Tracking molecular resonance forms of donor-acceptor push-pull molecules by single-molecule conductance experiments.

ABSTRACT: The ability of molecules to change colour on account of changes in solvent polarity is known as solvatochromism and used spectroscopically to characterize charge-transfer transitions in donor-acceptor molecules. Here we report that donor-acceptor-substituted molecular wires also exhibit distinct properties in single-molecule electronics under the influence of a bias voltage, but in absence of solvent. Two oligo(phenyleneethynylene) wires with donor-acceptor substitution on the central ring (cruciform-like) exhibit remarkably broad conductance peaks measured by the mechanically controlled break-junction technique with gold contacts, in contrast to the sharp peak of simpler molecules. From a theoretical analysis, we explain this by different degrees of charge delocalization and hence cross-c

SUBMITTER: Lissau H 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4682163 | biostudies-literature | 2015 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature