Single-molecule transport in three-terminal devices

Abstract

Transport through single molecules has been studied using different test beds. In this paper we focus on three-terminal devices in which a molecule bridges the gap between two gold electrodes and a third electrode-the gate-is able to modulate the conduction properties of the junction. Depending on the electronic coupling, Γ, between the molecule and the gold electrodes, different transport regimes can be distinguished. We show measurements on junctions incorporating different single-molecule systems which demonstrate the distinction between these regimes, as well as the experimental limitations in controlling the exact value of Γ.