Room-temperature negative differential resistance in nanoscale molecular junctions

Abstract

Molecular devices are reported utilizing active self-assembled monolayers containing the nitroamine [2′-amino-4,4′-di(ethynylphenyl)-5′-nitro-1-benzenethiolate] or the nitro compound [4,4′-di(ethynylphenyl)-2′-nitro-1-benzenethiolate] as the active components. Both of these compounds have active redox centers. Current–voltage measurements of the devices exhibited negative differential resistance at room temperature and an on–off peak-to-valley ratio in excess of 1000:1 at low temperature.