Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 14, 2026

Creating Sub-50 Nm Nanofluidic Junctions in PDMS Microfluidic Chip via Self-Assembly Process of Colloidal Particles
Published on: March 13, 2016
Controlling formation of single-molecule junctions by electrochemical reduction of diazonium terminal groups
Thomas Hines1, Ismael Díez-Pérez, Hisao Nakamura
1Center for Biosensors and Bioelectronics, The Biodesign Institute, and School of Electrical, Computer and Energy Engineering, Arizona State University, Tempe, Arizona 85287, United States.
Abstract:
We report controlling the formation of single-molecule junctions by means of electrochemically reducing two axialdiazonium terminal groups on a molecule, thereby producing direct Au-C covalent bonds in situ between the molecule and gold electrodes. We report a yield enhancement in molecular junction formation as the electrochemical potential of both junction electrodes approach the reduction potential of the diazonium terminal groups. Step length analysis shows that the molecular junction is significantly more stable, and can be pulled over a longer distance than a comparable junction created with amine anchoring bonds. The stability of the junction is explained by the calculated lower binding energy associated with the direct Au-C bond compared with the Au-N bond.
Related Concept Videos
Diazonium Group Substitution: –OH and –H
1° Amines to Diazonium or Aryldiazonium Salts: Diazotization with NaNO2 Mechanism
Aryldiazonium Salts to Azo Dyes: Diazo Coupling
Diazonium Group Substitution with Halogens and Cyanide: Sandmeyer and Schiemann Reactions

