Electric Conduction Properties of Self-assembled Monolayer Films of Ru Complexes with Disulfide/Phosphonate Anchors in a Au-(Molecular Ensemble)-(Au Nanoparticle) Junction

Electric conduction properties of SAM films of Ru complexes with disulfide or phosphonate anchors have been measured by Au-nanoparticle-assisted conducting probe atomic force microscopy. The I-V curves of these films were nonlinear, and the resistivities depend on the headgroups and the layered structure in ways that can be explained by the contact resistance and the insulating effect of the Zn-phosphonate interlayer in metal-molecule-metal junctions. Asymmetry in these films causes a rectification effect on the I-V response.