Related Experiment Video
Updated: Mar 24, 2026

All-electronic Nanosecond-resolved Scanning Tunneling Microscopy: Facilitating the Investigation of Single Dopant Charge Dynamics
Published on: January 19, 2018
The electron and spin polarized transport in wide-voltage-ranges through colbaltporphyrin-based molecular junctions
Jue-Fei Cheng1, Qiang Yan1, Liping Zhou1
1College of Physics, Optoelectronics and Energy and Collaborative Innovation Center of Suzhou Nano Science and Technology, Soochow University, Suzhou 215006, China.
Abstract:
The electron and spin polarized transport properties of Co benzene-porphyrin-benzene (BPB) molecule coupled to gold (Au) nanowires in a wide voltage range (0-3.0 V) are investigated. By successively removing the front-end Au atoms, we construct Au nanowires with different molecule-electrode contact symmetries. Multiple negative differential resistance (NDR) peaks emerge at different bias voltage regions. It is found that the low-voltage NDR effect at 0.4 V can only be found in the junctions with S-Au top bindings. High-bias NDR effects intrinsic to central molecule at 2.8 V are observed in all the six structures. In particular, both the electron and spin polarized current-voltage (I-V) curves depend strongly on the contact configurations between Co-BPB molecule and the Au electrodes. And the top-binding may result in spin dependent transport properties and will be the priority selection in the design of molecular devices.
Related Concept Videos
Colors and Magnetism
When atoms or molecules absorb light at the proper frequency, their electrons are excited to higher-energy orbitals. For many main group atoms and molecules, the absorbed photons are in the ultraviolet range of the electromagnetic spectrum, which cannot be detected by the human eye. For coordination compounds, the energy difference between the d orbitals often allows photons in the visible range to be absorbed and emitted, which is seen as colors by the human...
π Electron Effects on Chemical Shift: Overview
Metal-Semiconductor Junctions
Schottky Barriers
Schottky barriers arise when a metal with a work function (Φm) contacts a semiconductor with a different work function (Φs). Initially, electrons transfer until the Fermi levels of the metal and semiconductor align at equilibrium. For instance, if Φm > Φs, the semiconductor Fermi level is higher than the metal's before contact. The...
Thermal and Photochemical Electrocyclic Reactions: Overview
π Electron Effects on Chemical Shift: Aromatic and Antiaromatic Compounds
Spin–Spin Coupling: One-Bond Coupling

