Reproducible measurement of single-molecule conductivity

Science. 2001 Oct 19;294(5542):571-4. doi: 10.1126/science.1064354.

Abstract

A reliable method has been developed for making through-bond electrical contacts to molecules. Current-voltage curves are quantized as integer multiples of one fundamental curve, an observation used to identify single-molecule contacts. The resistance of a single octanedithiol molecule was 900 +/- 50 megohms, based on measurements on more than 1000 single molecules. In contrast, nonbonded contacts to octanethiol monolayers were at least four orders of magnitude more resistive, less reproducible, and had a different voltage dependence, demonstrating that the measurement of intrinsic molecular properties requires chemically bonded contacts.

Publication types

  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Chemical Phenomena
  • Chemistry, Physical
  • Electric Conductivity*
  • Electrochemistry
  • Gold
  • Microscopy, Scanning Tunneling
  • Reproducibility of Results
  • Sulfhydryl Compounds / chemistry*

Substances

  • Sulfhydryl Compounds
  • n-octanethiol
  • Gold