Molecule of the Month
July 2019
Self-Assembled Molecular-Electronic Films
Controlled by Room Temperature Quantum Interference

We demonstrate unequivocal signatures of room-temperature quantum interference (QI) in vertical tunneling transistors, formed from self-assembled monolayers (SAMs), with stable room-temperature switching operations.
As a result of constructive QI effects, the conductances of the junctions formed from anthanthrene-based molecules with two different connectivities differ by a factor of 34, which can further increase to 173 by controlling the molecule-electrode interface with different terminal groups.

This work was conducted by Dr. Shi-Xia Liu in collaboration with UCLA (USA), Lancaster University (UK), and Hunan University (China).

References:

  • M. Famili, C. Jia, X. Liu, P. Wang, I. M. Grace, J. Guo, Y. Liu, Z. Feng, Y. Wang, Z. Zhao, S. Decurtins, R. Häner, Y. Huang, S.-X. Liu, C. J. Lambert, X. Duan;
    "Self-Assembled Molecular-Electronic Films Controlled by Room Temperature Quantum Interference"
    Chem, 2019, 5(2), 474-484; doi:10.1016/j.chempr.2018.12.008.