Charge Transport in Single Oligophenylene Molecular Wires with Different Anchoring Groups

This work compares single molecule conductance measurements of selected organic systems containing identical oligophenylene molecular wires and different tripodal anchoring groups. Single molecule conductance G was obtained by a scanning tunneling microscopy break junction technique complemented by theoretical calculations based on the density functional theory and non-equilibrium Green’s function formalism. Two molecules were compared where the same oligophenylene wire is connected to one of the electrodes via a tripod substituted on each leg by a thiol group either in the meta or para position. By combined experimental and theoretical analysis it was possible to confirm that single molecule conductance in the metal-molecule-metal junction of both molecules corresponds to a fully extended molecular wire, which is attached to one of the electrodes by all three thiolate bonds of the tripod. Experimental results confirmed that G value of meta-connected molecules is lower than that of para, whereas junction formation probability was higher for meta functionalization