Berlin 2015 – scientific programme

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O: Fachverband Oberflächenphysik

O 73: Nanostructures at Surfaces: 1D and 2D Structures

O 73.1: Poster

Wednesday, March 18, 2015, 18:15–21:00, Poster A

Fabrication of ultrathin metallic nano-contacts for molecular electronics — •Atasi Chatterjee, Frederik Edler, Christoph Tegenkamp, and Herbert Pfnür — Leibniz Universität Hannover, Institut für Festkörperphysik, 30167, Hannover, Germany

Molecular electronics, where single molecules can be used as active electronic components, is the maximum miniaturisation of electronic devices that one can achieve by the bottom up approach. To interface single molecules with the existing macroscopic electronic devices and to understand the functionalities of the molecules, metallic nano-contacts are required. Our aim is to create flat silver nano-contacts by angle deposition, which are ultrathin (few monolayers) at the centre and robust at the ends. We use a combination of electron beam lithography on a silicon substrate, and an electro-migration process to fabricate these nano-contacts, and create nanometer separation at the centre in a controllable manner. This helps the molecules to be adsorbed on an atomic and molecular scale and makes the bonding between molecule and metallic leads better. Such laterally open contact structures together with the adsorbed molecules allow direct access to the STM tips for local control, characterisation of the gap and imaging the molecules. The final aim is to study the electrical conduction properties of single molecules inside the gap which are chemically bound to these fabricated metallic contacts.