Single-molecule photo-spintronics

Lead Research Organisation: University of Liverpool
Department Name: Chemistry

Abstract

Abstracts are not currently available in GtR for all funded research. This is normally because the abstract was not required at the time of proposal submission, but may be because it included sensitive information such as personal details.
 
Description Using a scanning tunnelling microscopy (STM) technique we have shown that single molecules attaching and detaching can be detected via the conductance of a metal - molecule - compound semiconductor junction. We have shown how the choice of molecule modifies the rectifying properties of the junction and provide new knowledge concerning charge flow in such junctions at the single molecule level. This fabrication of metal - molecule - compound semiconductor junctions opens a new route to integrating devices, such as sensors, incorporating a small number of molecules and conventional semiconductor technology. We have further shown that metal - few molecule - compound semiconductor junctions generate a photocurrent that depends on both the choice of molecule and the doping density of the semiconductor, and have provided a qualitative explanation of this dependence. The photocurrent shows transient effects, which we explain as due to hole-trapping. We have also shown that molecular junctions with nickel contacts can respond to both electrical and chemical stimuli simultaneously, which is extremely important for sensor applications.
Exploitation Route Our work will further the development of new, ultrasensitive and ultracompact sensors. The transient photo-response detected could form the basis of a new local probe of the electronic structure of molecule-semiconductor junctions.
Sectors Chemicals

Education

Electronics

Environment

Pharmaceuticals and Medical Biotechnology

 
Description The project has provided new strategies to incorporate radical (open shell) compounds in single-molecule devices. The project has not yet had any economic or societal impact, but has important implications towards enabling technologies such as molecular spintronics and molecular thermoelectrics, operating under ambient temperature and normal environmental conditions. This represents fundamental research which demonstrates integration of radical character, transistor-like switching, and rectification in a single molecular component. This paves the way to further studies of the electronic, magnetic, and thermoelectric properties of open-shell species and their future integration into device platforms.
First Year Of Impact 2022
Sector Chemicals,Digital/Communication/Information Technologies (including Software),Electronics,Energy
 
Title CCDC 1578499: Experimental Crystal Structure Determination 
Description Related Article: Edmund Leary, Cécile Roche, Hua-Wei Jiang, Iain Grace, M. Teresa González, Gabino Rubio-Bollinger, Carlos Romero-Muñiz, Yaoyao Xiong, Qusiy Al-Galiby, Mohammed Noori, Maria A. Lebedeva, Kyriakos Porfyrakis, Nicolás Agrait, Andrew Hodgson, Simon J. Higgins, Colin J. Lambert, Harry L. Anderson, Richard J. Nichols|2018|J.Am.Chem.Soc.|140|710|doi:10.1021/jacs.7b10542 
Type Of Material Database/Collection of data 
Year Produced 2018 
Provided To Others? Yes  
URL http://www.ccdc.cam.ac.uk/services/structure_request?id=doi:10.5517/ccdc.csd.cc1pzkbk&sid=DataCite
 
Title CCDC 1578844: Experimental Crystal Structure Determination 
Description Related Article: Ross J. Davidson, David C. Milan, Oday A. Al-Owaedi, Ali K. Ismael, Richard J. Nichols, Simon J. Higgins, Colin J. Lambert, Dmitry S. Yufit, Andrew Beeby|2018|RSC Advances|8|23585|doi:10.1039/C8RA01257A 
Type Of Material Database/Collection of data 
Year Produced 2018 
Provided To Others? Yes  
URL http://www.ccdc.cam.ac.uk/services/structure_request?id=doi:10.5517/ccdc.csd.cc1pzxg1&sid=DataCite
 
Title CCDC 1578845: Experimental Crystal Structure Determination 
Description Related Article: Ross J. Davidson, David C. Milan, Oday A. Al-Owaedi, Ali K. Ismael, Richard J. Nichols, Simon J. Higgins, Colin J. Lambert, Dmitry S. Yufit, Andrew Beeby|2018|RSC Advances|8|23585|doi:10.1039/C8RA01257A 
Type Of Material Database/Collection of data 
Year Produced 2018 
Provided To Others? Yes  
URL http://www.ccdc.cam.ac.uk/services/structure_request?id=doi:10.5517/ccdc.csd.cc1pzxh2&sid=DataCite
 
Title CCDC 1578846: Experimental Crystal Structure Determination 
Description Related Article: Ross J. Davidson, David C. Milan, Oday A. Al-Owaedi, Ali K. Ismael, Richard J. Nichols, Simon J. Higgins, Colin J. Lambert, Dmitry S. Yufit, Andrew Beeby|2018|RSC Advances|8|23585|doi:10.1039/C8RA01257A 
Type Of Material Database/Collection of data 
Year Produced 2018 
Provided To Others? Yes  
URL http://www.ccdc.cam.ac.uk/services/structure_request?id=doi:10.5517/ccdc.csd.cc1pzxj3&sid=DataCite
 
Title CCDC 1950830: Experimental Crystal Structure Determination 
Description Related Article: Chuanli Wu, Demetris Bates, Sara Sangtarash, Nicoló Ferri, Aidan Thomas, Simon J. Higgins, Craig M. Robertson, Richard J. Nichols, Hatef Sadeghi, and Andrea Vezzoli|2020|Nano Lett.|20|7980|doi:10.1021/acs.nanolett.0c02815 
Type Of Material Database/Collection of data 
Year Produced 2020 
Provided To Others? Yes  
URL http://www.ccdc.cam.ac.uk/services/structure_request?id=doi:10.5517/ccdc.csd.cc23h00n&sid=DataCite
 
Title CCDC 1979403: Experimental Crystal Structure Determination 
Description Related Article: Chuanli Wu, Xiaohang Qiao, Craig M. Robertson, Simon J. Higgins, Chenxin Cai, Richard J. Nichols, Andrea Vezzoli|2020|Angew.Chem.,Int.Ed.|59|12029|doi:10.1002/anie.202002174 
Type Of Material Database/Collection of data 
Year Produced 2020 
Provided To Others? Yes  
URL http://www.ccdc.cam.ac.uk/services/structure_request?id=doi:10.5517/ccdc.csd.cc24fqq1&sid=DataCite
 
Title CCDC 1988159: Experimental Crystal Structure Determination 
Description Related Article: Chuanli Wu, Demetris Bates, Sara Sangtarash, Nicoló Ferri, Aidan Thomas, Simon J. Higgins, Craig M. Robertson, Richard J. Nichols, Hatef Sadeghi, and Andrea Vezzoli|2020|Nano Lett.|20|7980|doi:10.1021/acs.nanolett.0c02815 
Type Of Material Database/Collection of data 
Year Produced 2020 
Provided To Others? Yes  
URL http://www.ccdc.cam.ac.uk/services/structure_request?id=doi:10.5517/ccdc.csd.cc24qv5x&sid=DataCite
 
Title CCDC 2245744: Experimental Crystal Structure Determination 
Description Related Article: Alejandro Bara-Estau´n, Inco J. Planje, Renad Almughathawi, Saman Naghibi, Andrea Vezzoli, David C. Milan, Colin Lambert, Santiago Martin, Pilar Cea, Richard J. Nichols, Simon J. Higgins, Dmitry S. Yufit, Sara Sangtarash, Ross J. Davidson, Andrew Beeby|2023|Inorg.Chem.|||doi:10.1021/acs.inorgchem.3c01943 
Type Of Material Database/Collection of data 
Year Produced 2023 
Provided To Others? Yes  
URL http://www.ccdc.cam.ac.uk/services/structure_request?id=doi:10.5517/ccdc.csd.cc2fcwc2&sid=DataCite
 
Title CCDC 2245745: Experimental Crystal Structure Determination 
Description Related Article: Alejandro Bara-Estau´n, Inco J. Planje, Renad Almughathawi, Saman Naghibi, Andrea Vezzoli, David C. Milan, Colin Lambert, Santiago Martin, Pilar Cea, Richard J. Nichols, Simon J. Higgins, Dmitry S. Yufit, Sara Sangtarash, Ross J. Davidson, Andrew Beeby|2023|Inorg.Chem.|||doi:10.1021/acs.inorgchem.3c01943 
Type Of Material Database/Collection of data 
Year Produced 2023 
Provided To Others? Yes  
URL http://www.ccdc.cam.ac.uk/services/structure_request?id=doi:10.5517/ccdc.csd.cc2fcwd3&sid=DataCite
 
Title CCDC 2245746: Experimental Crystal Structure Determination 
Description Related Article: Alejandro Bara-Estau´n, Inco J. Planje, Renad Almughathawi, Saman Naghibi, Andrea Vezzoli, David C. Milan, Colin Lambert, Santiago Martin, Pilar Cea, Richard J. Nichols, Simon J. Higgins, Dmitry S. Yufit, Sara Sangtarash, Ross J. Davidson, Andrew Beeby|2023|Inorg.Chem.|||doi:10.1021/acs.inorgchem.3c01943 
Type Of Material Database/Collection of data 
Year Produced 2023 
Provided To Others? Yes  
URL http://www.ccdc.cam.ac.uk/services/structure_request?id=doi:10.5517/ccdc.csd.cc2fcwf4&sid=DataCite
 
Title CCDC 2245747: Experimental Crystal Structure Determination 
Description Related Article: Alejandro Bara-Estau´n, Inco J. Planje, Renad Almughathawi, Saman Naghibi, Andrea Vezzoli, David C. Milan, Colin Lambert, Santiago Martin, Pilar Cea, Richard J. Nichols, Simon J. Higgins, Dmitry S. Yufit, Sara Sangtarash, Ross J. Davidson, Andrew Beeby|2023|Inorg.Chem.|||doi:10.1021/acs.inorgchem.3c01943 
Type Of Material Database/Collection of data 
Year Produced 2023 
Provided To Others? Yes  
URL http://www.ccdc.cam.ac.uk/services/structure_request?id=doi:10.5517/ccdc.csd.cc2fcwg5&sid=DataCite
 
Description Collaboration with Bristol University 
Organisation University of Bristol
Department School of Social and Community Medicine
Country United Kingdom 
Sector Academic/University 
PI Contribution Bilateral collaboration with Bristol University on molecular electronics, spintronics and single molecule electronics and measurements and electrochemistry.
Collaborator Contribution Bilateral collaboration with Bristol University on molecular electronics, spintronics and single molecule electronics and measurements and electrochemistry. Collaboration with group of Walther Schwarzacher.
Impact A series of scientific publications.
Start Year 2007
 
Description Danish Technical University 
Organisation Technical University of Denmark
Department Department of Photonics Engineering
Country Denmark 
Sector Academic/University 
PI Contribution Collaboration in molecular electronics (theory) with Prof. Ulstrup group.
Collaborator Contribution Collaboration in molecular electronics (experiment)
Impact Scientific publications, see publication list.
 
Description Univeristy of Georgia, Athens, USA 
Organisation University of Georgia
Department Department of Chemistry
Country United States 
Sector Academic/University 
PI Contribution Molecular electronics collaboration (synthesis and measurements)
Collaborator Contribution Molecular electronics collaboration (measurements)
Impact Publications.
Start Year 2014
 
Description Univeristy of Zaragoza 
Organisation University of Zaragoza
Department Department of Chemistry
Country Spain 
Sector Academic/University 
PI Contribution Bilateral collaboration with Zaragoza University (Spain) on molecular electronics, LB films, single molecule electronics and electrochemistry.
Collaborator Contribution Bilateral collaboration with Zaragoza University (Spain) on molecular electronics, LB films, single molecule electronics and electrochemistry.
Impact See publications attributed.
Start Year 2007
 
Description University of Durham 
Organisation Durham University
Department Department of Biosciences
Country United Kingdom 
Sector Academic/University 
PI Contribution Molecular Electronics (synthesis)
Collaborator Contribution Molecular Electronics (measurements and characterisation)
Impact Scientific publications.
Start Year 2006
 
Description University of Madrid 
Organisation Autonomous University of Madrid
Country Spain 
Sector Academic/University 
PI Contribution Collaboration in single molecule electronics
Collaborator Contribution Collaboration in single molecule electronics
Impact Publications in preparation.
Start Year 2015
 
Description University of Western Australia (UWA) 
Organisation University of Western Australia
Country Australia 
Sector Academic/University 
PI Contribution Molecular electronics (synthesis)
Collaborator Contribution Molecular electronics (measurements and characterisation)
Impact Scientific publications (see list)
Start Year 2014
 
Description Bristol-Liverpool Workshop on Single-Molecule Electron Transport 
Form Of Engagement Activity Participation in an activity, workshop or similar
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach National
Primary Audience Industry/Business
Results and Impact Bristol-Liverpool Workshop on Single-Molecule Electron Transport involving academic and industrial attendees and outreach.
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2018