Pal Atindra Nath, Klein Tal, Vilan Ayelet, Tal Oren
Department of Chemical and Biological Physics, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot 7610001, Israel.
Department of Condensed Matter Physics and Material Sciences, S. N. Bose National Centre for Basic Sciences, Block JD, Sector III, Salt Lake, Kolkata 700 106, India.
Beilstein J Nanotechnol. 2018 May 17;9:1471-1477. doi: 10.3762/bjnano.9.138. eCollection 2018.
Single-molecule junctions are versatile test beds for electronic transport at the atomic scale. However, not much is known about the early formation steps of such junctions. Here, we study the electronic transport properties of premature junction configurations before the realization of a single-molecule bridge based on vanadocene molecules and silver electrodes. With the aid of conductance measurements, inelastic electron spectroscopy and shot noise analysis, we identify the formation of a single-molecule junction in parallel to a single-atom junction and examine the interplay between these two conductance pathways. Furthermore, the role of this structure in the formation of single-molecule junctions is studied. Our findings reveal the conductance and structural properties of premature molecular junction configurations and uncover the different scenarios in which a single-molecule junction is formed. Future control over such processes may pave the way for directed formation of preferred junction structures.
单分子结是用于原子尺度电子输运的多功能测试平台。然而，对于此类结的早期形成步骤，人们了解得并不多。在此，我们研究了基于二茂钒分子和银电极实现单分子桥之前的过早结构型的电子输运性质。借助电导测量、非弹性电子光谱和散粒噪声分析，我们确定了与单原子结并行形成的单分子结，并研究了这两条电导路径之间的相互作用。此外，还研究了这种结构在单分子结形成中的作用。我们的研究结果揭示了过早分子结构型的电导和结构性质，并揭示了形成单分子结的不同情形。对这些过程的未来控制可能为定向形成优选的结结构铺平道路。
