Robust organic radical molecular junctions using acetylene terminated groups for C-Au bond formation

Abstract

Organic paramagnetic and electroactive molecules are attracting interest as core components of molecular electronic and spintronic devices. Currently, further progress is hindered by the modest stability and reproducibility of the molecule/electrode contact. We report the synthesis of a persistent organic radical bearing one and two terminal alkyne groups to form Au-C σ bonds. The formation and stability of self-assembled monolayers and the electron transport through single-molecule junctions at room temperature have been studied. The combined analysis of both systems demonstrates that this linker forms a robust covalent bond with gold and a better-defined contact when compared to traditional sulfur-based linkers. Density functional theory and quantum transport calculations support the experimental observation highlighting a reduced variability of conductance values for the C-Au based junction. Our findings advance the quest for robustness and reproducibility of devices based on electroactive molecules.

References in corpus (6)

• Dependence of Single Molecule Junction Conductance on Molecular Conformation
• Mechanically-Controlled Binary Conductance Switching of a Single-Molecule Junction
• Temperature and magnetic field dependence of a Kondo system in the weak coupling regime
• Amine-Linked Single Molecule Circuits: Systematic Trends Across Molecular Families
• Exchange coupling inversion in a high-spin organic triradical molecule
• Redox-Induced Gating of the Exchange Interactions in a Single Organic Diradical

Cited by in corpus (3)

• Predicting the conductance of strongly correlated molecules: the Kondo effect in perchlorotriphenylmethyl/Au junctions
• Phenalenyls as tunable excellent molecular conductors and switchable spin filters
• On-surface synthesis and evolution of self-assembled poly($p$-phenylene) chains on Ag(111): a joint experimental and theoretical study