Functional molecules synthetized on surface: wires, logic gates, and gears

On-surface synthesis provides a powerful strategy for the generation of complex functional molecules on a surface and opens new perspectives for the development of technology at the atomic scale. In this talk, recent results will be reviewed, where on-surface synthesis is applied to investigate the electronic and mechanical properties of designed molecular systems.

Acenes are a model system for complex conjugated molecules and molecular wires. Higher acenes are promising organic semiconductors with versatile electronic properties. The electronic resonances and energy gap of on-surface generated acenes [1] will be presented, discussing the role of molecular orbitals in the tunneling resonance maps and the stabilization of the energy gap with increasing length.

Molecular logic gates based on quantum interference effects are presently studied for the development of atomic-scale electronics. On-surface synthesis allows to investigate new promising complex molecules. As an example, I will present a NAND logic gate based on an asymmetric starphene molecule, which was obtained by on-surface synthesis [2].

Mechanical molecular systems can provide an alternative route to transmit information at the nanoscale and could compete, in terms of high-clock frequency and robustness to radiations, with electronic, optical and magnetic devices. To this aim, is crucial to understand the transmission of motion between molecules anchored to a surface. Anchoring strategy for molecular gears based on on-surface reactions will be discussed in the last part of this talk.

References

[1] J. Krüger, F. García, F. Eisenhut, D. Skidin, J. M. Alonso, E. Guitián, D. Pérez, G. Cuniberti, F. Moresco, D. Peña. Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 56, 11945 (2017)

[2] D. Skidin, O. Faizy, J. Krüger, F. Eisenhut, A. Jancarik, K.-H. Nguyen, G. Cuniberti, A. Gourdon, F. Moresco, C. Joachim. ACS Nano 12, 1139 (2018)