Light‐Induced Switching of Tunable Single‐Molecule Junctions

• DOI: 10.1002/advs.201500017
• Publication Date: 2015-04-16T12:34:46Z
• Authors: Torsten Sendler; Katharina Luka‐Guth; Matthias Wieser; Lokamani; Jannic Wolf; Manfred Helm; Sibylle Gemming; Jochen Kerbusch; Elke Scheer; Thomas Huhn; Artur Erbe
• Keywords: Molecular switch; Molecular Electronics; Break junction; Molecular wire

A major goal of molecular electronics is the development and implementation devices such as single‐molecular switches. Here, measurements are presented that show controlled in situ switching diarylethene molecules from their nonconductive to conductive state contact gold nanoelectrodes via light irradiation. Both conductance quantum yield for these within a range making suitable actual devices. The junctions opened closed states characterized level E 0 , which dominates current transport state, its broadening Γ identified. obtained results clear light‐induced ring forming isomerization single‐molecule junctions. Electron withdrawing side‐groups lead reduction conductance, but do not influence efficiency mechanism. Quantum chemical calculations processes correlate observations with fundamentally different low‐lying electronic forms comparably small modification by electron‐withdrawing substituents. This full characterization switch operated junction an important step toward real