Understanding the Fundamental Behavior of Single Molecule Electrical Junctions

了解单分子电结的基本行为

• 批准号: 2102557
• 负责人: Eric Borguet
• 金额: $ 55万
• 依托单位: Temple University
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Continuing Grant
• 财政年份: 2021
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2021-08-15 至 2024-07-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=2102557&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: Understanding; Fundamental; Behavior; Single; Molecule

In this project supported by the Chemical Structure, Dynamics and Mechanisms-A (CSDM-A) Program of the Division of Chemistry, Professor Eric Borguet and his students at Temple University seek to understand how chemical modification of a target molecule affects charge transport along different directions inside the molecule. Moving electrons lie at the heart of chemistry and biology. This process is sensitive to, and therefore can be controlled by, the electronic properties of the molecules through which the electrons travel as well as the chemical and physical properties of the environment in which the molecules are embedded. This is done by trapping a single molecule in a nanoscale junction where the electrical properties are measured. This knowledge will be exploited to achieve desired single molecule junction electronic characteristics, and may ultimately enable the development of useful device platforms for molecular switching and sensing. While it is known that chemical substitution changes the electronic properties of molecules, the impact on the conductance measured perpendicular to the molecular plane vs. that measured along the molecular plane has not been determined. Taking advantage of the ability to control molecular orientation in a junction (e.g. upright or flat), using the electrode potential in an electrochemical environment, this question will be tackled by measuring the directional dependence of the conductance of a series of molecules with different functional groups. Calculations suggest promising chemical substitutions of small benzene derivatives that modulate electrical conductivity in an unanticipated manner, e.g., different effects for different molecular orientations. The analysis of the large complex data sets generated will be enabled by sophisticated tools to identify low probability events and multiple possible junction configurations. In terms of scientific broader impacts, these fundamental studies have the potential to enable the construction of efficient systems for nascent technologies, such as nanoscale electronics and sensors. In terms of educational broader impacts, high school, undergraduate and graduate students will have the opportunity to participate in this collaborative study with an international team of experts in state-of-the-art measurement, data analysis and theory.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.

在这个由化学系化学结构，动力学和机制-A（CSDM-A）计划支持的项目中，天普大学的Eric Borguet教授和他的学生试图了解目标分子的化学修饰如何影响分子内沿着不同方向的电荷传输。移动的电子是化学和生物学的核心。 该过程对电子穿过的分子的电子性质以及分子嵌入其中的环境的化学和物理性质敏感，因此可以由其控制。 这是通过在纳米级结中捕获单个分子来完成的，在纳米级结中测量电特性。这些知识将被利用来实现所需的单分子结电子特性，并可能最终使分子开关和传感有用的设备平台的发展。 虽然已知化学取代会改变分子的电子性质，但尚未确定对垂直于分子平面测量的电导与沿沿着测量的电导的影响。 利用在电化学环境中使用电极电势控制结中的分子取向（例如直立或平坦）的能力，将通过测量具有不同官能团的一系列分子的电导的方向依赖性来解决这个问题。 计算表明，有希望的化学取代的小苯衍生物，调制电导率在一个意想不到的方式，例如，不同的分子取向有不同的影响。 对生成的大型复杂数据集的分析将通过复杂的工具来实现，以识别低概率事件和多种可能的结配置。 就更广泛的科学影响而言，这些基础研究有可能为新生技术（如纳米级电子器件和传感器）构建有效的系统。 在教育的广泛影响方面，高中生、本科生和研究生将有机会与最先进的测量、数据分析和理论方面的国际专家团队一起参与这项合作研究。该奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的智力价值和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。