Electrical Properties of Single Molecules; from Switches towards Devices

在这个由化学系化学测量和成像计划资助的项目中，坦普尔大学的Eric Borguet教授设计并进行了实验，以研究单分子的特性，特别是外部物理和化学参数对改变电阻的影响。为了迎接这一挑战，人们用最先进的技术研究了其性质取决于其周围环境的目标分子。这项研究促进了我们对传感器和电子设备的分子组件的电学性质的理解。这项工作的更广泛影响包括单分子传感器和开关的发现可能带来的社会效益，这有助于电子设备的微型化，以及教育和发展在多学科环境中接受培训的多样化的科学工作人员。此外，通过向坦普尔大学多样化的学生群体提供参与者，包括代表性不足的少数民族和第一代大学生，并允许当地高中生有机会从事这项研究，促进了下一代科学家的准备工作。这个项目的重点是使用扫描隧道显微镜来创造纳米级的结，可以捕获单个分子进行电学测量。研究了特定选择的探测分子，其电子性质对其所处环境的特征很敏感。此外，分子在测量结点中定向，以确定分子电学性质的各向异性。

In this project, funded by the Chemical Measurement and Imaging Program of the Chemistry Division, Professor Eric Borguet of Temple University designs and performs experiments to investigate the characteristics of single molecules with a particular focus on the effect of external physical and chemical parameters on changing the electrical resistance. To meet this challenge, target molecules whose properties depend on their immediate surroundings are investigated with state-of-the-art techniques. This research advances our understanding of the electrical properties of molecular components of sensors and electrical devices. The broader impacts of this work include potential societal benefits from the discovery of single molecule sensors and switches which can help to miniaturize electronic devices as well as the education and development of a diverse scientific workforce trained in a multidisciplinary environment. In addition, by providing participants from the diverse student body of Temple University that includes underrepresented minorities and first generation college students, and allowing local high school students the opportunity to engage in this research, the preparation of the next generation of scientists is advanced. This project focuses on the use of scanning tunneling microscopes to create nanoscale junctions that can trap single molecules for electrical measurements. Specifically selected probe molecules, whose electronic properties are sensitive to the characteristics of the environment in which they are located, are investigated. In addition, molecules are oriented in the measurement junction to determine the anisotropy of the electrical properties of the molecules.