Fabrication of Nano-Gapped Single-Electron Transistors for Transport Studies of Individual Single-Molecule Magnets

摘要

Three terminal single-electron transistor devices utilizing Al/Al2O3 gateelectrodes were developed for the study of electron transport throughindividual single-molecule magnets. The devices were patterned via multiplelayers of optical and electron beam lithography. Electromigration inducedbreaking of the nanowires reliably produces 1-3 nm gaps between which the SMMcan be situated. Conductance through a single Mn12(3-thiophenecarboxylate)displays the coulomb blockade effect with several excitations within +/- 40meV.