Changes of coupling between the electrodes and the molecule under external bias bring negative differential resistance

We report a first-principles study of electrical transport and negative differential resistance (NDR) in a single molecular conductor consisting of a borazine ring sandwiched between two Au(100) electrodes with a finite cross section. The projected density of states (PDOS) and transmission coefficients under various external voltage biases are analyzed, and it suggests that the variation of the coupling between the molecule and the electrodes with external bias leads to NDR. Therefore, we propose that one origin of NDR in molecular devices is caused by the characteristics of both the molecule and the electrodes as well as their cooperation, not necessarily only by the inherent properties of certain species of molecules themselves. The changes of charge state of the molecule have minor effects on NDR in this device because the Mulliken population analysis shows that electron occupation variation on the molecule is very small when different external biases are applied.     

Iron-phthalocyanine molecular junction with high spin filter efficiency and negative differential resistance

We investigate the spin transport properties of iron-phthalocyanine (FePc) molecule sandwiched between two N-doped graphene nanoribbons (GNRs) based on the density functional theory and nonequilibrium Green's function methods. Our calculated results clearly reveal that the FePc molecular junction has high spin-filter efficiency as well as negative differential resistance (NDR). The zero-bias conductance through FePc molecule is dominated by the spin-down electrons, and the observed NDR originates from the bias-dependent effective coupling between the FePc molecular orbitals and the narrow density of states of electrodes. The remarkable high spin-filter efficiency and NDR are robust regardless of the edge shape and the width of GNRs, and the N-doping site in GNRs. These predictions indicate that FePc junction holds great promise in molecular electronics and spintronics applications.     

双笼氟化富勒烯分子C_(20)F_(18)(CO)_2C_(20)F_(18)电子输运性能的第一性原理研究

以双笼氟化富勒烯C_(20)F_(18)(CO)_2C_(20)F_(18)为中心分子,与Ag(100)纳米线电极连接构筑分子电子器件,通过第一性原理和非平衡格林函数相结合的方法,对器件的电子输运特性进行了研究.结果显示,在外加偏压的作用下,中心分子的前线轨道逐渐定域在分子的左侧,电子透射通道被阻塞,所对应的共振隧穿峰被压制,器件的电流-电压特性曲线在0.3~0.8V区间内表现出明显的负微分电阻(NDR)现象.     

Negative differential resistance in oxidized zigzag graphene nanoribbons

A theoretical study of zigzag graphene nanoribbons (ZGNRs) with an epoxy-pair chain (ZGO) is performed. The electronic transport properties are mainly evaluated by non-equilibrium Green's functions using the TRANSIESTA package. The results indicate that the graphene oxide can have a negative differential resistance (NDR) phenomenon, supported by bias-dependent transmission curves of different spin orientations. Applying non-zero bias voltages makes the density of states (DOS) of the right electrodes shift down. Due to an energy gap between the LUMO and LUMO+1 in ZGOs, with a certain bias, the conduction band of the right electrode cannot match the LUMO of the scattering region, then NDR occurs. With a larger bias, NDR ends when the second conduction band of the right electrode's DOS covers the LUMO of the scattering region. Since most of proposed ZGO systems possess such a gap between the LUMO and LUMO+1, NDR can be widely observed and this discovery may provide great potential applications in NDR-based nanoelectronics by using modified graphene materials.     

Position effects of single vacancy on transport properties of single layer armchair h-BNC heterostructure

Based on certain single layer armchair h-BNC heterostructures, six molecular devices with different positions of single vacancy atoms are investigated to explain the modulating process of negative differential resistance (NDR) behaviors and rectifying performance. The results show that NDR behaviors can be observed clearly with vacancy atoms near the interface of graphene nano-ribbon and BN nano-ribbon, and rectifying performance can be enhanced obviously when there are vacancy atoms in the moiety of the BN nano-ribbon. The first-principles analysis of the microscopic nature reveals that strength of electronic transmission, evolutions of molecular orbitals and distributions of molecular states are the intrinsic responses to these transport properties.     

The negative differential resistance mechanism of a molecular device based on double‐cage fluorinated fullerene C20F18(NH)2C20F18: A theoretical study

The electronic transport properties of the molecular device based on double‐cage fluorinated fullerene C₂₀F₁₈(NH)₂C₂₀F₁₈ were studied theoretically. The results show that the device exhibits two negative differential resistance (NDR) peaks in its I‐V curve. The NDR peak under low bias voltage originates from the bias‐induced alignment of the molecular orbitals, and the conduction channel being suppressed at a certain bias voltage is the main reason for the NDR peak under a relatively high bias voltage.     

Charge transport mediated by d-orbitals in transition metal complexes

This communication reports an asymmetric charge transport with a large rectification ratio and finely featured NDR (negative differential resistance) by d-orbitals of a neutral ruthenium(ii) complex with a C(2) axis of symmetry.     

Dual conductance, negative differential resistance, and rectifying behavior in a molecular device modulated by side groups

We investigate the electronic transport properties for a molecular device model constructed by a phenylene ethynylene oligomer molecular with different side groups embedding in a carbon chain between two graphene electrodes. Using the first-principles method, the unusual dual conductance, negative differential resistance (NDR) behavior with large peak to valley ratio, and obvious rectifying performance are numerically observed in such proposed molecular device. The analysis of the molecular projected self-consistent Hamiltonian and the evolution of the frontier molecular orbitals (MOs) as well as transmission coefficients under various external voltage biases gives an inside view of the observed results, which suggests that the dual conductance behavior and rectifying performance are due to the asymmetry distribution of the frontier MOs as well as the corresponding coupling between the molecule and electrodes. But the NDR behavior comes from the conduction orbital being suppressed at certain bias. Interestingly, the conduction properties can be tuned by introducing side groups to the molecule and the rectification as well as the NDR behavior (peak to valley ratio) can be improved by adding different side groups in the device model.     

O/N替代掺杂对zigzag型硼氮窄纳米带能带及输运特性的影响

用第一性原理非平衡格林函数方法研究了O原子掺杂zigzag型硼氮窄纳米带(z-BNNNRs)的能带结构和电子输运特性.研究结果表明:O原子对N原子的替代掺杂使z-BNNNRs的能带结构出现明显变化,体系由半导体转变为金属;O掺杂明显地改变了z-BNNNRs体系的导电性能,在一定的偏压范围内产生明显的负微分电阻(NDR)现象,边缘掺杂比中间掺杂产生更大的负微分电导,进一步的输运性质计算给出的透射谱也印证了这一点.随着掺杂浓度的增加,负微分电导的极值也随之增大.     

Odd-Even Effects on Transport Properties of Polycyclic Arene Molecular Devices with Decreasing Numbers of Benzene Rings

The electron transport properties of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) with different numbers of benzene rings tethered to narrow zigzag graphene nanoribbon (ZGNR) electrodes have been investigated. Results show that the transport properties of PAHs are dependent on whether the number of benzene rings in the width direction is odd or even. This effect is strong for narrow width PAHs, but its strength decreases as the width of the PAH is increased. PAHs with an odd number of rings exhibit poor transport properties, whereas the ones having an even number of rings show excellent transport properties coupled with a negative differential resistance (NDR) effect. Moreover, the linkage points and the structure of the molecules have a noticeable effect on the transport properties of the PAH, making the odd-even effect weaker or disappear entirely. Although the PAH with three benzene rings displays poor transport capabilities, it shows excellent rectification behavior compared to the other examined molecules. These studies present a feasible avenue for designing molecular devices with enhanced performance by the careful manipulation of the PAH molecular structure.     

含氮-空位缺陷锯齿状石墨烯纳米条带中负微分电阻和自旋过滤效应

采用第一性原理和非平衡格林函数方法,系统研究了含氮空位缺陷锯齿状石墨烯纳米条带的自旋极化输运特性．理论计算结果表明边界非对称的这类石墨纳米条带的基态具有铁磁性,由其构建的分子结中负微分电阻效应具有鲁棒性,是电极局域的态密度及依赖偏压的散射区-电极耦合作用结果．此外,在特定偏压区域还观察到几乎完美的自旋过滤效应．     

Observation of negative differential resistance in diketopyrrolopyrrole-based copolymer films

Remarkable and repeatable negative differential resistance (NDR) phenomenon was observed in a metal-polymer-metal structure diode based on bishexyloxy-divinyl-benzene-alt-diketopyrrolopyrrole (C6DPPPPV),a type of donor-acceptor (D-A) conjugated copolymer.Thickness dependence of the devices implied that the observed NDR characteristics were bulk-controlled.The device performance was considered to depend on the slow trapping and releasing processes related to the local deep states,which was enhanced by the gr...     

Configuration and photochemical reaction of a bolaamphiphilic diacid with a diazo resin in monolayers and Langmuir-Blodgett films

The monolayer formation of a bolaamphiphile, 1,18-octadecanedicarboxylic acid (ODA), on pure water and the subphase containing a positively charged photoactive 2-nitro-N-methyldiphenylamine-4-diazoniumformaldehyde resin (NDR) have been investigated by pi-A isotherms, pi-t curves, and Brewster angle microscopy (BAM) measurements. It has been revealed that although an unstable monolayer was formed by ODA alone, a stable complex monolayer between ODA and NDR could be formed at the interface through electrostatic adsorption and hydrogen bonding. It has been shown that the ODA formed a U-shaped monolayer at a lower pressure and was converted to a stretched configuration upon compression to a higher surface pressure on the subphase containing NDR. Under UV irradiation at the interface photoreaction can occur in the complex monolayer, which causes shrinkage of the monolayer. Photochemical reactions can also occur in deposited Langmuir-Blodgett films. In reactions occurring at the air/water interface, the two ends of ODA can react with NDR to form an ester containing aromatic rings. This makes the compound more hydrophobic and can easily be stretched without any phase transition upon compression. When the film with U-shaped configuration was deposited onto solid substrates, the configuration could be kept even upon photoirradiation.     

Macroscopically uniform nanoperiod alloy multilayers formed by coupling of electrodeposition with current oscillations

The electrodeposition from an acidic solution containing Cu(2+), Sn(2+), and a cationic surfactant gave a negative differential resistance (NDR) and a current oscillation in a narrow potential region of about 20 mV lying slightly more negative than the onset potential for Sn-Cu alloy deposition. Scanning Auger microscopic inspection has indicated that alloy films deposited during the oscillation have a clear alternate multilayer structure composed of two alloy layers of different compositions. The multilayer had the period of thickness of 40-90 nm and was uniform over a macroscopically wide area of about 1 mm x 1 mm. Detailed investigations have revealed that the NDR arises from adsorption of a cationic surfactant (acting as an inhibitor for diffusion of metal ions) on the alloy surface, and the oscillation comes from coupling of the NDR with the ohmic drop in the electrolyte.     

Nanoscale characterization of redox and acid properties of keggin-type heteropolyacids by scanning tunneling microscopy and tunneling spectroscopy: effect of heteroatom substitution

Nanoscale characterization of acid and redox properties of Keggin-type heteropolyacids (HPAs) with different heteroatoms, H(n)MW(12)O(40) (M = P, Si, B, Co), was carried out by scanning tunneling microscopy (STM) and tunneling spectroscopy (TS) in this study. HPA samples were deposited on highly oriented pyrolytic graphite surfaces to obtain images and tunneling spectra by STM before and after pyridine adsorption. All HPA samples formed well-ordered 2-dimensional arrays on graphite before and after pyridine exposure. NDR (negative differential resistance) peaks were observed in the tunneling spectra. Those measured for fresh HPA samples appeared at less negative voltages with increasing reduction potential of the HPAs and with increases in the electronegativity of the heteroatom, but with decreases in the overall negative charge of the heteropolyanions. These results support the conclusion that more reducible HPA samples show NDR behavior at less negative applied voltages in their tunneling spectra. Introduction of pyridine into the HPA arrays increased the lattice constants of the 2-dimensional HPA arrays by ca. 6 A. Exposure to pyridine also shifted NDR peak voltages of H(n)MW(12)O(40) (M = P, Si, B, Co) samples to less negative values in the TS measurements. The NDR shifts of HPAs obtained before and after pyridine adsorption were correlated with the acid strengths of the HPAs, suggesting that tunneling spectra measured by STM could serve to probe acid properties of HPAs. These results show how one can relate the bulk acid and redox properties of HPAs to surface properties of nanostructured HPA monolayers determined by STM.     

On the mechanism of negative differential resistance in ferrocenylundecanethiol self-assembled monolayers

Negative differential resistance (NDR) peaks in the current-voltage characteristics of ferrocenylundecanethiol self-assembled monolayers are not reversible. The peaks turn to smoothly increasing currents as oxygen is removed from the system, indicating that NDR arises from the reaction of an energetic charged species with ambient oxygen.     

Electron transport properties of boron nitride fullerene B24N24 doped with lithium atom: first-principles calculations

The transport properties of Li@B₂₄N₂₄ metallofullerene bridging two Au contacts are studied with a combined density functional theory and the non-equilibrium Green’s-function technique. Our calculated results show that the conductance of Li@B₂₄N₂₄ nanocage is generally higher than that of the undoped B₂₄N₂₄ molecule. We calculated the current–voltage characteristics for positive and negative bias voltages. It was found that due to presence of Li in B₂₄N₂₄ nanocage, a novel negative differential resistance (NDR) phenomenon is observed. Furthermore, the transmission coefficients of the Li@B₂₄N₂₄ metallofullerene at various external biases are analyzed and it indicates that the broadening of the transmission coefficient spectrum with increasing of the external biases confirms the NDR behavior at the I–V characteristic.     

Ab initio electron transport study of carbon and boron-nitrogen nanowires

We report first-principles calculations on the electrical transport properties of two kinds of one-dimensional nanowires: (a) a carbon nanowire (CNW) with alternating single and triple bonds and (b) a boron-nitrogen nanowire (BNNW) with equidistant bonds. We demonstrate the similarity and difference between the carbon nanowire and its boron-nitrogen analogue in the molecular orbital and transport properties, and then explore the potential innovations. The effects of molecular orbitals and nanowire-electrode coupling on the transport properties are analyzed. The cases of the nanowires sandwiched between both nanoscale and bulk electrodes are considered. It suggests that the characteristics of the transmission spectra and the current-voltage characteristics (I-V curves) are determined both by the electrodes and by the molecule as well as their coupling. In particular, the negative differential resistance (NDR) phenomenon is more apparent when the nanowires are positioned between two nanoscale electrodes. The tuning of the transport properties is also probed through the changes of nanowire-electrode separation and the inclusion of a gate voltage. These lead to dramatic variations in the equilibrium conductance, which can be understood from the shift and alignment of the molecular orbital relative to the Fermi level of the electrodes. In the analysis of the effects of nanowire-electrode separation, it shows that the equilibrium conductance has the same variation behavior as that of the projected density of states (PDOS) for CNW, while the localized molecular orbitals of BNNW result in its conductance varies differently from its PDOS. The different molecular orbital characteristics near the Fermi level of these two kinds of nanowires underlie their different transport properties.     

A new experimental method to distinguish two different mechanisms for a category of oscillators involving mass transfer

We present new experimental evidence that further confirms that a combination of electrochemical reactions and diffusion–convection (ERDC) mass transfer accounts for the potential oscillations that appear under conditions of transport limited current. A typical example is given for the reduction of Fe(CN)₆³⁻ in alkaline solution accompanying periodic hydrogen evolution. No potential oscillations occur by simply replacing the hydrogen evolution with IO₃⁻ reduction as the second current carrier. That replacement removes only the convection mass transfer induced by the hydrogen evolution, and retains the negative differential resistance (NDR) from the Frumkin repulsive effect. The key role of hydrogen evolution is thus to restore the Fe(CN)₆³⁻ surface concentration after its depleting to zero by diffusion-limited reduction, rather than purely a second current carrier. Therefore, the other mechanism, which emphasizes the NDR from the Frumkin interaction due to electrostatic repulsion, is excluded because it does not have a direct connection with the oscillations. Moreover, a crossing cycle in cyclic voltammograms is a more convincible criterion for this category of electrochemical oscillators than the negative impedance.     

Switching in molecular transport junctions: polarization response

We discuss several proposed explanations for the switching and negative differential resistance (NDR) behavior seen in some molecular junctions. Several theoretical models are discussed, and we present results of electronic structure calculations on a series of substituted oligo(phenylene ethynylene) molecules. It is shown that a previously proposed polaron model is successful in predicting NDR behavior, and the model is elaborated with image charge effects and parameters from electronic structure calculations. This model now incorporates substituent effects and includes the effects of conformational change, charging, and image charge stabilization.