Final published version
Research output: Contribution to Journal/Magazine › Journal article › peer-review
Research output: Contribution to Journal/Magazine › Journal article › peer-review
}
TY - JOUR
T1 - Side-Group-Mediated Mechanical Conductance Switching in Molecular Junctions
AU - Ismael, Ali Khalid
AU - Wang, Kun
AU - Vezzoli, Andrea
AU - Al-Khaykanee, Mohsin K.
AU - Gallagher, Harry E.
AU - Grace, Iain M.
AU - Lambert, Colin J.
AU - Xu, Bingqian
AU - Nichols, Richard J.
AU - Higgins, Simon J.
PY - 2017/11/27
Y1 - 2017/11/27
N2 - A key target in molecular electronics has been molecules having switchable electrical properties. Switching between two electrical states has been demonstrated using such stimuli as light, electrochemical voltage, complexation and mechanical modulation. A classic example of the latter is the switching of 4,4-bipyridine, leading to conductance modulation of around 1 order of magnitude. Here, we describe the use of side-group chemistry to control the properties of a single-molecule electromechanical switch, which can be cycled between two conductance states by repeated compression and elongation. While bulky alkyl substituents inhibit the switching behavior, -conjugated side-groups reinstate it. DFT calculations show that weak interactions between aryl moieties and the metallic electrodes are responsible for the observed phenomenon. This represents a significant expansion of the single-molecule electronics tool-box for the design of junctions with electromechanical properties.
AB - A key target in molecular electronics has been molecules having switchable electrical properties. Switching between two electrical states has been demonstrated using such stimuli as light, electrochemical voltage, complexation and mechanical modulation. A classic example of the latter is the switching of 4,4-bipyridine, leading to conductance modulation of around 1 order of magnitude. Here, we describe the use of side-group chemistry to control the properties of a single-molecule electromechanical switch, which can be cycled between two conductance states by repeated compression and elongation. While bulky alkyl substituents inhibit the switching behavior, -conjugated side-groups reinstate it. DFT calculations show that weak interactions between aryl moieties and the metallic electrodes are responsible for the observed phenomenon. This represents a significant expansion of the single-molecule electronics tool-box for the design of junctions with electromechanical properties.
KW - density functional calculations
KW - electron transport
KW - molecular electronics
KW - nanotechnology
KW - scanning probe microscopy
KW - ENERGY-LEVEL ALIGNMENT
KW - BREAK JUNCTION
KW - SINGLE
KW - CONDUCTIVITY
KW - DEPENDENCE
U2 - 10.1002/anie.201709419
DO - 10.1002/anie.201709419
M3 - Journal article
VL - 56
SP - 15378
EP - 15382
JO - Angewandte Chemie International Edition
JF - Angewandte Chemie International Edition
SN - 1433-7851
IS - 48
ER -