Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Vibration induced memory effects and switching in ac-driven molecular nanojunctions

  • Regular Article
  • Published:
The European Physical Journal B Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

We investigate bistability and memory effects in a molecular junction weakly coupled to metallic leads with the latter being subject to an adiabatic periodic change of the bias voltage. The system is described by a simple Anderson-Holstein model and its dynamics is calculated via a master equation approach. The controlled electrical switching between the many-body states of the system is achieved due to polaron shift and Franck-Condon blockade in the presence of strong electron-vibron interaction. Particular emphasis is given to the role played by the excited vibronic states in the bistability and hysteretic switching dynamics as a function of the voltage sweeping rates. In general, both the occupation probabilities of the vibronic states and the associated vibron energy show hysteretic behaviour for driving frequencies in a range set by the minimum and maximum lifetimes of the system. The consequences on the transport properties for various driving frequencies and in the limit of DC-bias are also investigated.

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

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. J. Lu, T.-C. Chang, Y.-T. Chen, J.-J. Huang, P.-C. Yang, S.-C. Chen, S.-C. Huang, H.-C. Huang, D.-S. Gan, N.-J. Ho, Y. Shi, A.-K. Chu, Appl. Phys. Lett. 96, 262107 (2010)

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  2. C.P. Collier, E.W. Wong, M. Belohradsky, F.M. Raymo, J.F. Stoddart, P.J. Kuekes, R.S. Williams, J.R. Heath, Science 285, 391 (1999)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  3. D.I. Gittin, D. Bethell, D.J. Schiffrin, R.J. Nichols, Nature 408, 67 (2000)

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  4. M. Despont, J. Brugger, U. Drechsler, U. Dürig, W. Häberle, M. Lutwyche, H. Rothuizen, R. Stutz, R. Widmer, G. Binnig, H. Rohrer, P. Vettiger, Sens. Actuators 80, 100 (2000)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  5. J. Repp, G. Meyer, F.E. Olsson, M. Persson, Science 305, 493 (2004)

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  6. P. Liljeroth, J. Repp, G. Meyer, Science 317, 1203 (2007)

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  7. F.E. Olsson, S. Paavilainen, M. Persson, J. Repp, G. Meyer, Phys. Rev. Lett. 98, 176803 (2007)

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  8. H.X. He, X.L. Li, N.J. Tao, L.A. Nagahara, I. Amlani, R. Tsui, Phys. Rev. B 68, 045302 (2003)

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  9. M. Martin, M. Lastapis, D. Riedel, G. Dujardin, M. Mamatkulov, L. Stauffer, Ph. Sonnet, Phys. Rev. Lett. 97, 216103 (2006)

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  10. E. Lörtscher, H.B. Weber, H. Riel, Phys. Rev. Lett. 98, 176807 (2007)

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  11. M. del Valle, R. Gutierrez, C. Tejedor, G. Cuniberti, Nat. Nanotechnol. 2, 176 (2007)

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  12. E. Lörtscher, W. Ciszek, J. Tour, H. Riel, Small 2, 973 (2006)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  13. B.-Y. Choi, S.-J. Kahng, S. Kim, H.W. Kim, Y.J. Song, J. Ihm, Y. Kuk, Phys. Rev. Lett. 96, 156106 (2006)

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  14. Z.J. Donhauser, B.A. Mantooth, K.F. Kelly, L.A. Bumm, J.D. Monnell, J.J. Stapleton, D.W. Price Jr., A.M. Rawlett, D.L. Allara, J.M. Tour, P.S. Weiss, Science 292, 2303 (2001)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  15. H. Wang, Y. Wu, C. Cong, J. Shang, T. Yu, ACS Nano 4, 7221 (2010)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  16. A.J. Hong, E.B. Song, H.S. Yu, M.J. Allen, J. Kim, J.D. Fowler, J.K. Wassei, Y. Park, Y. Wang, J. Zou, R.B. Kaner, B.H. Weiller, K.L. Wang, ACS Nano 5, 7812 (2011).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  17. N. Zhan, M. Olmedo, G. Wang, J. Liu, Appl. Phys. Lett. 99, 113112 (2011)

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  18. G.A. Steele, A.K. Hüttel, B. Witkamp, M. Poot, H.B. Meerwaldt, L.P. Kouwenhoven, H.S.J. van der Zant, Science 325, 1103 (2009)

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  19. H.O.H. Churchill, A.J. Bestwick, J.W. Harlow, F. Kuemmeth, D. Marcos, C.H. Stwertka, S.K. Watson, C. M. Marcus, Nature 5, 321 (2009)

    Google Scholar 

  20. J.E. Jang, S.N. Cha, Y.J. Choi, D.J. Kang, T.P. Butter, D.G. Hasko, J.E. Jung, J.M. Kim, G.A.J. Amaratunga, Nat. Nanotechnol. 3, 26 (2008)

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  21. P.D. Amico, D. A. Ryndyk, G. Cuniberti, K. Richter, New J. Phys. 10, 085002 (2008)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  22. D.A. Ryndyk, P.D. Amico, K. Richter, Phys. Rev. B 81, 115333 (2010)

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  23. M. Galperin, M.A. Ratner, A. Nitzan, Nano Lett. 5, 125 (2005)

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  24. A.S. Alexandrov, A.M. Bratkovsky, Phys. Rev. B 67, 235312 (2003)

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  25. A.S. Alexandrov, A.M. Bratkovsky, Phys. Rev. B 72, 129901(E) (2005)

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  26. A.S. Alexandrov, A.M. Bratkovsky, R. Stanely Williams, Phys. Rev. B 67, 075301 (2003)

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  27. D.A. Ryndyk, P.D. Amico, G. Cuniberti, K. Richter, Phys. Rev. B 78, 085409 (2008)

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  28. D. Mozyrsky, M.B. Hastings, I. Martin, Phys. Rev. B 73, 035104 (2006).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  29. A.S. Alexandrov, A.M. Bratkovsky, arXiv:cond-mat/0603467v3 (unpublished)

  30. J. Koch, F. von Oppen, A.V. Andreev, Phys. Rev. B 74, 205438 (2006)

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  31. J. Koch, F. von Oppen, Phys. Rev. Lett. 94, 206804 (2005)

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  32. J. Koch, M.E. Raikh, F. von Oppen, Phys. Rev. Lett. 95, 056801 (2005).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  33. K.C. Nowack, M.R. Wegewijs, arXiv:cond-mat/0506552 (unpublished)

  34. A. Yar, A. Donarini, S. Koller, M. Grifoni, Phys. Rev. B 84, 115432 (2011)

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  35. M.G. Schultz, Phys. Rev. B 82, 155408 (2010)

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  36. G.D. Mahan, Many-Particle Physics, 3rd edn. (Kluwer, New York, 2000)

  37. G. Begemann, D. Darau, A. Donarini, M. Grifoni, Phys. Rev. B 77, 201406(R) (2008);

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  38. G. Begemann, D. Darau, A. Donarini, M. Grifoni, Phys. Rev. B 78, 089901(E) (2008)

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  39. A. Donarini, G. Begemann, M. Grifoni, Nano Lett. 9, 2897 (2009)

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  40. S. Braig, P.W. Brouwer, Phys. Rev. B 71, 195324 (2005)

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  41. M. Braun, J. König, J. Martinek, Phys. Rev. B 70, 195345 (2004)

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  42. B. Wunsch, M. Braun, J. König, D. Pfannkuche, Phys. Rev. B 72, 205319 (2005)

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  43. U. Harbola, M. Esposito, S. Mukamel, Phys. Rev. B 74, 235309 (2006)

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  44. L. Mayrhofer, M. Grifoni, Eur. Phys. Rev. J. B 56, 107 (2007)

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  45. S. Koller, L. Mayrhofer, M. Grifoni, New J. Phys. 9, 348 (2007)

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  46. R. Hornberger, S. Koller, G. Begemann, A. Donarini, M. Grifoni, Phys. Rev. B 77, 245313 (2008)

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  47. M.G. Schultz, F. von Oppen, Phys. Rev. B 80, 033302 (2009)

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  48. F. Domínguuez, S. Kohler, G. Platero, Phys. Rev. B 83, 235319 (2011)

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  49. T. Brandes, N. Lambert, Phys. Rev. B 67, 125323 (2003)

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  50. Ya. M. Blanter, O. Usmani, Yu.V. Nazarov, Phys. Rev. Lett. 93, 136802 (2004)

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  51. R. Hussein, A. Metelmann, P. Zedler, T. Brandes, Phys. Rev. B 82, 165406 (2010)

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  52. S. Datta, W. Tian, S. Hong, R. Reifenberger, J.I. Henderson, C.P. Kubiak, Phys. Rev. Lett. 79, 2530 (1997)

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  53. M. Grifoni, P. Hänggi, Phys. Rep. 304, 229 (1998)

    Article  MathSciNet  ADS  Google Scholar 

  54. A. Braggio, J. König, R. Fazio, Phys. Rev. Lett. 96, 026805 (2006)

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  55. G. Herzberg, Molecular Spectra and Molecular Structure (Dover Publ., New York, 1945)

  56. L. Mayrhofer, M. Grifoni, Phys. Rev. B 74, 121403(R) (2006)

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institute of Theoretical Physics, University of Regensburg, 93040, Regensburg, Germany

    A. Donarini, A. Yar & M. Grifoni

Authors
  1. A. Donarini
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. A. Yar
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. M. Grifoni
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to A. Donarini.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Donarini, A., Yar, A. & Grifoni, M. Vibration induced memory effects and switching in ac-driven molecular nanojunctions. Eur. Phys. J. B 85, 316 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1140/epjb/e2012-30407-5

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Revised:

  • Published:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1140/epjb/e2012-30407-5

Keywords

Search

Navigation