Modeling of Solvent Effects in the Electrical Response of pi-Stacked Molecular Junctions

Research output: Contribution to journalResearch articleContributedpeer-review

Abstract

We present theoretical modeling of the influence of THF solvents on the mechanical stability and the electrical response of two different pi-stacked molecular junctions based on cysteamine conjugates of naphthalic anhydride and of pyrene. Combining molecular dynamics simulations and quantum transport calculations, we show that for junctions with a weaker pi-pi stacking as measured by the stacking energy dynamical breaking of the stacking induced by the solvent can take place. However, contrary to what may be expected, the conductance of the system is not suppressed due to the emergence of an additional transport channel which bypasses the broken pi overlap of the perylene cores. However, an additional gating-like effect in such a situation does reduce the low bias current when comparing with situations, where pi-stacking is preserved.

Details

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)20201-20209
Number of pages9
JournalJournal of Physical Chemistry C, Nanomaterials and interfaces
Volume119
Issue number34
Publication statusPublished - 27 Aug 2015
Peer-reviewedYes

External IDs

Scopus 84940505727
ORCID /0000-0001-8121-8041/work/142240884

Keywords

Keywords

  • Conductance, Transport, Surface