A better understanding of the interactions between metal electrodes and organic molecules still represents one of the key problems in molecular electronics that needs be solved in order to optimize electron transport through a molecular device. In this contribution, the impact of widely used "alligator clips" (Au−thiol, Pd−pyridine) onto the electronic structure of the respective electrodes in metal− molecule−metal junctions has been studied using photoelectron spectroscopic tools. Different electronic properties are observed for molecules with different lengths but identical terminal groups, thereby elucidating a new aspect in the complex behavior of metal/molecule contacts.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.