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Fully Reversible Photoelectronic Switching Enabled by Delocalized Excitons in a Single Superatom Junction
Wei Pei1, Pingping Han2, Si Zhou3,4
1College of Physics Science and Technology, Yangzhou University, Jiangsu225009, China.
Journal of the American Chemical Society
|November 25, 2025
Summary
Researchers developed new single-molecule switches using M@Au12 superatoms. These reversible photoelectronic switches offer high on/off ratios and low power consumption for future electronic devices.
Area of Science:
- Materials Science
- Nanotechnology
- Molecular Electronics
Background:
- Single-molecule switches are crucial for miniaturizing electronic devices.
- Achieving reversible, robust, and precise photoelectronic switching at the molecular level is challenging.
Purpose of the Study:
- To introduce a new class of gate-controlled, reversible single-cluster photoelectronic switches.
- To explore the photoelectronic switching behavior of M@Au12 superatoms.
Main Methods:
- Synthesized ligand-protected M@Au12 (M = heteroatom dopant) superatoms.
- Fabricated single-cluster junctions covalently anchored between gold electrodes.
- Investigated photoconductive behavior under low gate voltage using contact-resistance ratios.
Main Results:
- Developed reversible single-cluster photoelectronic switches based on M@Au12 superatoms.
- Observed fully reversible photoconductive behavior with high on/off ratios (104-105).
- Demonstrated switching under a low gate voltage (0.50 V).
Conclusions:
- M@Au12 superatoms enable robust and reversible photoelectronic switching.
- The designed molecular switches offer low power consumption and ultrafast response.
- This work paves the way for atomic-scale manufacturing of advanced electronic components.
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