title: Enhancing electron transport in molecular wires by insertion of a ferrocene center.
abstract: We have determined the conductance of alkane-linked ferrocene molecules with carboxylic acid anchoring groups using the STM break junction technique, and three sets of conductance values were found, i.e. high conductance (HC), medium conductance (MC) and low conductance (LC) values. The enhancing effect of the incorporated ferrocene on the electron transport in saturated alkane molecular wires is demonstrated by the increased conductance of the ferrocene molecules, attributed to the reduction of the tunneling barrier and the HOMO-LUMO gap induced by the insertion of ferrocene. Furthermore, the electron-withdrawing carbonyl group on the unconjugated backbone has little or no influence on single-molecule conductance. The current work provides a feasible approach for the design of high-performance molecular wires.
authors.affiliation: Zhejiang Key Laboratory for Reactive Chemistry on Solid Surfaces, Institute of Physical Chemistry, Zhejiang Normal University, Jinhua, Zhejiang 321004, P. R. China. xszhou@zjnu.edu.cn.
authors.forename: Yan-Yan
authors.initials: YY
authors.lastname: Sun
authors.forename: Zheng-Lian
authors.initials: ZL
authors.lastname: Peng
authors.forename: Rong
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Hou
authors.forename: Jing-Hong
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Liang
authors.forename: Ju-Fang
authors.initials: JF
authors.lastname: Zheng
authors.forename: Xiao-Yi
authors.initials: XY
authors.lastname: Zhou
authors.forename: Xiao-Shun
authors.initials: XS
authors.lastname: Zhou
authors.forename: Shan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Jin
authors.forename: Zhen-Jiang
authors.initials: ZJ
authors.lastname: Niu
authors.forename: Bing-Wei
authors.initials: BW
authors.lastname: Mao
mesh_terms: D000473:Alkanes / Q000737:chemistry*; D002264:Carboxylic Acids / Q000737:chemistry*; D004553:Electric Conductivity; D004583:Electrons; D005296:Ferrous Compounds / Q000737:chemistry*; D000075163:Metallocenes
chemical_list: D000473:Alkanes; D002264:Carboxylic Acids; D005296:Ferrous Compounds; D000075163:Metallocenes; C004998:ferrocene