Multistate switching of scanning tunnelling microscopy machined polyoxovanadate–dysprosium–phthalocyanine nanopatterns on graphite

Abstract

We demonstrate the formation of stable monolayers of polyoxometalates on a graphite substrate, which can be electronically multi-level switched and nanostructured without physical contact by the electric field of a scanning tunnelling microscope tip.

Oxovanadium electronics for in-memory, neuromorphic, and quantum computing applications

“…1b and c), the bis(trisalkoxo)-ligated Lindqvist-type hexavanadates 55 with octahedrally coordinated vanadium( v ) centres and the tubular dodecavanadate cages composed of square-pyramidal VO 5 5− groups (one lacunary position is covalently blocked by a lanthanide (Ln) phthalocyanine moiety 56 ) have emerged to be promising polyoxometalate (POM) candidates for molecular charge- and resistance-based memories. 57,58 These ion species show unprecedented physical multi-state switching at the level of single molecules 59,60 as well as thin films 61 in response to an external potential-induced electrical field of a scanning tunneling microscope (STM) tip. As soluble compounds, these polyoxovanadates can be processed from solution to the gas phase 62 and onto surfaces.…”

“…Recently, a technologically important departure from experiments with single molecules 65 to the solution-processed formation and multi-state switching of monolayers of polyoxovanadates 61 has been realised. The latter can be modified into structured patterns by using STM nanomachining.…”