| AVS 56th International Symposium & Exhibition | |
| Electronic Materials and Processing | Tuesday Sessions |
| Session EM-TuP |
| Session: | Electronic Materials and Processing Poster Session |
| Presenter: | M. Kim, The Pennsylvania State University |
| Authors: | M. Kim, The Pennsylvania State University J.N. Hohman, The Pennsylvania State University S.A. Claridge, The Pennsylvania State University H. Ma, University of Washington A.K.-Y. Jen, University of Washington P.S. Weiss, The Pennsylvania State University |
| Correspondent: | Click to Email |
Directed assembly and subsequent photomodulation of anthracene-terminated phenylethynylthiolate molecules provide a means to control charge transfer in molecular switches. These fully conjugated molecules were selectively inserted as lone molecules, or in pairs, into defect sites of n‑alkanethiolate monolayers on Au{111}. Control of the assembly and a fixed molecular conformation on the surface allow a regioselective [4+4] cycloaddition between adjacent anthracene moieties under ultraviolet illumination. This photodimerization breaks the delocalized π network of the anthracene, which results in a dramatic conductivity decrease, observed as a photomodulated “off” state. The reaction between molecules also reduces stochastic conductance switching.