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Single‐Walled Carbon Nanotube Based Molecular Switch Tunnel Junctions
Author(s) -
Diehl Michael R.,
Steuerman David W.,
Tseng HsianRong,
Vig Scott A.,
Star Alexander,
Celestre Paul C.,
Stoddart J. Fraser,
Heath James R.
Publication year - 2003
Publication title -
chemphyschem
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.016
H-Index - 140
eISSN - 1439-7641
pISSN - 1439-4235
DOI - 10.1002/cphc.200300871
Subject(s) - carbon nanotube , electrode , nanotechnology , materials science , molecular electronics , bistability , nanotube , catenane , monolayer , silicon , optoelectronics , micrometer , molecular switch , molecule , chemistry , physics , organic chemistry , optics
Abstract This article describes two‐terminal molecular switch tunnel junctions (MSTJs) which incorporate a semiconducting, single‐walled carbon nanotube (SWNT) as the bottom electrode. The nanotube interacts noncovalently with a monolayer of bistable, nondegenerate [2]catenane tetracations, self‐organized by their supporting amphiphilic dimyristoylphosphatidyl anions which shield the mechanically switchable tetracations from a two‐micrometer wide metallic top electrode. The resulting 0.002 μm 2 area tunnel junction addresses a nanometer wide row of ≈2000 molecules. Active and remnant current–voltage measurements demonstrated that these devices can be reconfigurably switched and repeatedly cycled between high and low current states under ambient conditions. Control compounds, including a degenerate [2]catenane, were explored in support of the mechanical origin of the switching signature. These SWNT‐based MSTJs operate like previously reported silicon‐based MSTJs, but differently from similar devices incorporating bottom metal electrodes. The relevance of these results with respect to the choice of electrode materials for molecular electronics devices is discussed.