In this article, we report on the characterization of various molecular junctions＇ current-voltage characteristics （Ⅰ-Ⅴ curves） evolution under mechanical modulations, by employing a novel electrochemically assis...In this article, we report on the characterization of various molecular junctions＇ current-voltage characteristics （Ⅰ-Ⅴ curves） evolution under mechanical modulations, by employing a novel electrochemically assisted-mechanically controllable break junction （EC-MCBJ） method. For 1,4-benzenedithiol, the Ⅰ-Ⅴ curves measured at constant electrode pair separation show excellent reproducibility, indicating the feasibility of our EC-MCBJ method for fabricating molecular junctions. For ferrocene-bisvinylphenylmethyl dithiol （Fc-VPM）, an anomalous type of Ⅰ-Ⅴ curve was observed by the particular control over the stepping motor. This phenomenon is rationalized assuming a model of atomic contact evolution with the presence of molecular junctions. To test this hypothesized model, a molecule with a longer length, 1,3-butadiyne-linked dinuclear ruthenium（H） complex （Ru-1）, was implemented, and the Ⅰ-Ⅴ curve evolution was investigated under similar circumstances. Compared with Fc-VPM, the observed Ⅰ-Ⅴ curves show close analogy and minor differences, and both of them fit the hypothesized model well.展开更多
In this article, we report on the fabrication and transport measurements of Cu quantum point contacts prepared by a novel, electrochemically assisted mechanically controllable break junction （EC-MCBJ） method. By emp...In this article, we report on the fabrication and transport measurements of Cu quantum point contacts prepared by a novel, electrochemically assisted mechanically controllable break junction （EC-MCBJ） method. By employing photolithography and wet-etching processes, suspended electrode pairs were patterned and fabricated successfully on Si microchips. Rather than adopting an acid Cu electroplating solution, a novel alkaline electroplating solution was developed and utilized to establish Cu nanocontacts between electrode pairs. Typically, the widths of the as-fabricated Cu nanocontacts were found to be smaller than 18 nm. A large number of Cu quantum point contacts were then produced and characterized by a home-built MCBJ setup. In addition to the conventional histogram, where peaks tend to decrease in amplitude with increasing conductance, an anomalous type of conductance histogram, exhibiting different peak amplitudes, was observed. Through statistical analysis of the maximum allowable bending of the Si microchips, and theoretical calculations, we demonstrated that our alkaline Cu electroplating solution affords Cu nanocontacts that are compatible with subsequent MCBJ operations, which is essential for the fabrication of Cu quantum point contacts. As sophisticated e-beam lithography is not required, the EC-MCBJ method is fast, simple, and cost-effective. Moreover, it is likely to be suitable for the fabrication and characterization of quantum point contacts of various metals from their respective electroplating solutions.展开更多
We report an electrochemically assisted mechanically controllable break junction （EC-MCBJ） approach to investigating single molecule conductance. Electrode pairs connected with a gold nanobridge were fabricated by e...We report an electrochemically assisted mechanically controllable break junction （EC-MCBJ） approach to investigating single molecule conductance. Electrode pairs connected with a gold nanobridge were fabricated by electrochemical deposition and then mounted on a homebuilt MCBJ platform. A large number of Au- molecule-Au junctions were produced sequentially by repeated breaking and reconnecting of the gold nanobridge. In order to measure their single molecule conductance, statistical conductance histograms were generated for benzene-l,4-dithiol （BDT） and 4,4＇-bipyridine （BPY）. The values extracted from these histograms were found to be in the same range as values previously reported in the literature. Our method is distinct from the ones used to acquire these previously reported literature values, however, in that it is faster, simpler, more cost-effective, and changing the electrode material is more convenient.展开更多
基金This work was supported by the National Basic Research Program of China （Nos. 2011YQ030124, 2014CB845603, and 2015CB932301）, National Natural Science Foundation of China （Nos. 91427304, 21321062, 21303114, 21403181, and 21503179）, Natural Science Foundation of Fujian Province （No. 2012J05034）, and by CNRS UMR 8640 PASTEUR and LIA CNRS NanoBioCatEchem.
文摘In this article, we report on the characterization of various molecular junctions＇ current-voltage characteristics （Ⅰ-Ⅴ curves） evolution under mechanical modulations, by employing a novel electrochemically assisted-mechanically controllable break junction （EC-MCBJ） method. For 1,4-benzenedithiol, the Ⅰ-Ⅴ curves measured at constant electrode pair separation show excellent reproducibility, indicating the feasibility of our EC-MCBJ method for fabricating molecular junctions. For ferrocene-bisvinylphenylmethyl dithiol （Fc-VPM）, an anomalous type of Ⅰ-Ⅴ curve was observed by the particular control over the stepping motor. This phenomenon is rationalized assuming a model of atomic contact evolution with the presence of molecular junctions. To test this hypothesized model, a molecule with a longer length, 1,3-butadiyne-linked dinuclear ruthenium（H） complex （Ru-1）, was implemented, and the Ⅰ-Ⅴ curve evolution was investigated under similar circumstances. Compared with Fc-VPM, the observed Ⅰ-Ⅴ curves show close analogy and minor differences, and both of them fit the hypothesized model well.
基金Acknowledgements This work was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China （Nos. 21503179, 21403181, 61573295, 21522508, 21673195, 21533006, and 61071010）, the National Basic Research Program of China （No. 2015CB932300）, the Natural Science Foundation of Fujian Province （No. 2016J05162）, the Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities in China （Xiamen University, Nos. 20720170035 and 20720160092）, and the Young Thousand Talent Project of China.
文摘In this article, we report on the fabrication and transport measurements of Cu quantum point contacts prepared by a novel, electrochemically assisted mechanically controllable break junction （EC-MCBJ） method. By employing photolithography and wet-etching processes, suspended electrode pairs were patterned and fabricated successfully on Si microchips. Rather than adopting an acid Cu electroplating solution, a novel alkaline electroplating solution was developed and utilized to establish Cu nanocontacts between electrode pairs. Typically, the widths of the as-fabricated Cu nanocontacts were found to be smaller than 18 nm. A large number of Cu quantum point contacts were then produced and characterized by a home-built MCBJ setup. In addition to the conventional histogram, where peaks tend to decrease in amplitude with increasing conductance, an anomalous type of conductance histogram, exhibiting different peak amplitudes, was observed. Through statistical analysis of the maximum allowable bending of the Si microchips, and theoretical calculations, we demonstrated that our alkaline Cu electroplating solution affords Cu nanocontacts that are compatible with subsequent MCBJ operations, which is essential for the fabrication of Cu quantum point contacts. As sophisticated e-beam lithography is not required, the EC-MCBJ method is fast, simple, and cost-effective. Moreover, it is likely to be suitable for the fabrication and characterization of quantum point contacts of various metals from their respective electroplating solutions.
文摘We report an electrochemically assisted mechanically controllable break junction （EC-MCBJ） approach to investigating single molecule conductance. Electrode pairs connected with a gold nanobridge were fabricated by electrochemical deposition and then mounted on a homebuilt MCBJ platform. A large number of Au- molecule-Au junctions were produced sequentially by repeated breaking and reconnecting of the gold nanobridge. In order to measure their single molecule conductance, statistical conductance histograms were generated for benzene-l,4-dithiol （BDT） and 4,4＇-bipyridine （BPY）. The values extracted from these histograms were found to be in the same range as values previously reported in the literature. Our method is distinct from the ones used to acquire these previously reported literature values, however, in that it is faster, simpler, more cost-effective, and changing the electrode material is more convenient.
