Electronic excitations of a single molecule contacted in a three-terminal configuration.

Osorio, Edgar A; O'Neill, Kevin; Wegewijs, Maarten; Stuhr-Hansen, Nicolai; Paaske, Jens; Bjørnholm, Thomas; van der Zant, Herre S J · Nano Lett · 2007

basic_science · Level V

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Abstract

Low-temperature three-terminal transport measurements through a thiol end-capped pi-conjugated molecule have been carried out. Electronic excitations, including zero and finite-bias Kondo-effects, have been observed and studied as a function of magnetic field. Using a simplified two-orbital model, we have accounted for the spin and the electronic configuration of the first four charge states of the molecule. The charge-dependent couplings to gate, source, and drain electrodes suggest a scenario in which charges and spins are localized at the ends of the molecule, close to the electrodes.