Statements in which the resource exists as a subject.
PredicateObject
rdf:type
lifeskim:mentions
pubmed:issue
6808
pubmed:dateCreated
2000-11-16
pubmed:abstractText
So-called bottom-up fabrication methods aim to assemble and integrate molecular components exhibiting specific functions into electronic devices that are orders of magnitude smaller than can be fabricated by lithographic techniques. Fundamental to the success of the bottom-up approach is the ability to control electron transport across molecular components. Organic molecules containing redox centres-chemical species whose oxidation number, and hence electronic structure, can be changed reversibly-support resonant tunnelling and display promising functional behaviour when sandwiched as molecular layers between electrical contacts, but their integration into more complex assemblies remains challenging. For this reason, functionalized metal nanoparticles have attracted much interest: they exhibit single-electron characteristics (such as quantized capacitance charging) and can be organized through simple self-assembly methods into well ordered structures, with the nanoparticles at controlled locations. Here we report scanning tunnelling microscopy measurements showing that organic molecules containing redox centres can be used to attach metal nanoparticles to electrode surfaces and so control the electron transport between them. Our system consists of gold nanoclusters a few nanometres across and functionalized with polymethylene chains that carry a central, reversibly reducible bipyridinium moiety. We expect that the ability to electronically contact metal nanoparticles via redox-active molecules, and to alter profoundly their tunnelling properties by charge injection into these molecules, can form the basis for a range of nanoscale electronic switches.
pubmed:language
eng
pubmed:journal
pubmed:status
PubMed-not-MEDLINE
pubmed:month
Nov
pubmed:issn
0028-0836
pubmed:author
pubmed:issnType
Print
pubmed:day
2
pubmed:volume
408
pubmed:owner
NLM
pubmed:authorsComplete
Y
pubmed:pagination
67-9
pubmed:dateRevised
2003-10-31
pubmed:year
2000
pubmed:articleTitle
A nanometre-scale electronic switch consisting of a metal cluster and redox-addressable groups.
pubmed:affiliation
Centre for Nanoscale Science, Department of Chemistry, University of Liverpool, UK.
pubmed:publicationType
Journal Article