Reproducible measurement of single-molecule conductivity

X. D. Cui, A. Primak, X. Zarate, J. Tomfohr, O. F. Sankey, Ana Moore, Thomas Moore, D. Gust, G. Harris, Stuart Lindsay

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

1230 Scopus citations

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.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)571-574
Number of pages4
JournalScience
Volume294
Issue number5542
DOIs
StatePublished - Oct 19 2001

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • General

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