Solvent-molecule interaction induced gating of charge transport through single-molecule junctions

Tang, Zheng; Hou, Songjun; Wu, Qingqing; Tan, Zhibing; Zheng, Jueting; Li, Ruihao; Liu, Junyang; Yang, Yang; Sadeghi, Hatef; Shi, Jia; Grace, Iain; Lambert, Colin J.; Hong, Wenjing

doi:10.1016/j.scib.2020.03.012

Cited by 18 publications

(22 citation statements)

References 44 publications

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“…The conductance is also responsive to the alternation of solvent polarity. The AA conformers can transport charges effectively in no need of a polar environment, which is helpful in avoiding higher background noise 66 . Although the AA conformers possess weak throughbond conjugation because of the highly twisted molecular backbones, their conductance is much superior to that of linear p-PP isomer, demonstrating the effective compensating conductance stemming from through-space coupling between closely stacked aromatic rings.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Mechanical single-molecule potentiometers with large switching factors from ortho-pentaphenylene foldamers

Shen

Zhen

et al. 2021

Nat Commun

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Molecular potentiometers that can indicate displacement-conductance relationship, and predict and control molecular conductance are of significant importance but rarely developed. Herein, single-molecule potentiometers are designed based on ortho-pentaphenylene. The ortho-pentaphenylene derivatives with anchoring groups adopt multiple folded conformers and undergo conformational interconversion in solutions. Solvent-sensitive multiple conductance originating from different conformers is recorded by scanning tunneling microscopy break junction technique. These pseudo-elastic folded molecules can be stretched and compressed by mechanical force along with a variable conductance by up to two orders of magnitude, providing an impressively higher switching factor (114) than the reported values (ca. 1~25). The multichannel conductance governed by through-space and through-bond conducting pathways is rationalized as the charge transport mechanism for the folded ortho-pentaphenylene derivatives. These findings shed light on exploring robust single-molecule potentiometers based on helical structures, and are conducive to fundamental understanding of charge transport in higher-order helical molecules.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Mechanical single-molecule potentiometers with large switching factors from ortho-pentaphenylene foldamers

Shen

Zhen

et al. 2021

Nat Commun

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“…The 50% change in conductance was turned out to be the influence of the affinity of solvent molecule binding to Au atoms and the induced dipole upon adsorption. Tang et al [60] further illustrated that a proper anchor group could significantly affect the solvent-molecule interactions, thus resulting in a significant gating effect.…”

Section: Switch Based On Electrochemical Gatingmentioning

confidence: 99%

Towards Responsive Single‐Molecule Device

et al. 2021

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Single‐molecule devices, which are fabricated by the single molecule bridged through electrodes, provide a promising approach to investigate the intrinsic chemical or physical properties of individual molecules. Beyond the studies of single‐molecule wires, a large number of responsive single‐molecule junctions or devices with unique chemical or physical properties have been designed and fabricated by introducing the external field, which further offers the chance to explore conductive materials at the molecular level. Here, we summarized the latest studies on the behaviors of single‐molecule devices based on the photon, thermal, electric, or magnetic responses, and discussed the development of responsive single‐molecule devices in prospect.

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“…observed temperature dependent electron transport through single redox molecules in the aqueous electrolyte suggesting a strong coupling of the redox states to water molecules. The latest report of Tang et al [15] . stressed again the importance of the solvent–molecule interactions and solvent polarity.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 98%

“…Later a suitable solvent was used to realize electrochemical gating between several single‐molecule conductance states in ON/OFF switches for molecular electronics [20, 29, 30] . The environmental control was also essential for the achievement of high rectification ratio in single‐molecule diodes [4] and the notion of solvent gating was introduced [15] …”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Environmental Control of Single‐Molecule Junction Evolution and Conductance: A Case Study of Expanded Pyridinium Wiring

et al. 2021

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Environmental control of single‐molecule junction evolution and conductance was demonstrated for expanded pyridinium molecules by scanning tunneling microscopy break junction method and interpreted by quantum transport calculations including solvent molecules explicitly. Fully extended and highly conducting molecular junctions prevail in water environment as opposed to short and less conducting junctions formed in non‐solvating mesitylene. A theoretical approach correctly models single‐molecule conductance values considering the experimental junction length. Most pronounced difference in the molecular junction formation and conductance was identified for a molecule with the highest stabilization energy on the gold substrate confirming the importance of molecule–electrode interactions. Presented concept of tuning conductance through molecule–electrode interactions in the solvent‐driven junctions can be used in the development of new molecular electronic devices.

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Solvent-molecule interaction induced gating of charge transport through single-molecule junctions

Cited by 18 publications

References 44 publications

Mechanical single-molecule potentiometers with large switching factors from ortho-pentaphenylene foldamers

Mechanical single-molecule potentiometers with large switching factors from ortho-pentaphenylene foldamers

Towards Responsive Single‐Molecule Device

Environmental Control of Single‐Molecule Junction Evolution and Conductance: A Case Study of Expanded Pyridinium Wiring

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