Journal Article

σ–σ Stacked supramolecular junctions

Al-Shebami, Mohammed A. Y., Xiao, Zongyuan, Zhao, Shiqiang, Zhou, Yu, Hong, Wenjing, Feng, Anni, Zeng, Biaofeng, Chen, Lichuan, Pan, Zhichao, Xu, Wei, Yang, Yang

2022

Overview

Intermolecular charge transport plays an essential role in organic electronic materials and biological systems. To date, experimental investigations of intermolecular charge transport in molecular materials and electronic devices have been restricted to conjugated systems in which π–π stacking interactions are involved. Herein we demonstrate that the σ–σ stacking interactions between neighbouring non-conjugated molecules offer an efficient pathway for charge transport through supramolecular junctions. The conductance of σ–σ stacked molecular junctions formed between two non-conjugated cyclohexanethiol or single-anchored adamantane molecules is comparable to that of π–π stacked molecular junctions formed between π-conjugated benzene rings. The current–voltage characteristics and flicker noise analysis demonstrate the existence of stacked molecular junctions formed between the electrode pairs and exhibit the characteristics of through-space charge transport. Density functional theory calculations combined with the non-equilibrium Green’s function method reveal that efficient charge transport occurs between two molecules configured with σ–σ stacking interactions. Supramolecular interactions play an essential role in organic electronic materials and biological systems. Now, it has been demonstrated that the σ–σ stacking interactions between neighbouring non-conjugated molecules can offer an efficient pathway for charge transport through supramolecular junctions, which provides a new guideline for the design and fabrication of organic materials and devices.

• Publisher: Nature Publishing Group UK,Nature Publishing Group
• Subject: 639/925/357/995 / 639/925/927/998 / Analytical Chemistry / Benzene / Biochemistry / Charge materials / Charge transport / Chemistry / Chemistry and Materials Science / Chemistry/Food Science / Current voltage characteristics / Cyclohexanethiol / Density functional theory / Electronic devices / Electronic equipment / Electronic materials / Fabrication / Green's functions / Histograms / Hydrocarbons / Inorganic Chemistry / Investigations / Laboratories / Organic Chemistry / Organic materials / Physical Chemistry / Space charge / Stacking