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Room-temperature Single-molecule Conductance Switch via Confined Coordination-induced Spin-State Manipulation

Research output: Contribution to Journal/MagazineJournal articlepeer-review

E-pub ahead of print
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<mark>Journal publication date</mark>21/05/2021
<mark>Journal</mark>CCS Chemistry
Publication StatusE-pub ahead of print
Early online date21/05/21
<mark>Original language</mark>English

Abstract

The emerging of molecular spintronics offers a unique chance for the design of molecular devices with different spin-state, and the control of spin-state becomes essential for molecular spin switches. However, the intrinsic spin switching from low-spin to high-spin state is a temperature-dependent process with a small energy barrier that low temperature is required to maintain the low-spin state, and thus the room-temperature operation of single-molecule devices have not yet been achieved. Here, we present a reversible single-molecule conductance switch by manipulating the spin states of the molecule at room temperature using the scanning tunneling microscope break-junction (STM-BJ) technique. The manipulation of the spin states between S = 0 and S = 1 is achieved by complexing or decomplexing the pyridine derivative molecule with the square planar nickel(II) porphyrin. The bias-dependent conductance evolution proved that the strong electric field between the nanoelectrodes plays a crucial role in the coordination reaction. The DFT calculations further revealed that the conductance changes come from the geometry change of the porphyrin ring and spin-state switching of Ni(II) ion. Our work provides a new avenue to investigate room-temperature spin-related sensors and molecular spintronics.