title: The number of transmission channels through a single-molecule junction.
abstract: We calculate transmission eigenvalue distributions for Pt-benzene-Pt and Pt-butadiene-Pt junctions using realistic state-of-the-art many-body techniques. An effective field theory of interacting π-electrons is used to include screening and van der Waals interactions with the metal electrodes. We find that the number of dominant transmission channels in a molecular junction is equal to the degeneracy of the molecular orbital closest to the metal Fermi level.
authors.affiliation: College of Optical Sciences, University of Arizona, 1630 East University Boulevard, Arizona 85721, USA.
authors.forename: Justin P
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Bergfield
authors.forename: Joshua D
authors.initials: JD
authors.lastname: Barr
authors.forename: Charles A
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Stafford