Electrical Properties of Single Molecules; from Switches towards Devices

在该项目中，由化学系化学测量和成像项目资助，天普大学的 Eric Borguet 教授设计并进行了实验来研究单分子的特性，特别关注外部物理和化学参数对改变电阻的影响。 为了应对这一挑战，我们采用最先进的技术研究了其特性取决于其周围环境的目标分子。这项研究增进了我们对传感器和电气设备分子成分电学特性的理解。这项工作的更广泛影响包括发现单分子传感器和开关的潜在社会效益，这些传感器和开关有助于电子设备的小型化，以及在多学科环境中培训的多元化科学劳动力的教育和发展。此外，通过为天普大学多元化学生群体（包括代表性不足的少数族裔和第一代大学生）提供参与者，并让当地高中生有机会参与这项研究，可以促进下一代科学家的准备。 该项目的重点是使用扫描隧道显微镜创建纳米级结，可以捕获单个分子以进行电学测量。研究了专门选择的探针分子，其电子特性对其所处环境的特征敏感。此外，分子在测量结中定向以确定分子电特性的各向异性。

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.