title: Molecular engineering and measurements to test hypothesized mechanisms in single molecule conductance switching.
abstract: Six customized phenylene-ethynylene-based oligomers have been studied for their electronic properties using scanning tunneling microscopy to test hypothesized mechanisms of stochastic conductance switching. Previously suggested mechanisms include functional group reduction, functional group rotation, backbone ring rotation, neighboring molecule interactions, bond fluctuations, and hybridization changes. Here, we test these hypotheses experimentally by varying the molecular designs of the switches; the ability of the molecules to switch via each hypothetical mechanism is selectively engineered into or out of each molecule. We conclude that hybridization changes at the molecule-surface interface are responsible for the switching we observe.
authors.affiliation: Departments of Chemistry and Physics, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802-6300, USA.
authors.forename: Amanda M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Moore
authors.forename: Arrelaine A
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Dameron
authors.forename: Brent A
authors.initials: BA
authors.lastname: Mantooth
authors.forename: Rachel K
authors.initials: RK
authors.lastname: Smith
authors.forename: Daniel J
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Fuchs
authors.forename: Jacob W
authors.initials: JW
authors.lastname: Ciszek
authors.forename: Francisco
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Maya
authors.forename: Yuxing
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Yao
authors.forename: James M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Tour
authors.forename: Paul S
authors.initials: PS
authors.lastname: Weiss