3:30 p.m., Thursday, September 25, 2003
Laboratory for Physical Sciences Conference
Rm.
Molecular scale conduction: few-atom junctions and single- molecule
transistors
Douglas Natelson
(Department of Physics and Astronomy, Rice University)
Abstract: Recently developed techniques allow the fabrication of
metal electrodes separated by a few Angstroms, or connected by a few atoms.
These electrodes are tools for examining conduction at the molecular scale. In
disordered atomic scale gold junctions made electrochemically, we find a
nontrivial suppression of conductance at low temperatures, as well as
magnetoconductance effects that differ significantly from those seen in larger
gold nanostructures. These effects may be understood qualitatively as the
nonperturbative result of electron-electron interactions in a granular metal.
Using an electromigration technique, we have also successfully made
single-molecule transistors at the 1-2 nanometer scale. I will describe our
recent results, and explain the great potential of these novel devices.