Conduction mechanisms and stability of single molecule nanoparticle/moleculeanoparticle junctions

摘要

Nanoparticle/moleculeanoparticle dimer assemblies have been successfully trapped by dielectrophoresis across nanogap electrodes, enabling temperature dependent charge transport measurements through an oligomeric phenylene ethynylene molecule, and transition from direct tunnelling to Fowler-Nordheim tunnelling is observed at similar to 1.5 V. Samples formed by dielectrophoresis show better contact stability than those formed by receding meniscus. The junction shows stable operation over several weeks in a vacuum, but current increases with time upon exposure to air, possibly due to the adsorbed water molecules near the molecule/gold nanoparticle contacts.