A standing molecule as a coherent single-electron field emitter

International Vacuum Nanoelectronics Conference, vol. 558, pp. 1–2

Abstract

The assembly of single-molecule devices with the help of the manipulation capability of scanning probe microscopes offers many opportunities for quantum- and nanotechnology. A key challenge is fabricating device structures that can overcome their attraction to the underlying surface and thus protrude from the two-dimensional flatlands of the surface. In my talk, I will report the fabrication of such a structure: we use the tip of a scanning probe microscope to lift a large planar aromatic molecule into an upright, standing geometry on a pedestal of two metal adatoms. This atypical upright orientation of the single molecule, whose stability can be understood as the result of a fine balance between chemical and dispersion forces, enables the system to function as a quantum dot and an on-demand coherent single-electron field emitter. If attached to the tip of the microscope, the standing molecule can also be applied as a sensitive quantum dot sensor. We anticipate that other metastable adsorbate configurations might also be accessible, thereby opening up the third dimension for the design of functional nanostructures on surfaces. Finally, we have made first steps into the direction of an autonomous robotic nanofabrication of single-molecule devices.

Authors 26

1. Taner Esat

   Forschungszentrum Jülich · Jülich Aachen Research Alliance

   Affiliation as printed

   Jülich Aachen Research Alliance (JARA)-Fundamentals of Future Information Technology, Jülich, Germany

   Peter Grünberg Institut (PGI-3), Forschungszentrum Jülich, Jülich, Germany

2. Marvin Knol Aachen Experimentalphysik IV A

   Forschungszentrum Jülich · Jülich Aachen Research Alliance · RWTH Aachen University

   Affiliation as printed

   Experimentalphysik IV A, RWTH Aachen University, Aachen, Germany

   Jülich Aachen Research Alliance (JARA)-Fundamentals of Future Information Technology, Jülich, Germany

   Peter Grünberg Institut (PGI-3), Forschungszentrum Jülich, Jülich, Germany

3. Philipp Leinen Aachen Experimentalphysik IV A

   Forschungszentrum Jülich · Jülich Aachen Research Alliance · RWTH Aachen University

   Affiliation as printed

   Experimentalphysik IV A, RWTH Aachen University, Aachen, Germany

   Jülich Aachen Research Alliance (JARA)-Fundamentals of Future Information Technology, Jülich, Germany

   Peter Grünberg Institut (PGI-3), Forschungszentrum Jülich, Jülich, Germany

4. Matthew F. B. Green Aachen Experimentalphysik IV A

   Forschungszentrum Jülich · Jülich Aachen Research Alliance · RWTH Aachen University

   Affiliation as printed

   Experimentalphysik IV A, RWTH Aachen University, Aachen, Germany

   Jülich Aachen Research Alliance (JARA)-Fundamentals of Future Information Technology, Jülich, Germany

   Peter Grünberg Institut (PGI-3), Forschungszentrum Jülich, Jülich, Germany

5. Malte Esders

   Technische Universität Berlin

   Affiliation as printed

   Machine Learning Group, Technische Universität Berlin, Berlin, Germany

6. Niklas Friedrich

   Forschungszentrum Jülich

   Affiliation as printed

   Peter Grünberg Institut (PGI-3), Forschungszentrum Jülich, Jülich, Germany

7. Michael Maiworm

   Otto-von-Guericke-Universität Magdeburg

   Affiliation as printed

   Otto-von-Guericke-Universität Magdeburg, Laboratory for Systems Theory and Automatic Control, Magdeburg, Germany

8. Nicola Ferri

   Fritz Haber Institute of the Max Planck Society

   Affiliation as printed

   Fritz-Haber-Institut der Max-Planck-Gesellschaft, Berlin, Germany

9. Pawel Chmielniak Aachen Institute of Inorganic Chemistry

   Forschungszentrum Jülich · Jülich Aachen Research Alliance · RWTH Aachen University

   Affiliation as printed

   Institute of Inorganic Chemistry, RWTH Aachen University, Aachen, Germany

   Jülich Aachen Research Alliance (JARA)-Fundamentals of Future Information Technology, Jülich, Germany

   Peter Grünberg Institut (PGI-6), Forschungszentrum Jülich, Jülich, Germany

10. Sidra Sarwar Aachen Institute of Inorganic Chemistry

    Forschungszentrum Jülich · Jülich Aachen Research Alliance · RWTH Aachen University

    Affiliation as printed

    Institute of Inorganic Chemistry, RWTH Aachen University, Aachen, Germany

    Jülich Aachen Research Alliance (JARA)-Fundamentals of Future Information Technology, Jülich, Germany

    Peter Grünberg Institut (PGI-6), Forschungszentrum Jülich, Jülich, Germany

11. Torsten Deilmann

    University of Münster

    Affiliation as printed

    Institut für Festkörpertheorie, Westfälische Wilhelms-Universität Münster, Münster, Germany

12. Peter Krüger

    University of Münster

    Affiliation as printed

    Institut für Festkörpertheorie, Westfälische Wilhelms-Universität Münster, Münster, Germany

13. Hadi H. Arefi

    Forschungszentrum Jülich · Jülich Aachen Research Alliance

    Affiliation as printed

    Jülich Aachen Research Alliance (JARA)-Fundamentals of Future Information Technology, Jülich, Germany

    Peter Grünberg Institut (PGI-3), Forschungszentrum Jülich, Jülich, Germany

14. Daniel Corken

    University of Warwick

    Affiliation as printed

    Department of Chemistry, University of Warwick, Coventry, United Kingdom

15. James Gardner

    University of Warwick

    Affiliation as printed

    Department of Chemistry, University of Warwick, Coventry, United Kingdom

16. Kristof T. Schütt

    Technische Universität Berlin

    Affiliation as printed

    Machine Learning Group, Technische Universität Berlin, Berlin, Germany

17. Jeff Rawson Aachen Institute of Inorganic Chemistry

    Forschungszentrum Jülich · Jülich Aachen Research Alliance · RWTH Aachen University

    Affiliation as printed

    Institute of Inorganic Chemistry, RWTH Aachen University, Aachen, Germany

    Jülich Aachen Research Alliance (JARA)-Fundamentals of Future Information Technology, Jülich, Germany

    Peter Grünberg Institut (PGI-6), Forschungszentrum Jülich, Jülich, Germany

18. Paul Kögerler Aachen Institute of Inorganic Chemistry

    Forschungszentrum Jülich · Jülich Aachen Research Alliance · RWTH Aachen University

    Affiliation as printed

    Institute of Inorganic Chemistry, RWTH Aachen University, Aachen, Germany

    Jülich Aachen Research Alliance (JARA)-Fundamentals of Future Information Technology, Jülich, Germany

    Peter Grünberg Institut (PGI-6), Forschungszentrum Jülich, Jülich, Germany

19. Michael Rohlfing

    University of Münster

    Affiliation as printed

    Institut für Festkörpertheorie, Westfälische Wilhelms-Universität Münster, Münster, Germany

20. Rolf Findeisen

    Otto-von-Guericke-Universität Magdeburg

    Affiliation as printed

    Otto-von-Guericke-Universität Magdeburg, Laboratory for Systems Theory and Automatic Control, Magdeburg, Germany

21. Alexandre Tkatchenko

    University of Luxembourg · Fritz Haber Institute of the Max Planck Society

    Affiliation as printed

    Fritz-Haber-Institut der Max-Planck-Gesellschaft, Berlin, Germany

    Physics and Materials Science Research Unit, University of Luxembourg, Luxembourg, Luxembourg

22. Klaus‐Robert Müller

    Korea University · Max Planck Institute for Informatics · Technische Universität Berlin

    Affiliation as printed

    Department of Brain and Cognitive Engineering, Korea University, Seoul, South Korea

    Machine Learning Group, Technische Universität Berlin, Berlin, Germany

    Max Planck Institute for Informatics, Saarbrücken, Germany

23. Reinhard J. Maurer

    University of Warwick

    Affiliation as printed

    Department of Chemistry, University of Warwick, Coventry, United Kingdom

24. Christian Wagner

    Forschungszentrum Jülich · Jülich Aachen Research Alliance

    Affiliation as printed

    Jülich Aachen Research Alliance (JARA)-Fundamentals of Future Information Technology, Jülich, Germany

    Peter Grünberg Institut (PGI-3), Forschungszentrum Jülich, Jülich, Germany

25. Ruslan Temirov

    Forschungszentrum Jülich · University of Cologne · Jülich Aachen Research Alliance

    Affiliation as printed

    Institute of Physics II, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany

    Jülich Aachen Research Alliance (JARA)-Fundamentals of Future Information Technology, Jülich, Germany

    Peter Grünberg Institut (PGI-3), Forschungszentrum Jülich, Jülich, Germany

26. Frank Stefan Tautz Aachen Experimentalphysik IV A

    Forschungszentrum Jülich · Jülich Aachen Research Alliance · RWTH Aachen University

    Affiliation as printed

    Experimentalphysik IV A, RWTH Aachen University, Aachen, Germany

    Jülich Aachen Research Alliance (JARA)-Fundamentals of Future Information Technology, Jülich, Germany

    Peter Grünberg Institut (PGI-3), Forschungszentrum Jülich, Jülich, Germany