Switching of a photochromic molecule on gold electrodes: Single-molecule measurements

Jin He; Fan Chen; Paul A. Liddell; Joakim Andréasson; Stephen D. Straight; Devens Gust; Thomas Moore; Ana Moore; Jun Li; Otto F. Sankey; Stuart Lindsay

doi:10.1088/0957-4484/16/6/012

Switching of a photochromic molecule on gold electrodes: Single-molecule measurements

Jin He, Fan Chen, Paul A. Liddell, Joakim Andréasson, Stephen D. Straight, Devens Gust, Thomas Moore, Ana Moore, Jun Li, Otto F. Sankey, Stuart Lindsay

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

164 Scopus citations

Abstract

We have studied the electronic changes caused by light-induced isomerization of a photochromic molecule between an open state (that absorbs in the UV to become closed) and a closed state (that absorbs in the visible to become open). Data obtained using a newly developed repetitive break junction method are interpreted in terms of single-molecule resistances of 526 ± 90 MΩ in the open form and 4 ± 1 MΩ in the closed form when the molecule is bound between two gold contacts via dithiol linkages. The corresponding ratio of open to closed resistance is in close agreement with the results of ab initio calculations, though the measured resistances are about half of the calculated values. Optical spectroscopy indicates that the photoisomerization occurs in both directions on small gold particles, evaporated thin gold films, and in the break junction experiments.

Original language	English (US)
Pages (from-to)	695-702
Number of pages	8
Journal	Nanotechnology
Volume	16
Issue number	6
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1088/0957-4484/16/6/012
State	Published - Jun 1 2005

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Bioengineering
Chemistry(all)
Materials Science(all)
Mechanics of Materials
Mechanical Engineering
Electrical and Electronic Engineering

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10.1088/0957-4484/16/6/012

Cite this

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title = "Switching of a photochromic molecule on gold electrodes: Single-molecule measurements",

abstract = "We have studied the electronic changes caused by light-induced isomerization of a photochromic molecule between an open state (that absorbs in the UV to become closed) and a closed state (that absorbs in the visible to become open). Data obtained using a newly developed repetitive break junction method are interpreted in terms of single-molecule resistances of 526 ± 90 MΩ in the open form and 4 ± 1 MΩ in the closed form when the molecule is bound between two gold contacts via dithiol linkages. The corresponding ratio of open to closed resistance is in close agreement with the results of ab initio calculations, though the measured resistances are about half of the calculated values. Optical spectroscopy indicates that the photoisomerization occurs in both directions on small gold particles, evaporated thin gold films, and in the break junction experiments.",

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T1 - Switching of a photochromic molecule on gold electrodes

T2 - Single-molecule measurements

AU - He, Jin

AU - Chen, Fan

AU - Liddell, Paul A.

AU - Andréasson, Joakim

AU - Straight, Stephen D.

AU - Gust, Devens

AU - Moore, Thomas

AU - Moore, Ana

AU - Li, Jun

AU - Sankey, Otto F.

AU - Lindsay, Stuart

PY - 2005/6/1

Y1 - 2005/6/1

N2 - We have studied the electronic changes caused by light-induced isomerization of a photochromic molecule between an open state (that absorbs in the UV to become closed) and a closed state (that absorbs in the visible to become open). Data obtained using a newly developed repetitive break junction method are interpreted in terms of single-molecule resistances of 526 ± 90 MΩ in the open form and 4 ± 1 MΩ in the closed form when the molecule is bound between two gold contacts via dithiol linkages. The corresponding ratio of open to closed resistance is in close agreement with the results of ab initio calculations, though the measured resistances are about half of the calculated values. Optical spectroscopy indicates that the photoisomerization occurs in both directions on small gold particles, evaporated thin gold films, and in the break junction experiments.

AB - We have studied the electronic changes caused by light-induced isomerization of a photochromic molecule between an open state (that absorbs in the UV to become closed) and a closed state (that absorbs in the visible to become open). Data obtained using a newly developed repetitive break junction method are interpreted in terms of single-molecule resistances of 526 ± 90 MΩ in the open form and 4 ± 1 MΩ in the closed form when the molecule is bound between two gold contacts via dithiol linkages. The corresponding ratio of open to closed resistance is in close agreement with the results of ab initio calculations, though the measured resistances are about half of the calculated values. Optical spectroscopy indicates that the photoisomerization occurs in both directions on small gold particles, evaporated thin gold films, and in the break junction experiments.

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Switching of a photochromic molecule on gold electrodes: Single-molecule measurements

Abstract

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