Negative Differential Conductance in Polyporphyrin Oligomers with Nonlinear Backbones

J Am Chem Soc. 2018 Jan 17;140(2):570-573. doi: 10.1021/jacs.7b11016. Epub 2018 Jan 4.

Abstract

We study negative differential conductance (NDC) effects in polyporphyrin oligomers with nonlinear backbones. Using a low-temperature scanning tunneling microscope, we selectively controlled the charge transport path in single oligomer wires. We observed robust NDC when charge passed through a T-shape junction, bistable NDC when charge passed through a 90° kink and no NDC when charge passed through a 120° kink. Aided by density functional theory with nonequilibrium Green's functions simulations, we attributed this backbone-dependent NDC to bias-modulated hybridization of the electrode states with the resonant transport molecular orbital. We argue this mechanism is generic in molecular systems, which opens a new route of designing molecular NDC devices.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't