Direct Determination of the Energy Required to Operate a Single Molecule Switch

Ch. Loppacher, M. Guggisberg, O. Pfeiffer, E. Meyer, M. Bammerlin, R. Lüthi, R. Schlittler, J. K. Gimzewski, H. Tang, and C. Joachim
Phys. Rev. Lett. 90, 066107 – Published 14 February 2003

Abstract

Using a noncontact atomic-force and scanning-tunneling microscope in ultrahigh vacuum, we have measured the switching energy of a single molecule switch based on the rotation of a di-butyl-phenyl leg in a Cu-tetra-3,5 di-tertiary-butyl-phenyl porphyrin. The mechanics and intramolecular conformation of the switched leg is controlled by the tip apex of the noncontact atomic-force microscope. The comparison between experimental and calculated force curves shows that the rotation of the leg requires an energy less than 100×1021J, which is 4 orders of magnitude lower than state-of-the-art transistors.

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  • Received 11 October 2002

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.90.066107

©2003 American Physical Society

Authors & Affiliations

Ch. Loppacher1,*, M. Guggisberg1, O. Pfeiffer1, E. Meyer1, M. Bammerlin2, R. Lüthi2, R. Schlittler2, J. K. Gimzewski2,†, H. Tang3, and C. Joachim3

  • 1Institute of Physics, University of Basel, Klingelbergstrasse 82, CH-4056 Basel, Switzerland
  • 2IBM Research Division, Zurich Research Laboratory, CH-8803 Rüschlikon, Switzerland
  • 3CEMES/CNRS, 29, rue Jeanne Marvig, 31055-Toulouse Cedex, France

  • *Corresponding author. Present address: Institute of Applied Photophysics, TU-Dresden, 01062 Dresden. Email address: Loppacher@iapp.de
  • Present address: UCLA, Department of Chemistry, 607 Charles E. Young Dr., East, Los Angeles, CA 90095.

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Issue

Vol. 90, Iss. 6 — 14 February 2003

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