Self-assembled nanogaps for molecular electronics

Research output: Contribution to journalJournal articleResearchpeer-review

  • Qingxin Tang
  • Yanhong Tong
  • Titoo Jain
  • Hassenkam, Tue
  • Qing Wan
  • Kasper Moth-Poulsen
  • Thomas Bjørnholm
A nanogap for molecular devices was realized using solution-based self-assembly. Gold nanorods were assembled to gold nanoparticle-coated conducting SnO2:Sb nanowires via thiol end-capped oligo(phenylenevinylene)s (OPVs). The molecular gap was easily created by the rigid molecule itself during self-assembly and the gap length was determined by the molecule length. The gold nanorods and gold nanoparticles, respectively covalently bonded at the two ends of the molecule, had very small dimensions, e. g. a width of similar to 20 nm, and hence were expected to minimize the screening effect. The ultra-long conducting SnO2:Sb nanowires provided the bridge to connect one of the electrodes of the molecular device (gold nanoparticle) to the external circuit. The tip of the atomic force microscope (AFM) was contacted onto the other electrode (gold nanorod) for the electrical measurement of the OPV device. The conductance measurement confirmed that the self-assembly of the molecules and the subsequent self-assembly of the gold nanorods was a feasible method for the fabrication of the nanogap of the molecular devices.
Original languageEnglish
JournalNanotechnology
Volume20
Issue number24
Number of pages6
ISSN0957-4484
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 2009

ID: 13208534