Room-temperature negative differential resistance in nanoscale molecular junctions

Molecular devices are reported utilizing active self-assembled monolayers c ontaining the nitroamine [2'-amino-4,4'-di(ethynylphenyl)-5'-nitro-1-benzen ethiolate] or the nitro compound [4,4'-di(ethynylphenyl)-2'-nitro-1-benzene thiolate] as the active components. Both of these compounds have active red ox centers. Current-voltage measurements of the devices exhibited negative differential resistance at room temperature and an on-off peak-to-valley ra tio in excess of 1000:1 at low temperature. (C) 2000 American Institute of Physics. [S0003-6951(00)03234-4].