Single-molecule transport of fullerene-based curcuminoids

We present experimental and theoretical studies of single-molecule conductance through nonplanar fullerocurcuminoid molecular dyads in ambient conditions using the mechanically controllable break junction technique. We show that molecular dyads with bare fullerenes form configurations with conductan...

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Detalles Bibliográficos
Autores: Dulić, Diana, Rates, Alfredo, Castro, Edison, Labra-Muñoz, Jacqueline, Aravena Ponce, Daniel Alejandro, Etcheverry-Berrios, Alvaro, Riba López, Daniel, Ruiz Sabín, Eliseo, Aliaga-Alcalde, Núria, Soler, Mònica, Echegoyen, Luis, van der Zant, Herre S. J.
Tipo de recurso: artículo
Estado:Versión aceptada para publicación
Fecha de publicación:2019
País:España
Institución:Universidad de Barcelona
Repositorio:Dipòsit Digital de la UB
OAI Identifier:oai:diposit.ub.edu:2445/155978
Acceso en línea:https://hdl.handle.net/2445/155978
Access Level:acceso abierto
Palabra clave:Electrònica molecular
Materials nanoestructurats
Teoria del funcional de densitat
Ful·lerens
Molecular electronics
Nanostructured materials
Density functionals
Fullerenes
Descripción
Sumario:We present experimental and theoretical studies of single-molecule conductance through nonplanar fullerocurcuminoid molecular dyads in ambient conditions using the mechanically controllable break junction technique. We show that molecular dyads with bare fullerenes form configurations with conductance features related to different transport channels within the molecules, as identified with filtering and clustering methods. The primary channel corresponds to charge transport through the methylthio-terminated backbone. Additional low-conductance channels involve one backbone side and the fullerene. In fullerenes with four additional equatorial diethyl malonate groups attached to them, the latter transport pathway is blocked. Density functional theory calculations corroborate the experimental observations. In combination with nonequilibrium green functions, the conductance values of the fullerocurcuminoid backbones are found to be similar to those of a planar curcuminoid molecule without a fullerene attached. In the nonplanar fullerocurcuminoid systems, the highest-conductance peak occurs partly through space, compensating for the charge delocalization loss present in the curcuminoid system.