Molecular conductance: chemical trends of anchoring groups

Combining density functional theory calculations for molecular electronic structure with a Green function method for electron transport, we calculate from first principles the molecular conductance of benzene connected to two Au leads through different anchoring atoms-S, Se, and Te. The relaxed atomic structure of the contact, different lead orientations, and different adsorption sites are fully considered. We find that the molecule-lead coupling, electron transfer, and conductance all depend strongly on the adsorption site, lead orientation, and local contact atomic configuration. For flat contacts the conductance decreases as the atomic number of the anchoring atom increases, regardless of the adsorption site, lead orientation, or bias. For small bias this chemical trend is, however, dependent on the contact atomic configuration: an additional Au atom at the contact with the (111) lead changes the best anchoring atom from S to Se, although for large bias the original chemical trend is recovered.     

Melting Mechanism and Structure Evolution of Au Nanofilms Explored by Molecular Dynamics Simulations

The melting mechanism and structure evolution of two-dimensional Au nanofilms with different thicknesses have been investigated in detail by using classical molecular dynamics simulations. The simulation results demonstrate that all Au nanofilms display a two-stage melting behavior of surface premelting and homogenous melting. Furthermore, the premelting behavior only occurs in the outermost layers but the other inner layers always keep a stable solid state until the corresponding melting point, which is different from the premelting behavior from surface into the interior in zero-dimensional Au nanocluster and one-dimensional Au nanowire. Meanwhile, the increase of nanofilm thickness can lead to an increase of melting point. During the premelting process, the surface reconstruction fromthe f100g plane to the f111g plane has directly been observed at a atomic level for all Au nanofilms. However even for the thinnest L2 nanofilm, the surface stress can't induce such surface reconstruction until temperature is up to 500 K, while similar surface reconstruction induced by surface stress can be observed at much lower temperature for the Au nanowire due to its higher surface-to-volume ratios compared to the Au nanofilm. In addition, our simulation results show that the thinnest Au nanofilm with two atomic layers can be broken into independent one-dimensional nanowires when the temperature reaches a certain value.     

Oxygen adsorption on gold nanofacets and model clusters

We have studied oxygen interaction with Au crystals (field emitter tips) using time-resolved (atom-probe) field desorption mass spectrometry. The results demonstrate no adsorption to take place on clean Au facets under chosen conditions of pressures (p < 10(-4) m/bar) and temperatures (T = 300-350 K). Steady electric fields of 6 V/nm do not allow dissociating the oxygen molecule. The measured O2+ intensities rather reflect ionization of O2 molecules at critical distances above the Au tip surface. Certain amounts of Au-O2 complex ions can be found at the onset of Au field evaporation. Calculations by density functional theory (DFT) show weak oxygen end-on interaction with Au10 clusters (Delta E = 0.023 eV) and comparatively stronger interaction with Au1/Au(100) model surfaces (Delta E = 0.25 eV). No binding is found on {210} facets. Including (positive) electric fields in the DFT calculations leads to an increase of the activation energy for oxygen dissociation thus providing an explanation for the absence of atomic oxygen ions from the field desorption mass spectra.     

Contact atomic structure and electron transport through molecules

Using benzene sandwiched between two Au leads as a model system, we investigate from first principles the change in molecular conductance caused by different atomic structures around the metal-molecule contact. Our motivation is the variable situations that may arise in break junction experiments; our approach is a combined density functional theory and Green function technique. We focus on effects caused by (1) the presence of an additional Au atom at the contact and (2) possible changes in the molecule-lead separation. The effects of contact atomic relaxation and two different lead orientations are fully considered. We find that the presence of an additional Au atom at each of the two contacts will increase the equilibrium conductance by up to two orders of magnitude regardless of either the lead orientation or different group-VI anchoring atoms. This is due to a resonance peak near the Fermi energy from the lowest energy unoccupied molecular orbital. In the nonequilibrium properties, the resonance peak manifests itself in a negative differential conductance. We find that the dependence of the equilibrium conductance on the molecule-lead separation can be quite subtle: either very weak or very strong depending on the separation regime.     

Observation and Identification of an Atomic Oxygen Structure on Catalytic Gold Nanoparticles

Interactions between oxygen and gold surfaces are fundamentally important in diverse areas of science and technology. In this work, an oxygen dimer structure was observed and identified on gold nanoparticles in catalytic decomposition of hydrogen peroxide to oxygen and water. This structure, which is different from isolated atomic or molecular oxygen surface structures, was observed with in situ surface‐enhanced Raman spectroscopic measurements and identified with density functional theory calculations. The experimental measurements were performed using monodisperse 5, 50 and 400 nm gold particles supported on silica with liquid‐phase hydrogen and deuterium peroxides at multiple pH values. The calculations show that on surfaces with coordinatively unsaturated gold atoms, two oxygen atoms preferentially share a gold atom with a bond distance of 0.194–0.196 nm and additionally bind to two other surface gold atoms with a larger bond distance of 0.203–0.213 nm, forming an Au‐O‐Au‐O‐Au structure. The formation of this structure depends on reaction rates and conditions.     

The role of surface defects in multi-exciton generation of lead selenide and silicon semiconductor quantum dots

Multi-exciton generation (MEG), the creation of more than one electron-hole pair per photon absorbed, occurs for excitation energies greater than twice the bandgap (E(g)). Imperfections on the surface of quantum dots, in the form of atomic vacancies or incomplete surface passivation, lead to less than ideal efficiencies for MEG in semiconductor quantum dots. The energetic onset for MEG is computed with and without surface defects for nanocrystals, Pb(4)Se(4), Si(7), and Si(7)H(2). Modeling the correlated motion of two electrons across the bandgap requires a theoretical approach that incorporates many-body effects, such as post-Hartree-Fock quantum chemical methods. We use symmetry-adapted cluster with configuration interaction to study the excited states of nanocrystals and to determine the energetic threshold of MEG. Under laboratory conditions, lead selenide nanocrystals produce multi-excitons at excitation energies of 3 E(g), which is attributed to the large dielectric constant, small Coulomb interaction, and surface defects. In the absence of surface defects the MEG threshold is computed to be 2.6 E(g). For lead selenide nanocrystals with non-bonding selenium valence electrons, Pb(3)Se(4), the MEG threshold increases to 2.9 E(g). Experimental evidence of MEG in passivated silicon quantum dots places the onset of MEG at 2.4 E(g). Our calculations show that the lowest multi-exciton state has an excitation energy of 2.5 E(g), and surface passivation enhances the optical activity of MEG. However, incomplete surface passivation resulting in a neutral radical on the surface drives the MEG threshold to 4.4 E(g). Investigating the mechanism of MEG at the atomistic level provides explanations for experimental discrepancies and suggests ideal materials for photovoltaic conversion.     

A time-dependent wave packet quantum scattering study of the reaction HD+ (v = 0 - 3;j0 = 1) + He --> HeH+(HeD+) + D(H)

Time-dependent wave packet quantum scattering (TWQS) calculations are presented for HD(+) (v = 0 - 3;j(0)=1) + He collisions in the center-of-mass collision energy (E(T)) range of 0.0-2.0 eV. The present TWQS approach accounts for Coriolis coupling and uses the ab initio potential energy surface of Palmieri et al. [Mol. Phys. 98, 1839 (2000)]. For a fixed total angular momentum J, the energy dependence of reaction probabilities exhibits quantum resonance structure. The resonances are more pronounced for low J values and for the HeH(+) + D channel than for the HeD(+) + H channel and are particularly prominent near threshold. The quantum effects are no longer discernable in the integral cross sections, which compare closely to quasiclassical trajectory calculations conducted on the same potential energy surface. The integral cross sections also compare well to recent state-selected experimental values over the same reactant and translational energy range. Classical impulsive dynamics and steric arguments can account for the significant isotope effect in favor of the deuteron transfer channel observed for HD(+)(v<3) and low translational energies. At higher reactant energies, angular momentum constraints favor the proton-transfer channel, and isotopic differences in the integral cross sections are no longer significant. The integral cross sections as well as the J dependence of partial cross sections exhibit a significant alignment effect in favor of collisions with the HD(+) rotational angular momentum vector perpendicular to the Jacobi R coordinate. This effect is most pronounced for the proton-transfer channel at low vibrational and translational energies.     

Contact resistance in metal-molecule-metal junctions based on aliphatic SAMs: effects of surface linker and metal work function

Using conducting probe atomic force microscopy (CP-AFM), we have formed molecular tunnel junctions consisting of alkanethiols and alkane isonitrile self-assembled monolayers sandwiched between gold, platinum, silver, and palladium contacts. We have measured the resistance of these junctions at low bias (dV/dI |V=0) as a function of alkane chain length. Extrapolation to zero chain length gives the contact resistance, R0 . R0 is strongly dependent on the type of metal used for the contacts and decreases with increasing metal work function; that is, R0,Ag > R0,Au > R0,Pd > R0,Pt. R0 is approximately 10% smaller for Au junctions with isonitrile versus thiol surface linkers. We conclude that the Fermi level of the junction lies much closer to the HOMO than to the LUMO.     

Energetically driven reorganization of a modified catalytic surface under reaction conditions

The compositional and structural rearrangements at the catalyst surface during chemical reactions are issues of great importance for understanding and modeling the catalytic processes. Low-energy electron microscopy and photoelectron spectromicroscopy studies of the real-space structure and composition of a Au-modified Rh(110) surface during water formation reveal reorganization processes due to Au mass transport triggered by the propagating reaction fronts. The temporal evolution of the surface reaction results in a 'patterned' surface consisting of separated Au-rich and Au-poor phases with different oxygen coverage, Rh surface structure, and reactivity. The experimental results are complemented by ab initio electronic-structure calculations of the O and Au adsorption phases, which demonstrate that the reorganization of the Au adlayer by the propagating reaction fronts is an energetically driven process. Our findings suggest that reaction-induced spatial inhomogeneity in the surface composition and structure is a common feature of metal catalysts modified with adatoms which become mobile under reaction conditions.     

Accurate potential energy surface and quantum reaction rate calculations for the H+CH4-->H2+CH3 reaction

Calculations for the cumulative reaction probability N(E) (for J=0) and the thermal rate constant k(T) of the H+CH(4)-->H(2)+CH(3) reaction are presented. Accurate electronic structure calculations and a converged Shepard-interpolation approach are used to construct a potential energy surface which is specifically designed to allow the precise calculation of k(T) and N(E). Accurate quantum dynamics calculations employing flux correlation functions and multiconfigurational time-dependent Hartree wave packet propagation compute N(E) and k(T) based on this potential energy surface. The present work describes in detail the various convergence test performed to investigate the accuracy of the calculations at each step. These tests demonstrate the predictive power of the present calculations. In addition, approximate approaches for reaction rate calculations are discussed. A quite accurate approximation can be obtained from a potential energy surface which includes only interpolation points on the minimum energy path.     

Symmetry controlled spin polarized conductance in au nanowires

The fact that the resistance of propagating electrons in solids depends on their spin orientation has led to a new field called spintronics. With the parallel advances in nanoscience, it is now possible to talk about nanospintronics. Many works have focused on the study of charge transport along nanosystems, such as carbon nanotubes, graphene nanoribbons, or metallic nanowires, and spin dependent transport properties at this scale may lead to new behaviors due to the manipulation of a small number of spins. Metal nanowires have been studied as electric contacts where atomic and molecular insertions can be constructed. Here we describe what might be considered the ultimate spin device, namely, a Au thin nanowire with one Co atom bridging its two sides. We show that this system has strong spin dependent transport properties and that its local symmetry can dramatically change them, leading to a significant spin polarized conductance.     

Molecular dynamics simulations of stretched gold nanowires: the relative utility of different semiempirical potentials

The mechanical elongation of a finite gold nanowire has been studied by molecular dynamics simulations using different semiempirical potentials for transition metals. These potentials have been widely used to study the mechanical properties of finite metal clusters. Combining with density functional theory calculations along several atomic-configuration trajectories predicted by different semiempirical potentials, the authors conclude that the second-moment approximation of the tight-binding scheme (TB-SMA) potential is the most suitable one to describe the energetics of finite Au clusters. They find that for the selected geometries of Au wires studied in this work, the ductile elongation of Au nanowires along the [001] direction predicted by the TB-SMA potential is largely independent of temperature in the range of 0.01-298 K. The elongation leads to the formation of monatomic chains, as has been observed experimentally. The calculated force-versus-elongation curve is remarkably consistent with available experimental results.     

Classical and quantum studies of the photodissociation of a HX (X=Cl,F) molecule adsorbed on ice

The photodissociation dynamics of a HX (X = Cl,F) molecule adsorbed on a hexagonal ice surface at T = 0 K is studied using time-dependent quantum wave packets and quasiclassical trajectories. The relevant potential energy surfaces are calculated using high-level ab initio methods. We present here two dimensional calculations for the dynamics of the hydrogen photofragment for both HCl and HF molecules. The purpose of this paper is to compare the photodissociation dynamics of the two molecules which are adsorbed on the ice surface with different equilibrium geometries. The total photodissociation cross section and the angular distribution are calculated. The comparison with classical trajectory calculations provides evidence for typical quantum effects and reveals rainbow structures.     

Local atomic structures of palladium nanowire

In this paper, investigation of the structure of palladium nanowire has been performed by using genetic algorithm simulation based on the molecular dynamics. Our calculation employs a well-fitted, tight-binding many-body potential for Pd atoms. Some local atomic structures and defects in nanowires have been reported. The melting behavior of palladium nanowire has also been investigated. An interesting result is that the diffusion of the central atoms results in the beginning of the melting. The moving central atoms build up a monostrand atomic chain during the melting process. The single atomic chain is very stable which can exist in a wide temperature region (800-950 K). The formation of the single atomic chain causes some new defects in the nanowire. And the new defects result in the decrease of the thermal stability of the nanowire. Interestingly, the liquid from the nanowire melting has a supercooled feature because the splitting of the second peak of pair correlation function is observed. The curves of the internal energy and the local cluster are used to monitor the phase transition. The melting of the nanowire is not only due to the single atomic diffusion, but also the diffusion of the local clusters.     

电化学门控调节具有平行路径的单分子电路中电子传输

电化学门控已成为一种可行且高效调节单分子电导的方法.在本研究中,我们证实了具有两个平行苯环的单分子电路中电子传输可以通过电化学门控控制.首先,我们利用STM-BJ技术以金为电极构筑了具有两条平行路径的单分子结.与单条路径的单分子结相比,两条路径的分子结由于具有增强性量子干涉效应,具有2.82倍的电导值.进一步地,我们利...     

A periodic mixed gaussians-plane waves DFT study on simple thiols on Au(111): adsorbate species, surface reconstruction, and thiols functionalization

Here we present DFT calculations based on a periodic mixed gaussians/plane waves approach to study the energetics, structure, bonding of SAMs of simple thiols on Au(111). Several open issues such as structure, bonding and the nature of adsorbate are taken into account. We started with methyl thiols (MeSH) on Au(111) to establish the nature of the adsorbate. We have considered several structural models embracing the reconstructed surface scenario along with the MeS˙-Au(ad)-MeS˙ type motif put forward in recent years. Our calculations suggest a clear preference for the homolytic cleavage of the S-H bond leading to a stable MeS˙ on a gold surface. In agreement with the recent literature studies, the reconstructed models of the MeS˙ species are found to be energetically preferred over unreconstructed models. Besides, our calculations reveal that the model with 1:2 Au(ad)/thiols ratio, i.e. MeS˙-Au(ad)-MeS˙, is energetically preferred compared to the clean and 1:1 ratio models, in agreement with the experimental and theoretical evidences. We have also performed Molecular Orbital/Natural Bond Orbital, MO/NBO, analysis to understand the electronic structure and bonding in different structural motifs and many useful insights have been gained. Finally, the studies have then been extended to alkyl thiols of the RSR' (R, R' = Me, Et and Ph) type and here our calculations again reveal a preference for the RS˙ type species adsorption for clean as well as for reconstructed 1:2 Au(ad)/thiols ratio models.     

Screening by kinetic Monte Carlo simulation of Pt-Au(100) surfaces for the steady-state decomposition of nitric oxide in excess dioxygen

An ab initio-based kinetic Monte Carlo algorithm was developed to simulate the direct decomposition of NO over Pt and different PtAu alloy surfaces. The algorithm was used to test the influence of the composition and the specific atomic surface structure of the alloy on the simulated activity and selectivity to form N2. The apparent activation barrier found for the simulation of lean NO decomposition over Pt(100) was 7.4 kcal/mol, which is lower than the experimental value of 11 kcal/mol that was determined over supported Pt nanoparticles. Differences are likely due to differences in the surface structure between the ideal (100) surface and supported Pt particles. The apparent reaction orders for lean NO decomposition over the Pt(100) substrate were calculated to be 0.9 and -0.5 for NO and O2, respectively. Oxygen acts to poison Pt. Simulations on the different Pt-Au(100) surface alloys indicate that the turnover frequency goes through a maximum as the Au composition in the surface is increased, and the maximum occurs near 44% Au. Turnover frequencies, however, are dictated by the actual arrangements of Pt and Au atoms in the surface rather than by their overall composition. Surfaces with similar compositions but different alloy arrangements can lead to very different activities. Surfaces composed of 50% Pt and 50% Au (Pt4 and Au4 surface ensembles) showed very little enhancement in the activity over that which was found over pure Pt. The Pt-Pt bridge sites required for NO adsorption and decomposition were still effectively poisoned by atomic oxygen. The well-dispersed Pt(50%)Au(50%) alloy, on the other hand, increased the TOF over that found for pure Pt by a factor of 2. The most active surface alloy was one in which the Pt was arranged into "+" ensembles surrounded by Au atoms. The overall composition of this surface is Pt(56.2%)Au(43.8%). The unique "+" ensembles maintain Pt bridge sites for NO to adsorb on but limit O2 as well as NO activation by eliminating next-nearest neighbor Pt-bridge sites. The repulsive interactions between two adatoms prevent them from sharing the same metal atoms. The decrease in the oxygen coverage leads to a greater number of vacant sites available for NO adsorption. This increases the NO coupling reaction and hence N2 formation. The inhibition of the rate of N2 formation by O2 is therefore suppressed. The coverage of atomic oxygen decreases from 53% on the Pt(100) surface down to 19% on the "+" ensemble surface. This increases the rate of N2 formation by a factor of 4.3 over that on pure Pt. The reaction kinetics over the "+" ensemble Pt(56.2%)Au(43.8%) surface indicate apparent reaction orders in NO and oxygen of 0.7 and 0.0, respectively. This suggests that oxygen does not poison the PtAu "+" alloy ensemble. The activity and selectivity of the PtAu ensembles significantly decrease for alloys that go beyond 60% Au. Higher coverages of Au shut down sites for NO adsorption and, in addition, weaken the NO and O bond strengths, which subsequently promotes desorption as well as NO oxidation. The computational approach identified herein can be used to more rapidly test different metal compositions and their explicit atomic arrangements for improved catalytic performance. This can be done "in silico" and thus provides a method that may aid high-throughput experimental efforts in the design of new materials. The synthesis and stability of the metal complexes suggested herein still ultimately need to be tested.     

BDTA]2[Cu(mnt)2]: an almost perfect one-dimensional magnetic material

[BDTA]2[Cu(mnt)2] (BDTA = benzo-1,3,2-dithiazolyl, mnt = maleonitriledithiolate) was crystallized in the space group P with an inversion center on Cu giving a stacked structure with each metal complex anion sandwiched by two cations. Short intermolecular S...S contacts give rise to a one-dimensional chain lateral to the stacking axis. Variable-temperature magnetic susceptibility and EPR measurements indicate that the salt behaves as an ideal one-dimensional Heisenberg antiferromagnetic material from 2 K < or = T < or = 300 K, with a coupling constant of J/k(B) = 16-17 K; the very low temperature magnetic properties are in quantitative agreement with the predictions of quantum field theory. DFT calculations are consistent with the formation of a one-dimensional magnetic chain with interstack interactions mediated by the BDTA counterions.     

Ring-polymer instanton method for calculating tunneling splittings

The semiclassical instanton expression for the tunneling splitting between two symmetric wells is rederived, starting from the ring-polymer representation of the quantum partition function. This leads to simpler mathematics by replacing functional determinants with matrix determinants. By exploiting the simple Hu?ckel-like structure of the matrices, we derive an expression for the instanton tunneling splitting in terms of a minimum on the potential surface of a linear polymer. The latter is a section cut out of a ring polymer, consisting of an infinite number of beads, which describes a periodic orbit on the inverted potential surface. The approach is straightforward to generalize to multiple dimensions, and we demonstrate that it is computationally practical by carrying out instanton calculations of tunneling splittings in HO(2) and malonaldehyde in full dimensionality.