Controlling, modulating, and monitoring the electronic and mechanical properties of molecular junction devices at single-molecule level

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The objective of this proposal is to develop and use highly integrated multi-functional system based on the SPM break junction methods the PI recently developed to precisely and controllably tune the molecular properties of the molecule junctions while educate students about the interplay of physics, chemistry and engineering at the nanometer scale. Intellectual Merit: Investigation of the electron transport in single molecules connected to electrodes with different contact combinations opens the doors to new insights into the factors that influence the conductance in the single molecules. We expect that this will lead to a better understanding of electron transport phenomenon in such systems. Because single molecules, even in complex environments, are amenable to first-principles modeling, they open a door to direct, quantitative testing of the theories. By enabling the precisely controlled tuning of molecular properties of the molecule junctions, this work will also lead from single molecule science to practical single molecule devices. Broader Impact: The project promotes outreach and educational activities through the involvement of graduate, undergraduate students and high school students in the classes and the PI's research laboratory. Taking the interdisciplinary nature of the research, it's fit not only to a very broad crop of students in various areas but also to women and underrepresented minority students. The PI will recruit 1-2 minority undergraduate students through PI's active participation in the well-developed outreach network of the University of Georgia's Faculty of Engineering, Louis Stokes Alliance for Minority Participation (LSAMP), and Nanoscale Science and Engineering Center.