Formation and Evolution of Single-Molecule Junctions
- 24 March 2009
- journal article
- research article
- Published by American Physical Society (APS) in Physical Review Letters
- Vol. 102 (12), 126803
- https://doi.org/10.1103/physrevlett.102.126803
Abstract
We analyze the formation and evolution statistics of single-molecule junctions bonded to gold electrodes using amine, methyl sulfide, and dimethyl phosphine link groups by measuring conductance as a function of junction elongation. For each link, the maximum elongation and formation probability increase with molecular length, strongly suggesting that processes other than just metal-molecule bond breakage play a key role in junction evolution under stress. Density functional theory calculations of adiabatic trajectories show sequences of atomic-scale changes in junction structure, including shifts in the attachment point, that account for the long conductance plateau lengths observed.Keywords
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