title: Measurement of current-induced local heating in a single molecule junction.
abstract: We have studied the current-induced local heating effects in single molecules covalently bound to two electrodes by measuring the force required to break the molecule-electrode bonds under various conditions. The breakdown process is thermally activated, which is used to extract the effective temperature of the molecular junction as a function of applied bias voltage. We have also performed first-principles calculations of both local heating and current-induced force effects, and the results are in good agreement with the experimental findings.
authors.affiliation: Department of Electrical Engineering & The Center for Solid State Electronics Research, Arizona State University, Tempe, Arizona 85287, USA.
authors.forename: Zhifeng
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.forename: Bingqian
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Xu
authors.forename: Yuchang
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Massimiliano
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Di Ventra
authors.forename: Nongjian
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Tao
mesh_terms: D017097:Electric Impedance; D004563:Electrochemistry / Q000379:methods*; D004574:Electromagnetic Fields; D004579:Electron Transport; D006358:Hot Temperature; D015336:Molecular Probe Techniques; D049329:Nanostructures / Q000032:analysis* / Q000737:chemistry*; D036103:Nanotechnology / Q000379:methods; D009795:Octanes / Q000032:analysis* / Q000737:chemistry*; D013314:Stress, Mechanical; D013696:Temperature
chemical_list: D009795:Octanes