Graphene nanogap for gate-tunable quantum-coherent single-molecule electronics

• We present atomistic calculations of quantum coherent electron transport through fulleropyrrolidine terminated molecules bridging a graphene nanogap. We predict that three difficult problems in molecular electronics with single molecules can be solved by utilizing graphene contacts: (1) a back gate modulating the Fermi level in the graphene leads facilitates control of the device conductance in a transistor effect with high on-off current ratio; (2) the size mismatch between leads and molecule is avoided, in contrast to the traditional metal contacts; (3) as a consequence, distinct features in charge flow patterns throughout the device are directly detectable by scanning techniques. We show that moderate graphene edge disorder is unimportant for the transistor function.

Subject headings

NATURVETENSKAP  -- Fysik (hsv//swe)

NATURAL SCIENCES  -- Physical Sciences (hsv//eng)

Keyword

junctions

devices

gas

epitaxial graphene

resistance

transistors

films

transport

Publication and Content Type

art (subject category)

ref (subject category)