Room-temperature negative differential resistance in nanoscale molecular junctions

Molecular devices are reported utilizing active self-assembled monolayers containing the nitroamine [2'-amino-4,4'-di(ethynylphenyl)-5'-nitro-1-benzenethiolate] or the nitro compound [4,4'-di(ethynylphenyl)-2'-nitro-1-benzenethiolate] as the active components. Both of these compounds have active redox centers. Current-voltage measurements of the devices exhibited negative differential resistance at room temperature and an on-off peak-to-valley ratio in excess of 1000:1 at low temperature. (C) 2000 American Institute of Physics. [S0003-6951(00)03234-4].