One-Nanometer Thin Monolayers Remove the Deleterious Effect of Substrate Defects in Molecular Tunnel Junctions

Nano Letters
Li JiangChristian A Nijhuis

Abstract

Defects in self-assembled monolayer (SAMs) based junctions cause the largest deviation between predicted and measured values of the tunnelling current. We report the remarkable, seemingly counterintuitive finding that shorter, less-ordered SAMs provide, unlike taller crystalline-like SAMs, higher quality tunnelling barriers on defective substrates, which points to self-repair of liquid-like SAMs on defects. The molecular dynamics show that short-chain molecules can more easily rotate into low-density boundary regions and smoothen out defects than thick solid-like SAMs. Our findings point to an attractive means of removing their deleterious effects simply by using flexible molecules.

References

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Citations

Sep 20, 2016·Langmuir : the ACS Journal of Surfaces and Colloids·Zhengjia WangMartin Thuo
Mar 1, 2017·Physical Chemistry Chemical Physics : PCCP·Jiahao ChenMartin M Thuo
Feb 24, 2021·Journal of the American Chemical Society·Lee BeldingGeorge M Whitesides
Jun 10, 2021·Nature Communications·Xiaoping ChenChristian A Nijhuis
Jul 22, 2017·The Journal of Physical Chemistry. C, Nanomaterials and Interfaces·Yanxi ZhangRyan C Chiechi
Aug 5, 2017·Langmuir : the ACS Journal of Surfaces and Colloids·Jiahao ChenMartin M Thuo
Jan 20, 2021·The Journal of Physical Chemistry Letters·Hungu KangHyo Jae Yoon
Aug 21, 2021·Journal of the American Chemical Society·Chuanshen DuMartin Thuo
Feb 9, 2017·Chemical Reviews·Ayelet VilanDavid Cahen
Jan 18, 2020·Journal of the American Chemical Society·Senthil Kumar KaruppannanChristian A Nijhuis

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