Atomic-precision control of plasmon-induced single-molecule switching in a metal-semiconductor nanojunction

Atomic-scale control of photochemistry facilitates extreme miniaturisation of optoelectronic devices. Localised surface plasmons, which provide strong confinement and enhancement of electromagnetic fields at the nanoscale, secure a route to achieve sub-nanoscale reaction control. Such local plasmon-induced photochemistry has been realised only in metallic structures so far. Here we demonstrate controlled plasmon-induced single-molecule switching of peryleneanhydride on a silicon surface. Using a plasmon-resonant tip in low-temperature scanning tunnelling microscopy, we can selectively induce the dissociation of the O-Si bonds between the molecule and surface, resulting in reversible switching between two configurations within the nanojunction. The switching rate can be controlled by changing the tip height with 0.1-Å precision. Furthermore, the plasmon-induced reactivity can be modified by chemical substitution within the molecule, suggesting the importance of atomic-level design for plasmon-driven optoelectronic devices. Thus, metal-single-molecule-semiconductor junctions may serve as a prominent controllable platform beyond conventional nano-optoelectronics.