AVS 50th International Symposium
    Surface Science Tuesday Sessions
       Session SS-TuP

Paper SS-TuP17
Conductance Switching of Single Molecules in Alkanethiolate Self Assembled Monolayers

Tuesday, November 4, 2003, 5:30 pm, Room Hall A-C

Session: Poster Session
Presenter: A.M. Moore, The Pennsylvania State University
Authors: A.M. Moore, The Pennsylvania State University
Z.J. Donhauser, The Pennsylvania State University
J.M. Tour, Rice University
P.S. Weiss, The Pennsylvania State University
Correspondent: Click to Email
Phenylene ethynylene oligomers (OPE) have been studied as candidates for molecular electronic devices using scanning tunneling microscopy (STM). These molecules were inserted into host alkanethiolate self-assembled monolayers (SAMs) for isolation and individual addressability. OPE molecules were probed using STM and exhibited reversible conductance switching, which is observed as a change in the topographic height of the molecule in the STM images. The rate of active switching has been shown to be mediated by the structure of the host matrix. Using shorter chain alkanethiolate SAMs we have shown multistate switching of these molecules and have suggested molecular motion changing the molecule to substrate contact conductance. Analysis of this switching mechanism has involved changing functionality, bonding, size and rotational freedom of the molecules under study.