Charge transfer complexation boosts molecular conductance through Fermi level pinning.

ABSTRACT: Interference features in the transmission spectra can dominate charge transport in metal-molecule-metal junctions when they occur close to the contact Fermi energy (E _F). Here, we show that by forming a charge-transfer complex with tetracyanoethylene (TCNE) we can introduce new constructive interference features in the transmission profile of electron-rich, thiophene-based molecular wires that almost coincide with E _F. Complexation can result in a large enhancement of junction conductance, with very efficient charge transport even at relatively large molecular lengths. For instance, we report a conductance of 10^-3 G ₀ (∼78 nS) for the ∼2 nm long α-quaterthiophene:TCNE complex, almost two orders of magnitude higher than the co

SUBMITTER: Wang K 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6385675 | biostudies-literature | 2019 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature