanoparticles -- Periodicals; Microtechnology -- Periodicals; 620.5
• DOI: 10.1002/smll.202004720
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1613-6810

Abstract

Abstract: Recent progress in addressing electrically driven single‐molecule behaviors has opened up a path toward the controllable fabrication of molecular devices. Herein, the selective fabrication of single‐molecule junctions is achieved by employing the external electric field. For molecular junctions with methylthio (–SMe), thioacetate (–SAc), amine (–NH2 ), and pyridyl (–PY), the evolution of their formation probabilities along with the electric field is extracted from the plateau analysis of individual single‐molecule break junction traces. With the increase of the electric field, the SMe‐anchored molecules show a different trend in the formation probability compared to the other molecular junctions, which is consistent with the density functional theory calculations. Furthermore, switching from an SMe‐anchored junction to an SAc‐anchored junction is realized by altering the electric field in a mixed solution. The results in this work provide a new approach to the controllable fabrication and modulation of single‐molecule junctions and other bottom‐up nanodevices at molecular scales. Abstract : The selective fabrication of single‐molecule junctions is achieved by interface engineering under the external electric field. This work offers an unprecedented opportunity to investigate single‐molecule behaviors, manipulate single‐molecule in solution, and integrate functional molecules into the specific sites of molecular devices.