Single-walled carbon nanotube based molecular switch tunnel junctions.
This article describes two-terminal molecular switch tunnel junctions (MSTJs) which incorporate a semiconducting, single-walled carbon nanotube (SWNT) as the bottom electrode. The nanotube interacts noncovalently with a monolayer of bistable, nondegenerate [2]catenane tetracations, self-organized by their supporting amphiphilic dimyristoylphosphatidyl anions which shield the mechanically switchable tetracations from a two-micrometer wide metallic top electrode. The resulting 0.002 micron 2 area tunnel junction addresses a nanometer wide row of approximately 2000 molecules. Active and remnant current-voltage measurements demonstrated that these devices can be reconfigurably switched and repeatedly cycled between high and low current states under ambient conditions. Control compounds, including a degenerate [2]catenane, were explored in support of the mechanical origin of the switching signature. These SWNT-based MSTJs operate like previously reported silicon-based MSTJs, but differently from similar devices incorporating bottom metal electrodes. The relevance of these results with respect to the choice of electrode materials for molecular electronics devices is discussed.
Diehl
Michael R
MR
Division of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, California Institute of Technology, M/C 127-72, 1200 East California, Boulevard, Pasadena, CA 91125, USA.
Steuerman
David W
DW
Tseng
Hsian-Rong
HR
Vignon
Scott A
SA
Star
Alexander
A
Celestre
Paul C
PC
Stoddart
J Fraser
JF
Heath
James R
JR