Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Upscaling, integration and electrical characterization of molecular junctions

  • Article
  • Published:

From Nature Nanotechnology

View current issue Submit your manuscript

Abstract

The ultimate target of molecular electronics is to combine different types of functional molecules into integrated circuits, preferably through an autonomous self-assembly process. Charge transport through self-assembled monolayers has been investigated previously, but problems remain with reliability, stability and yield, preventing further progress in the integration of discrete molecular junctions. Here we present a technology to simultaneously fabricate over 20,000 molecular junctions—each consisting of a gold bottom electrode, a self-assembled alkanethiol monolayer, a conducting polymer layer and a gold top electrode—on a single 150-mm wafer. Their integration is demonstrated in strings where up to 200 junctions are connected in series with a yield of unity. The statistical analysis on these molecular junctions, for which the processing parameters were varied and the influence on the junction resistance was measured, allows for the tentative interpretation that the perpendicular electrical transport through these monolayer junctions is factorized.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Figure 1: Schematic presentation of the process flow chart.
Figure 2: Cross-section of a molecular junction.
Figure 3: Statistical representation of junction resistances.
Figure 4: Resistance as a function of process parameters.
Figure 5: Integration of junctions in series.
Figure 6: Summary of resistances.

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Chen, F., Hihath, J., Huang, Z., Li, X. & Tao, N. J. Measurement of single-molecule conductance. Annu. Rev. Phys. Chem. 58, 535–564 (2007).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  2. Venkataraman, L. et al. Single-molecule circuits with well-defined molecular conductances. Nano Lett. 6, 458–462 (2006).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  3. Cui, X. D. et al. Reproducible measurement of single-molecule conductivity. Science 294, 571–574 (2001).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  4. Cui, X. D. et al. Changes in the electronic properties of a molecule when it is wired into a circuit. J. Phys. Chem. B 106, 8609–8614 (2002).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  5. Tao, N. J. Electron transport in molecular junctions. Nature Nanotech. 1, 173–181 (2006).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  6. Akkerman, H. B. & de Boer, B. Electrical conduction through single molecules and self-assembled monolayers. J. Phys. Condens. Matter 20, 13001 (2008).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  7. Porter, M. D., Bright, T. B., Allara, D. L. & Chidsey, C. E. D. Spontaneously organized molecular assemblies. 4. Structural characterization of n-alkyl thiol monolayers on gold by optical ellipsometry, infrared spectroscopy and electrochemistry. J. Am. Chem. Soc. 109, 3559–3573 (1987).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  8. Love, J. C., Estroff, L. A., Kriebel, J. K., Nuzzo, R. G. & Whitesides, G. M. Self-assembled monolayers of thiolates on metals as a form of nanotechnology. Chem. Rev. 105, 1103–1169 (2005).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  9. Vericat, C. et al. Surface characterization of sulfur and alkanethiol self-assembled monolayers on Au(111). J. Phys. Condens. Matter 18, R867–R900 (2006).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  10. Wang, W., Lee, T. & Reed, M. A. Electron tunnelling in self-assembled monolayers. Rep. Prog. Phys. 68, 523–544 (2005).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  11. Slowinski, K., Chamberlain, R. V., Miller, C. J. & Majda, M. Through-bond and chain-to-chain coupling. Two pathways in electron tunnelling through liquid alkanethiol monolayers on mercury electrodes. J. Am. Chem. Soc. 119, 11910–11919 (1997).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  12. Kim, Y.-H., Tahir-Kheli, J., Schultz, P. A. & Goddard III, W. A. First-principles approach to the charge-transport characteristics of monolayer molecular-electronics devices: Application to hexanedithiolate devices. Phys. Rev. B 73, 235419 (2006).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  13. Müller, K.-H., Effect of the atomic configuration of gold electrodes on the electrical conduction of alkanedithiol molecules. Phys. Rev. B 73, 045403 (2006).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  14. de Boer, B. et al. Metallic contact formation for molecular electronics: Interactions between vapour-deposited metals and self-assembled monolayers of conjugated mono- and dithiols. Langmuir 20, 1539–1542 (2004).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  15. Reed, M. A., Zhou, C., Muller, C. J., Burgin, T. P. & Tour, J. M. Conductance of a molecular junction. Science 278, 252–254 (1997).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  16. Kim, T. W., Wang, G., Lee, H. & Lee, T. Statistical analysis of electronic properties of alkanethiols in metal–molecule–metal junctions. Nanotechnology 18, 315204 (2007).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  17. Akkerman, H. B., Blom, P. W. M., de Leeuw, D. M. & de Boer, B. Towards molecular electronics with large-area molecular junctions. Nature 441, 69–72 (2006).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  18. Bain, C. D. et al. Formation of monolayer films by the spontaneous assembly of organic thiols from solution onto gold. J. Am. Chem. Soc. 111, 321–335 (1989).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  19. Akkerman, H. B. et al. Self-assembled-monolayer formation of long alkanedithiols in molecular junctions. Small 4, 100–104 (2008).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  20. Wang, G., Kim, T.-W., Lee, H. & Lee, T. Influence of metal–molecule contacts on decay coefficients and specific contact resistances in molecular junctions. Phys. Rev. B 76, 205320 (2007).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  21. Seminario, J. M. & Yan, L. Ab initio analysis of electron currents in thioalkanes. Int. J. Quantum Chem. 102, 711–723 (2005).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  22. Landau, A., Kronik, L. & Nitzan, A. Cooperative effects in molecular conduction. J. Comp. Theor. Nanosci. 5, 535–544 (2008).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  23. Tomfohr, J. K. & Sankey, O. F. Complex band structure, decay lengths and Fermi level alignment in simple molecular electronic systems. Phys. Rev. B 65, 245105 (2002).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  24. Tomfohr, J. K. & Sankey, O. F. Theoretical analysis of electron transport through organic molecules. J. Chem. Phys. 120, 1542–1554 (2004).

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgements

We acknowledge financial support from the EU projects NAIMO (NMP4-CT-2004-500355). The work of E.C.P.S. forms part of the research program of the Dutch Polymer Institute (DPI) project no. 516. The work of H.B.A. and A.J.K. was financially supported by the Zernike Institute for Advanced Materials and NanoNed, a national nanotechnology program coordinated by the Dutch Ministry of Economic Affairs. The work in Mons is partly supported by the Interuniversity Attraction Pole IAP 6/27 Program of the Belgian Federal Government ‘Functional supramolecular systems (FS2).’ J.C. is a research fellow of FNRS. The work of S.P. and G.L. is supported by Fondazione Cariplo—Project TOLEDO. We acknowledge J.H.M. Snijders, C. van der Marel and H. Nulens for the XPS and AFM measurements, R.G.R. Weemaes for the FIB-TEM analysis, R. Schroeders for technical assistance, and N. Willard for fruitful discussions.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Philips Research Laboratories, High Tech Campus 4, Eindhoven, 5656 AE, Netherlands

    Paul A. Van Hal, Edsger C. P. Smits, Tom C. T. Geuns, Bianca C. De Brito & Dago M. De Leeuw

  2. Molecular Electronics, Zernike Institute for Advanced Materials, University of Groningen, Nijenborgh 4, Groningen, 9747 AG, Netherlands

    Edsger C. P. Smits, Hylke B. Akkerman, Auke J. Kronemeijer, Paul W. M. Blom, Bert De Boer & Dago M. De Leeuw

  3. Dutch Polymer Institute, PO Box 902, Eindhoven, 5600 AX, Netherlands

    Edsger C. P. Smits

  4. Dipartimento di Fisica, IIT Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, Politecnico di Milano, P.za L. da Vinci 32, Milano, 20133, Italy

    Stefano Perissinotto & Guglielmo Lanzani

  5. Service de Chimie des Materiaux Nouveaux, Université de Mons-Hainaut, Place du Parc 20, Mons, Belgium

    Victor Geskin & Jérôme Cornil

Authors
  1. Paul A. Van Hal
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Edsger C. P. Smits
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Tom C. T. Geuns
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Hylke B. Akkerman
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. Bianca C. De Brito
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  6. Stefano Perissinotto
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  7. Guglielmo Lanzani
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  8. Auke J. Kronemeijer
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  9. Victor Geskin
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  10. Jérôme Cornil
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  11. Paul W. M. Blom
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  12. Bert De Boer
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  13. Dago M. De Leeuw
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Dago M. De Leeuw.

Supplementary information

Supplementary Information

Supplementary Information (PDF 2318 kb)

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Van Hal, P., Smits, E., Geuns, T. et al. Upscaling, integration and electrical characterization of molecular junctions. Nature Nanotech 3, 749–754 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1038/nnano.2008.305

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/nnano.2008.305

  • Springer Nature Limited

This article is cited by

Search

Navigation