Molecular cluster based nanoelectronics

Single electron tunneling and manipulation of nanoparticles on surfaces at room temperature

“…Surfaces with novel nanostructures have many applications in fields of nanoelectronics [1,2], biological microelectromechanical system (BioMEMs) [3], as well as molecular electronics [4,5]. One of the challenges of nanotechnology lies in the ability to measure material properties in those nanostructures.…”

A Molecular Platinum Cluster Junction: A Single-Molecule Switch

“…4,5 Clusters have fewer metal atoms than metal nanoparticles but a more precisely defined composition and structure and as such they are better suited for comparative studies between theory and experiments. Bare metal clusters have been successfully deposited and studied on various surfaces.…”

“…This is especially true regarding the theory of the electronic transport. 15,16 In ref., 2 single-molecule experiments on [Pt 6 (µ−P t Bu 2 ) 4 (CO) 4 (S(CH 2 ) 4 SH) 2 ) 3 ] (from now on (SC 4 S) 2 Pt 6 ) were carried out using the STM based I(s) technique. 17,18 The structure of this Pt cluster makes it ideal for these kind of measure- † Universidad Autónoma de Madrid ‡ Inst Madrileno Estudios Avanzados Nanociencia IMDEA, E-28049 Madrid, Spain ¶ Universidad de Alicante § Universidad Autónoma de Madrid ments as the ligands which act as binding groups (the alkanethiol chains) are oriented trans to each other, producing a linear wire.…”

“…Molecular metal clusters have recently started being explored in breakjunction type single-molecule-conductance experiments, [1][2][3] whilst previous studies have also investigated clusters in the STM-STS configuration which mantains a tunnel gap between the tip and the molecule. 4,5 Clusters have fewer metal atoms than metal nanoparticles but a more precisely defined composition and structure and as such they are better suited for comparative studies between theory and experiments. Bare metal clusters have been successfully deposited and studied on various surfaces.…”

“…Molecular metal clusters (MCs) have recently been explored in break-junction-type single-molecule (SM) conductance experiments, − while previous studies investigated clusters using scanning tunneling microscopy/spectroscopy (STM/STS), which mantains a tunneling gap between the tip and the molecule. , MCs have fewer metal atoms but more precisely defined composition and structure than metal nanoparticles and thus are better suited for comparative studies between theory and experiment. Bare MCs have been successfully deposited and studied on various surfaces but require very clean conditions for study because of their high reactivity.…”