The First Principle Study on the Rectification of Molecular Junctions Based on the Alkyl-chain-modified Phenyl Benzothiophene Derivative

Using density functional theory(DFT) combined with nonequilibrium Green's function investigates the electron-transport properties of several molecular junctions based on the PBTDT-CH=NH molecule, which is modified by one to four alkyl groups forming PBTDT-(CH_2)_nCH=NH. The electronic structures of the isolated molecules(thiol-ended PBTDT-(CH2)_nCH=N) have been investigated before the electron-transport calculations are performed. The asymmetric current-voltage characteristics have been obtained for the molecular junctions. Rectifying performance of Au/S-PBTDT-CH=N-S/Au molecular junction can be regulated by introducing alkyl chain. The N3 molecular junction exhibits the best rectifying effect. Its maximum rectifying ratio is 878, which is 80 times more than that of the molecular junction based on the original N molecular junction. The current-voltage(I-V) curves of all the sandwich systems in this work are illustrated by transmission spectra and molecular projection density analysis.