Negative Differential Conductance in Polyporphyrin Oligomers with Nonlinear Backbones

We study negative -differential conductance (NDC) effects in polyporphyrin oligomers with nonlinear backbones. Using a low-temperature scanning tunneling microscope, we selectively controlled the charge transport path in single oligomer wires. We observed robust NDC when charge passed through a T-shape junction, bistable NDC when charge passed through a 90 degrees kink and no NDC when charge passed through ,a 120 degrees kink. Aided by density functional -theory with nonequilibrium Green's functions simulations, we attributed this backbone-dependent NDC to bias-modulated hybridization of the electrode states with the resonant transport molecular orbital. We argue this mechanism is generic in molecular systems, which opens a new route of designing molecular NDC devices.