title: Mechanically activated switching of Si-based single-molecule junction as imaged with three-dimensional dynamic probe.
abstract: Understanding and extracting the full functions of single-molecule characteristics are key factors in the development of future device technologies, as well as in basic research on molecular electronics. Here we report a new methodology for realizing a three-dimensional (3D) dynamic probe of single-molecule conductance, which enables the elaborate 3D analysis of the conformational effect on molecular electronics, by the formation of a Si/single molecule/Si structure using scanning tunnelling microscopy (STM). The formation of robust covalent bonds between a molecule and Si electrodes, together with STM-related techniques, enables the stable and repeated control of the conformational modulation of the molecule. By 3D imaging of the conformational effect on a 1,4-diethynylbenzene molecule, a binary change in conductance with hysteresis is observed for the first time, which is considered to originate from a mechanically activated conformational change.
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Pure and Applied Sciences, University of Tsukuba, Tsukuba 305-8571, Japan.
authors.forename: Miki
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Nakamura
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Pure and Applied Sciences, University of Tsukuba, Tsukuba 305-8571, Japan.
authors.forename: Shoji
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Yoshida
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Pure and Applied Sciences, University of Tsukuba, Tsukuba 305-8571, Japan.
authors.forename: Tomoki
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Katayama
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Pure and Applied Sciences, University of Tsukuba, Tsukuba 305-8571, Japan.
authors.forename: Atsushi
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Taninaka
authors.affiliation: Shiga University of Medical Science, Shiga 520-2122, Japan.
authors.forename: Yutaka
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Mera
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Pure and Applied Sciences, University of Tsukuba, Tsukuba 305-8571, Japan.
authors.forename: Susumu
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Okada
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Pure and Applied Sciences, University of Tsukuba, Tsukuba 305-8571, Japan.
authors.forename: Osamu
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Takeuchi
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Pure and Applied Sciences, University of Tsukuba, Tsukuba 305-8571, Japan.
authors.forename: Hidemi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Shigekawa