Single-Molecule Plasmoelectronics

单分子等离子体电子学

• 批准号: EP/M029522/1
• 负责人: Richard Nichols
• 金额: $ 56.67万
• 依托单位: University of Liverpool
• 依托单位国家: 英国
• 项目类别: Research Grant
• 财政年份: 2016
• 资助国家: 英国
• 起止时间: 2016 至 无数据
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://gtr.ukri.org/projects?ref=EP%2FM029522%2F1
• 关键词: Single; Molecule; Plasmoelectronics

Continuing miniaturization of electronic components in computer chips will eventually lead to component sizes on the molecular scale. Conventional semiconductor nanostructures at these length scales will suffer from increased leakage currents due to tunnelling as well as increased thermal effects due to higher power densities. The need for developing alternative approaches has created over the last two decades the field of molecular electronics, in which electronic components are realized using single molecules. Numerous examples of prototypical devices such as diodes, memory elements and transistors employing individual molecules have been demonstrated.One of the most important functions is the control of the current through a device with an external stimulus, i.e. gating. Stimuli which have been employed include electrostatic and electrochemical potentials, temperature, and light. Light is one of the most attractive options since it potentially allows coupling single-molecular devices with future optoelectronic circuitry, holding the promise of ultimate speed and miniaturization. Efficient coupling of light with nanoscale objects can be achieved using plasmonic nanostructures that concentrate and focus light beyond the diffraction limit. In combination with electronic devices one speaks of plasmoelectronics. Such efficient and spatially confined coupling is a pre-requisite for the tight integration of optically gate-able molecular devices on the sub-100 nm scale. The proposed research aims at realizing single-molecular plasmoelectronic devices in which the current through a single molecule coupled to a plasmonic nanostructure is gated by external illumination. The envisaged device structures will take advantage of the plasmonic properties of noble metal nanoparticles that serve as the electrodes of the single-molecule junction. This research will open new opportunities for miniaturization, integration, and control of optoelectronic devices to the single-molecule level.The research is interdisciplinary spanning physics, chemistry, molecular electronics and plasmonics. This is reflected in the research team which brings together expertise in organic synthesis of single-molecular conductors (Beeby, Durham), single-molecule conduction measurements (Nichols, Higgins, Liverpool), and nanoplasmonics (Jaeckel, Liverpool). This broad expertise will allow for a systematic approach varying the chemical nature of the molecular conductor and matching it with the plasmonic properties of the single-molecule junction. This will allow detailed characterization of parameters such as spectral overlap and electronic coupling in the junction and their relation to the optical gating effect in the device. The single-molecule approach will eliminate both ensemble averaging effects which can mask important effects in macroscopic measurements and sample heterogeneity which makes interpretation of results more complex. The project will deliver a fundamental understanding of plasmoelectronic single-molecule junctions and formulate design rules for future devices. The results will also open new opportunities in related research areas such photovoltaics, organic electronics, and catalysis.

计算机芯片中电子元件的不断小型化最终将导致元件尺寸达到分子级别。这些长度尺度的传统半导体纳米结构将因隧道效应而增加漏电流，并因更高的功率密度而增加热效应。在过去的二十年中，对开发替代方法的需求催生了分子电子学领域，其中电子元件是使用单分子实现的。已经展示了许多采用单个分子的原型器件的例子，例如二极管、存储元件和晶体管。最重要的功能之一是通过外部刺激（即门控）控制通过器件的电流。所采用的刺激包括静电和电化学势、温度和光。光是最有吸引力的选择之一，因为它有可能允许将单分子器件与未来的光电电路耦合，并有望实现终极速度和小型化。使用等离子体纳米结构可以实现光与纳米级物体的有效耦合，这些纳米结构可以将光集中并聚焦到衍射极限之外。与电子设备结合起来就是等离子体电子学。这种高效且空间受限的耦合是亚 100 nm 尺度光学门控分子器件紧密集成的先决条件。拟议的研究旨在实现单分子等离子体电子器件，其中通过耦合到等离子体纳米结构的单分子的电流由外部照明控制。设想的器件结构将利用贵金属纳米颗粒的等离子体特性，作为单分子结的电极。这项研究将为光电器件的小型化、集成和单分子水平控制开辟新的机遇。这项研究是跨学科的，跨越物理、化学、分子电子学和等离子体激元学。这反映在研究团队中，该团队汇集了单分子导体有机合成（Beeby、Durham）、单分子传导测量（Nichols、Higgins、Liverpool）和纳米等离子体（Jaeckel、Liverpool）方面的专业知识。这种广泛的专业知识将允许采用系统的方法来改变分子导体的化学性质，并将其与单分子结的等离子体特性相匹配。这将允许对参数进行详细表征，例如结中的光谱重叠和电子耦合及其与器件中的光选通效应的关系。单分子方法将消除整体平均效应（它可能掩盖宏观测量中的重要效应）和样本异质性（这使得结果的解释更加复杂）。该项目将提供对等离子电子单分子结的基本了解，并制定未来设备的设计规则。研究结果还将为光伏、有机电子和催化等相关研究领域带来新的机遇。

项目成果

Conductance of 'bare-bones' tripodal molecular wires.

• DOI: 10.1039/c8ra01257a
• 发表时间: 2018-06-27
• 期刊: RSC ADVANCES
• 影响因子: 3.9
• 作者: Davidson, Ross J.;Milan, David C.;Al-Owaedi, Oday A.;Ismael, Ali K.;Nichols, Richard J.;Higgins, Simon J.;Lambert, Colin J.;Yufit, Dmitry S.;Beeby, Andrew
• 通讯作者: Beeby, Andrew

Building large-scale unimolecular scaffolding for electronic devices

• DOI: 10.1016/j.mtchem.2022.101067
• 发表时间: 2022-08-02
• 期刊: MATERIALS TODAY CHEMISTRY
• 影响因子: 7.3
• 作者: Escorihuela, E.;Concellon, A.;Martin, S.
• 通讯作者: Martin, S.

Low variability of single-molecule conductance assisted by bulky metal-molecule contacts

大体积金属分子接触辅助单分子电导的低变异性

• DOI: 10.1039/c6ra15477h
• 发表时间: 2016
• 期刊: RSC Advances
• 影响因子: 3.9
• 作者: Ferradás R

Towards the design of effective multipodal contacts for use in the construction of Langmuir-Blodgett films and molecular junctions

• DOI: 10.1039/c9tc04710g
• 发表时间: 2020-01-14
• 期刊: JOURNAL OF MATERIALS CHEMISTRY C
• 影响因子: 6.4
• 作者: Escorihuela, Enrique;Cea, Pilar;Martin, Santiago
• 通讯作者: Martin, Santiago