Molecular wires in single-molecule junctions: charge transport and vibrational excitations

We investigate the effect of vibrations on the electronic transport through single-molecule junctions, using the mechanically controlled break junction technique. The molecules under investigation are oligoyne chains with appropriate end groups, which represent both an ideally linear electrical wire and an ideal molecular vibrating string. Vibronic features can be detected as satellites to the electronic transitions, which are assigned to longitudinal modes of the string by comparison with density functional theory data.