Reproducible measurement of single-molecule conductivity

X. D. Cui; A. Primak; X. Zarate; J. Tomfohr; O. F. Sankey; A. L. Moore; T. A. Moore; D. Gust; Gari Harris; S. M. Lindsay

doi:10.1126/science.1064354

Reproducible measurement of single-molecule conductivity

X. D. Cui
, A. Primak
, X. Zarate
, J. Tomfohr
, O. F. Sankey
, A. L. Moore
, T. A. Moore
, D. Gust
, Gari Harris
, S. M. Lindsay

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

1270 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

A reliable method has been developed for making through-bond electrical contacts to molecules. Current-voltage curves are quantized as integer multiples of one fundamental curve, an observation used to identify single-molecule contacts. The resistance of a single octanedithiol molecule was 900 ± 50 megohms, based on measurements on more than 1000 single molecules. In contrast, nonbonded contacts to octanethiol monolayers were at least four orders of magnitude more resistive, less reproducible, and had a different voltage dependence, demonstrating that the measurement of intrinsic molecular properties requires chemically bonded contacts.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	571-574
Number of pages	4
Journal	Science
Volume	294
Issue number	5542
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1126/science.1064354
Publication status	Published - 2001

Keywords

Electrical conductivity
Single-molecule conductivity
Electrical contacts
Current voltage characteristics
Chemical bonds

Access to Document

10.1126/science.1064354

Cite this

@article{fb49edd0ae89433b965903bdf82b0f76,

title = "Reproducible measurement of single-molecule conductivity",

abstract = "A reliable method has been developed for making through-bond electrical contacts to molecules. Current-voltage curves are quantized as integer multiples of one fundamental curve, an observation used to identify single-molecule contacts. The resistance of a single octanedithiol molecule was 900 ± 50 megohms, based on measurements on more than 1000 single molecules. In contrast, nonbonded contacts to octanethiol monolayers were at least four orders of magnitude more resistive, less reproducible, and had a different voltage dependence, demonstrating that the measurement of intrinsic molecular properties requires chemically bonded contacts.",

keywords = "Electrical conductivity, Single-molecule conductivity, Electrical contacts, Current voltage characteristics, Chemical bonds",

author = "Cui, \{X. D.\} and A. Primak and X. Zarate and J. Tomfohr and Sankey, \{O. F.\} and Moore, \{A. L.\} and Moore, \{T. A.\} and D. Gust and Gari Harris and Lindsay, \{S. M.\}",

note = "dc.publisher: American Association for the Advancement of Science dc.description.sponsorship: NSF ",

year = "2001",

doi = "10.1126/science.1064354",

language = "English",

volume = "294",

pages = "571--574",

journal = "Science",

issn = "0036-8075",

publisher = "American Association for the Advancement of Science",

number = "5542",

}

TY - JOUR

T1 - Reproducible measurement of single-molecule conductivity

AU - Cui, X. D.

AU - Primak, A.

AU - Zarate, X.

AU - Tomfohr, J.

AU - Sankey, O. F.

AU - Moore, A. L.

AU - Moore, T. A.

AU - Gust, D.

AU - Harris, Gari

AU - Lindsay, S. M.

N1 - dc.publisher: American Association for the Advancement of Science dc.description.sponsorship: NSF

PY - 2001

Y1 - 2001

N2 - A reliable method has been developed for making through-bond electrical contacts to molecules. Current-voltage curves are quantized as integer multiples of one fundamental curve, an observation used to identify single-molecule contacts. The resistance of a single octanedithiol molecule was 900 ± 50 megohms, based on measurements on more than 1000 single molecules. In contrast, nonbonded contacts to octanethiol monolayers were at least four orders of magnitude more resistive, less reproducible, and had a different voltage dependence, demonstrating that the measurement of intrinsic molecular properties requires chemically bonded contacts.

AB - A reliable method has been developed for making through-bond electrical contacts to molecules. Current-voltage curves are quantized as integer multiples of one fundamental curve, an observation used to identify single-molecule contacts. The resistance of a single octanedithiol molecule was 900 ± 50 megohms, based on measurements on more than 1000 single molecules. In contrast, nonbonded contacts to octanethiol monolayers were at least four orders of magnitude more resistive, less reproducible, and had a different voltage dependence, demonstrating that the measurement of intrinsic molecular properties requires chemically bonded contacts.

KW - Electrical conductivity

KW - Single-molecule conductivity

KW - Electrical contacts

KW - Current voltage characteristics

KW - Chemical bonds

U2 - 10.1126/science.1064354

DO - 10.1126/science.1064354

M3 - Article

SN - 0036-8075

VL - 294

SP - 571

EP - 574

JO - Science

JF - Science

IS - 5542

ER -

Reproducible measurement of single-molecule conductivity

Abstract

Keywords

Access to Document

Fingerprint

Cite this