Mechanoelectric sensitivity reveals destructive quantum interference in single-molecule junctions
Abstract Quantum interference plays an important role in charge transport through single-molecule junctions, even at room temperature. Of special interest is the measurement of the destructive quantum interference dip itself. Such measurements are especially demanding when performed in a continuous...
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| Format: | Article |
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Nature Portfolio
2024-11-01
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| Series: | Nature Communications |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-024-53825-x |
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| author | Sebastiaan van der Poel Juan Hurtado-Gallego Matthias Blaschke Rubén López-Nebreda Almudena Gallego Marcel Mayor Fabian Pauly Herre S. J. van der Zant Nicolás Agraït |
| author_facet | Sebastiaan van der Poel Juan Hurtado-Gallego Matthias Blaschke Rubén López-Nebreda Almudena Gallego Marcel Mayor Fabian Pauly Herre S. J. van der Zant Nicolás Agraït |
| author_sort | Sebastiaan van der Poel |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Quantum interference plays an important role in charge transport through single-molecule junctions, even at room temperature. Of special interest is the measurement of the destructive quantum interference dip itself. Such measurements are especially demanding when performed in a continuous mode of operation. Here, we use mechanical modulation experiments at ambient conditions to reconstruct the destructive quantum interference dip of conductance versus displacement. Simultaneous measurements of the Seebeck coefficient show a sinusoidal response across the dip without sign change. Calculations that include electrode distance and energy alignment variations explain both observations quantitatively, emphasizing the crucial role of thermal fluctuations for measurements under ambient conditions. Our results open the way for establishing a closer link between break-junction experiments and theory in explaining single-molecule transport phenomena, especially when describing sharp features in the transmission. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-e4b29288cff14e948976ba3ce4d55198 |
| institution | OA Journals |
| issn | 2041-1723 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2024-11-01 |
| publisher | Nature Portfolio |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Nature Communications |
| spelling | doaj-art-e4b29288cff14e948976ba3ce4d551982025-08-20T02:33:08ZengNature PortfolioNature Communications2041-17232024-11-011511810.1038/s41467-024-53825-xMechanoelectric sensitivity reveals destructive quantum interference in single-molecule junctionsSebastiaan van der Poel0Juan Hurtado-Gallego1Matthias Blaschke2Rubén López-Nebreda3Almudena Gallego4Marcel Mayor5Fabian Pauly6Herre S. J. van der Zant7Nicolás Agraït8Kavli Institute of Nanoscience, Delft University of TechnologyDepartamento de Física de la Materia Condensada, Universidad Autónoma de MadridInstitute of Physics and Center for Advanced Analytics and Predictive Sciences, University of AugsburgDepartamento de Física de la Materia Condensada, Universidad Autónoma de MadridDepartment of Chemistry, University of BaselDepartment of Chemistry, University of BaselInstitute of Physics and Center for Advanced Analytics and Predictive Sciences, University of AugsburgKavli Institute of Nanoscience, Delft University of TechnologyDepartamento de Física de la Materia Condensada, Universidad Autónoma de MadridAbstract Quantum interference plays an important role in charge transport through single-molecule junctions, even at room temperature. Of special interest is the measurement of the destructive quantum interference dip itself. Such measurements are especially demanding when performed in a continuous mode of operation. Here, we use mechanical modulation experiments at ambient conditions to reconstruct the destructive quantum interference dip of conductance versus displacement. Simultaneous measurements of the Seebeck coefficient show a sinusoidal response across the dip without sign change. Calculations that include electrode distance and energy alignment variations explain both observations quantitatively, emphasizing the crucial role of thermal fluctuations for measurements under ambient conditions. Our results open the way for establishing a closer link between break-junction experiments and theory in explaining single-molecule transport phenomena, especially when describing sharp features in the transmission.https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-024-53825-x |
| spellingShingle | Sebastiaan van der Poel Juan Hurtado-Gallego Matthias Blaschke Rubén López-Nebreda Almudena Gallego Marcel Mayor Fabian Pauly Herre S. J. van der Zant Nicolás Agraït Mechanoelectric sensitivity reveals destructive quantum interference in single-molecule junctions Nature Communications |
| title | Mechanoelectric sensitivity reveals destructive quantum interference in single-molecule junctions |
| title_full | Mechanoelectric sensitivity reveals destructive quantum interference in single-molecule junctions |
| title_fullStr | Mechanoelectric sensitivity reveals destructive quantum interference in single-molecule junctions |
| title_full_unstemmed | Mechanoelectric sensitivity reveals destructive quantum interference in single-molecule junctions |
| title_short | Mechanoelectric sensitivity reveals destructive quantum interference in single-molecule junctions |
| title_sort | mechanoelectric sensitivity reveals destructive quantum interference in single molecule junctions |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-024-53825-x |
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