Photo-induced carbocation-enhanced charge transport in single-molecule junctions.

Chemical Science
Zhongwu BeiJin Li

Abstract

We report the first example of photo-induced carbocation-enhanced charge transport in triphenylmethane junctions using the scanning tunneling microscopy break junction (STM-BJ) technique. The electrical conductance of the carbocation state is enhanced by up to 1.5 orders of magnitude compared to the initial state, with stability lasting for at least 7 days. Moreover, we can achieve light-induced reversible conductance switching with a high ON-OFF ratio in carbocation-based single-molecule junctions. Theoretical calculations reveal that the conductance increase is due to a significant decrease of the HOMO-LUMO gap and also the enhanced transmission close to the Fermi levels when the carbocation forms. Our findings encourage continued research toward developing optoelectronics and carbocation-based devices at the single-molecule level.

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Citations

May 6, 2021·Nanoscale Horizons : the Home for Rapid Reports of Exceptional Significance in Nanoscience and Nanotechnolgy·Zhikai ZhaoDong Xiang

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Methods Mentioned

BETA
scanning tunneling microscopy

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