We investigate transport through mechanically triggered single-molecule switches that are based on the coordination sphere-dependent spin state of FeII-species. In these molecules, in certain junction configurations the relative arrangement of two terpyridine ligands within homoleptic FeII-complexes can be mechanically controlled. Mechanical pulling may thus distort the FeII coordination sphere and eventually modify their spin state. Using the movable nanoelectrodes in a mechanically controlled break-junction at low temperature, current-voltage measurements at cryogenic temperatures support the hypothesized switching mechanism based on the spin-crossover behavior. A large fraction of molecular junctions formed with the spin-crossover-active FeII-complex displays a conductance increase for increasing electrode separation and this increase can reach 1-2 orders of magnitude. Theoretical calculations predict a stretching-induced spin transition in the FeII-complex and a larger transmission for the high-spin configuration.
Stretching-Induced Conductance Increase in a Spin-Crossover Molecule / Frisenda, R.; Harzmann, G. D.; Celis Gil, J. A.; Thijssen, J. M.; Mayor, M.; Van Der Zant, H. S. J.. - In: NANO LETTERS. - ISSN 1530-6984. - 16:8(2016), pp. 4733-4737. [10.1021/acs.nanolett.5b04899]
Stretching-Induced Conductance Increase in a Spin-Crossover Molecule
Frisenda R.Primo
;
2016
Abstract
We investigate transport through mechanically triggered single-molecule switches that are based on the coordination sphere-dependent spin state of FeII-species. In these molecules, in certain junction configurations the relative arrangement of two terpyridine ligands within homoleptic FeII-complexes can be mechanically controlled. Mechanical pulling may thus distort the FeII coordination sphere and eventually modify their spin state. Using the movable nanoelectrodes in a mechanically controlled break-junction at low temperature, current-voltage measurements at cryogenic temperatures support the hypothesized switching mechanism based on the spin-crossover behavior. A large fraction of molecular junctions formed with the spin-crossover-active FeII-complex displays a conductance increase for increasing electrode separation and this increase can reach 1-2 orders of magnitude. Theoretical calculations predict a stretching-induced spin transition in the FeII-complex and a larger transmission for the high-spin configuration.File | Dimensione | Formato | |
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