Abstract
The electromechanical properties of a single molecule covalently attached to two gold electrodes are studied by simultaneously measuring the conductance and the force during the stretching of the molecule. The conductance, the spring constant of the molecular junction, and the dependence of the conductance on the stretching force are determined. Like the conductance, the spring constant of a molecule depends also on the molecule-electrode contacts. The forces required to break the molecule-gold contacts are 1.5 nN for alkanedithiols and 0.8 nN for 4,4′ bipyridine, indicating that the breakdowns take place at the Au-Au bond and at the N-Au bond, respectively.
Original language | English (US) |
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Pages (from-to) | 16164-16165 |
Number of pages | 2 |
Journal | Journal of the American Chemical Society |
Volume | 125 |
Issue number | 52 |
DOIs | |
State | Published - Dec 31 2003 |
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Catalysis
- General Chemistry
- Biochemistry
- Colloid and Surface Chemistry