Metallic nanogaps with access windows for liquid based systems

Kronholz, Stephan; Karthäuser, Silvia; Hart, A. van der; Wandlowski, Thomas; Waser, Rainer

doi:10.1016/j.mejo.2005.09.031

Cited by 8 publications

(9 citation statements)

References 14 publications

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“…Conventional electron-beam lithography can push the limit to 10 nm. While these dimensions are still too large for measuring tunneling currents through single molecules, they are well suited for investigating the electronic properties of polymers, nanocrystals, and liquids [116][117][118][119]. Photolithographically patterned leads often serve as starting points for generating smaller molecular-sized gaps by depositing additional metal on the electrodes.…”

Section: Lithographymentioning

confidence: 99%

Alligator clips to molecular dimensions

Prokopuk

Son

2008

J. Phys.: Condens. Matter

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Techniques for fabricating nanospaced electrodes suitable for studying electron tunneling through metal-molecule-metal junctions are described. In one approach, top contacts are deposited/placed on a self-assembled monolayer or Langmuir-Blodgett film resting on a conducting substrate, the bottom contact. The molecular component serves as a permanent spacer that controls and limits the electrode separations. The top contact can be a thermally deposited metal film, liquid mercury drop, scanning probe tip, metallic wire or particle. Introduction of the top contact can greatly affect the electrical conductance of the intervening molecular film by chemical reaction, exerting pressure, or simply migrating through the organic layer. Alternatively, vacant nanogaps can be fabricated and the molecular component subsequently inserted. Strategies for constructing vacant nanogaps include mechanical break junction, electromigration, shadow mask lithography, focused ion beam deposition, chemical and electrochemical plating techniques, electron-beam lithography, and molecular and atomic rulers. The size of the nanogaps must be small enough to allow the molecule to connect both leads and large enough to keep the molecules in a relaxed and undistorted state. A significant advantage of using vacant nanogaps in the construction of metal-molecule-metal devices is that the junction can be characterized with and without the molecule in place. Any electrical artifacts introduced by the electrode fabrication process are more easily deconvoluted from the intrinsic properties of the molecule.

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Section: Lithographymentioning

confidence: 99%

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Prokopuk

Son

2008

J. Phys.: Condens. Matter

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“…Figure 1a and b illustrate the chip layout and a pair of nanoelectrodes with protection layer. For technical details on the lithographic and deposition routines we refer to our previous publication [36].…”

Section: Chip Designmentioning

confidence: 99%

Electrochemical fabrication and characterization of nanocontacts and nm-sized gaps

Mészáros

Kronholz²,

Karthäuser³

et al. 2007

Appl. Phys. A

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Copper nanocontacts and molecular-sized nanogaps were prepared and characterized at electrified solid/liquid interfaces employing lithographic and electrochemical techniques. A dedicated four-electrode potentiostat was developed for controlling the electrochemical fabrication process and for monitoring the electrical characteristics of the nanostructures created. The formation and breaking of Cu nanocontacts exhibits conductance quantization characteristics. The statistical analysis of conductance histograms revealed a preferential stability of nanocontacts with integer values of G 0 , with a clear preference for 1 G 0 , 2 G 0 and 3 G 0 . The growth of molecular-sized gaps shows quantized tunneling current, which is attributed to the discrete nature of Cu atoms, water molecules, and specifically adsorbed ions.

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“…However, these methods are not adjustable to CMOS fabrication technology. Lithographically fabricated metallic nanoelectrodes may be the most suited approach to realize this type of device. , Recently, we introduced a fabrication route for homometallic nanoelectrodes with a separation of only 3 nm utilizing e-beam lithography . In this context, we demonstrated that the final limits of patterning accuracy derive from proximity effects.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Electrical Characterization of 4-Mercaptophenylamine-Capped Nanoparticles in a Heterometallic Nanoelectrode Gap

et al. 2013

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One concept to build up hybrid electronic devices based on molecules or nanoparticles with rectifying properties is based on nanoscale objects that are immobilized between two electrodes composed of different metals forming asymmetric contacts. Following this concept, we introduce an optimized procedure to fabricate heterometallic nanoelectrodes with a separation of only 5 nm. Gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) with a diameter of 15 nm, stabilized with 4-mercaptophenylamine, were used to form electrode1molecule/AuNP/molecule-electrode2 devices comprising at most a small number of AuNPs. Immobilization was performed by dielectrophoretic trapping. The molecular properties of 4-mercaptophenylamine are reflected in transition voltage spectroscopy features of the device. Cyclic current−voltage measurements on 20 functional devices revealed distinct differences in conductivities based on minor differences in device geometry. Analysis of the electron transport characteristics discloses that under these experimental conditions an asymmetric contact configuration alone is not sufficient for building up a molecule-based rectifier.

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Metallic nanogaps with access windows for liquid based systems

Cited by 8 publications

References 14 publications

Alligator clips to molecular dimensions

Alligator clips to molecular dimensions

Electrochemical fabrication and characterization of nanocontacts and nm-sized gaps

Electrical Characterization of 4-Mercaptophenylamine-Capped Nanoparticles in a Heterometallic Nanoelectrode Gap

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