Single-Molecule Doping: Conductance Changed By Transition Metal Centers in Salen Molecules

The creation of molecular components for use as electronic devices has made enormous progress. In order to advance the field further toward realistic electronic concepts, methods for the controlled modification of the conducting properties of the molecules contacted by metallic electrodes need to be further developed. Here a comprehensive study of charge transport in a class of molecules that allows modifications by introducing metal centers into organic structures is presented. Single molecules are electrically contacted and characterized in order to understand the role of the metal centers in the conductance mechanism through the molecular junctions. It is shown that the presence of single metal ions modifies the energy levels and the coupling of the molecules to the electrical contacts, and that these modifications lead to systematic variations in the statistical behavior of transport properties of the molecular junctions. A rigorous statistical analysis of thousands of junctions is performed to reveal this correlation. The understanding of the role of the metal ion in the resulting conductance properties is an essential step toward the development of molecular electronic circuits.

Automated summary

This study presents a comprehensive investigation of charge transport in a class of molecules that allows modifications by introducing metal centers into organic structures. It is found that the presence of single metal ions can modify the energy levels and the coupling of the molecules to the electrical contacts, leading to systematic variations in the statistical behavior of transport properties of the molecular junctions. The understanding of the role of the metal ion in the resulting conductance properties is crucial for the development of molecular electronic circuits.