Electron transmission and quantum current distribution of C70 molecule

The characteristics of electron transmission through C₇₀ molecule bridge in which two atomic chain leads are connected to long-axis carbon atoms are investigated theoretically by using tight-binding approach based on the Green’s function with only one π orbital electron per carbon atom. Electron transmission through C₇₀ molecule from the input to the output terminal is obtained. From the spectrum, the switching feature of the electron transmission through C₇₀ is found, and the oscillation property based on the quantized level is explained. The quantum current distributions inside C₇₀ molecule bridge are calculated and simulated by the quantum current density theory based on Fisher-Lee formula at the energy point E = −0.2 eV, where the transmission spectrum shows a peak. The maximum and the minimum bond quantum currents are presented, and the reason why the currents are distributed nonuniformly is explained by the phase difference of the atomic orbits. The result shows that the currents at each atomic site agree with Kirchhoff quantum current conservation law. Supported by the National Key Basic Research Development Project (Grant No. 2003CB716204), the International Corporation Project of the Education Department of China (Grant No. 20050360563), the Key Laboratory of Advanced Photonic and Electronic Materials of Jiangsu (Grant No. BM2003202) and the State Key Laboratory of Solid State Microstructures of Nanjing University