Measurement of Electron Transfer within a Single Supramolecular Assembly Containing a Biological Molecule

Abstract

We report on a method to measure the electron transport of a single molecular assembly by scanning tunneling microscopy (STM). The STM molecular tip together with a chemically modified substrate was utilized to form an assembly with a single target molecule. This method was successfully applied to a heme peptide to reveal the transport property of a single peptide-containing assembly. The present work opens a way to create functional single molecular devices using biomolecules.

Evaluation of the Kinetic Property of Single-Molecule Junctions by Tunneling Current Measurements

“…Furthermore, the difference in the singlemolecule conductance between different, but structurally relevant, molecules, like a reactant and a product of a given reaction, is minute. 10,11 Au wires (99.999%, 0.25 mm diameter) were electrochemically etched to prepare the STM tip. An Au(111) surface, prepared by thermal evaporation, was used as a substrate.…”