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Research output: Contribution to Journal/Magazine › Journal article › peer-review
Research output: Contribution to Journal/Magazine › Journal article › peer-review
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TY - JOUR
T1 - Tuning the thermoelectrical properties of anthracene-based self-assembled monolayers
AU - Ismael, A.
AU - Wang, X.
AU - Bennett, T.L.R.
AU - Wilkinson, L.A.
AU - Robinson, B.J.
AU - Long, N.J.
AU - Cohen, L.F.
AU - Lambert, C.J.
PY - 2020/7/14
Y1 - 2020/7/14
N2 - It is known that the electrical conductance of single molecules can be controlled in a deterministic manner by chemically varying their anchor groups to external electrodes. Here, by employing synthetic methodologies to vary the terminal anchor groups around aromatic anthracene cores, and by forming self-assembled monolayers (SAMs) of the resulting molecules, we demonstrate that this method of control can be translated into cross-plane SAM-on-gold molecular films. The cross-plane conductance of SAMs formed from anthracene-based molecules with four different combinations of anchors are measured to differ by a factor of approximately 3 in agreement with theoretical predictions. We also demonstrate that the Seebeck coefficient of such films can be boosted by more than an order of magnitude by an appropriate choice of anchor groups and that both positive and negative Seebeck coefficients can be realised. This demonstration that the thermoelectric properties of SAMs are controlled by their anchor groups represents a critical step towards functional ultra-thin-film devices for future molecular-scale electronics. © The Royal Society of Chemistry.
AB - It is known that the electrical conductance of single molecules can be controlled in a deterministic manner by chemically varying their anchor groups to external electrodes. Here, by employing synthetic methodologies to vary the terminal anchor groups around aromatic anthracene cores, and by forming self-assembled monolayers (SAMs) of the resulting molecules, we demonstrate that this method of control can be translated into cross-plane SAM-on-gold molecular films. The cross-plane conductance of SAMs formed from anthracene-based molecules with four different combinations of anchors are measured to differ by a factor of approximately 3 in agreement with theoretical predictions. We also demonstrate that the Seebeck coefficient of such films can be boosted by more than an order of magnitude by an appropriate choice of anchor groups and that both positive and negative Seebeck coefficients can be realised. This demonstration that the thermoelectric properties of SAMs are controlled by their anchor groups represents a critical step towards functional ultra-thin-film devices for future molecular-scale electronics. © The Royal Society of Chemistry.
KW - Anthracene
KW - Molecules
KW - Seebeck coefficient
KW - Thin film devices
KW - Ultrathin films
KW - Anchor groups
KW - Critical steps
KW - Electrical conductance
KW - Molecular films
KW - Molecular-scale electronics
KW - Single molecule
KW - Synthetic methodology
KW - Thermoelectric properties
KW - Self assembled monolayers
U2 - 10.1039/d0sc02193h
DO - 10.1039/d0sc02193h
M3 - Journal article
VL - 11
SP - 6836
EP - 6841
JO - Chemical Science
JF - Chemical Science
SN - 2041-6520
IS - 26
ER -