Reversible electron-induced conductance in polymer nanostructures

A. R. Laracuente; M. Yang; W. K. Lee; L. Senapati; J. W. Baldwin; P. E. Sheehan; W. P. King; S. C. Erwin; L. J. Whitman

doi:10.1063/1.3428963

Reversible electron-induced conductance in polymer nanostructures

A. R. Laracuente, M. Yang, W. K. Lee, L. Senapati, J. W. Baldwin, P. E. Sheehan, W. P. King, S. C. Erwin, L. J. Whitman

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Abstract

We report a mechanism for controlling conductance in polymer nanostructures. Poly(3-dodecylthiophene-2,5-diyl) (PDDT) nanostructures were directly written between gold electrodes using thermal dip pen nanolithography and then characterized in UHV. We find that the conductivity of a PDDT nanostructure can be increased by more than five orders of magnitude (from < 10^-4 to 10 S cm^-1) by exposure to energetic electrons, and then repeatedly returned to a semi-insulating state by subsequent exposure to hydrogen. Based on systematic measurements complemented by calculations of electronic structure and electron transport in PDDT, we conclude that the conductance modulation is caused by H desorption and reabsorption. The phenomenon has potential applications in hydrogen sensing and molecular electronics.

Original language	English (US)
Article number	103723
Journal	Journal of Applied Physics
Volume	107
Issue number	10
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1063/1.3428963
State	Published - May 15 2010

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General Physics and Astronomy

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10.1063/1.3428963

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title = "Reversible electron-induced conductance in polymer nanostructures",

abstract = "We report a mechanism for controlling conductance in polymer nanostructures. Poly(3-dodecylthiophene-2,5-diyl) (PDDT) nanostructures were directly written between gold electrodes using thermal dip pen nanolithography and then characterized in UHV. We find that the conductivity of a PDDT nanostructure can be increased by more than five orders of magnitude (from < 10-4 to 10 S cm-1) by exposure to energetic electrons, and then repeatedly returned to a semi-insulating state by subsequent exposure to hydrogen. Based on systematic measurements complemented by calculations of electronic structure and electron transport in PDDT, we conclude that the conductance modulation is caused by H desorption and reabsorption. The phenomenon has potential applications in hydrogen sensing and molecular electronics.",

author = "Laracuente, {A. R.} and M. Yang and Lee, {W. K.} and L. Senapati and Baldwin, {J. W.} and Sheehan, {P. E.} and King, {W. P.} and Erwin, {S. C.} and Whitman, {L. J.}",

note = "Funding Information: This work was supported by the Office of Naval Research and the National Science Foundation (W.P.K.).",

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T1 - Reversible electron-induced conductance in polymer nanostructures

AU - Laracuente, A. R.

AU - Yang, M.

AU - Lee, W. K.

AU - Senapati, L.

AU - Baldwin, J. W.

AU - Sheehan, P. E.

AU - King, W. P.

AU - Erwin, S. C.

AU - Whitman, L. J.

N1 - Funding Information: This work was supported by the Office of Naval Research and the National Science Foundation (W.P.K.).

PY - 2010/5/15

Y1 - 2010/5/15

N2 - We report a mechanism for controlling conductance in polymer nanostructures. Poly(3-dodecylthiophene-2,5-diyl) (PDDT) nanostructures were directly written between gold electrodes using thermal dip pen nanolithography and then characterized in UHV. We find that the conductivity of a PDDT nanostructure can be increased by more than five orders of magnitude (from < 10-4 to 10 S cm-1) by exposure to energetic electrons, and then repeatedly returned to a semi-insulating state by subsequent exposure to hydrogen. Based on systematic measurements complemented by calculations of electronic structure and electron transport in PDDT, we conclude that the conductance modulation is caused by H desorption and reabsorption. The phenomenon has potential applications in hydrogen sensing and molecular electronics.

AB - We report a mechanism for controlling conductance in polymer nanostructures. Poly(3-dodecylthiophene-2,5-diyl) (PDDT) nanostructures were directly written between gold electrodes using thermal dip pen nanolithography and then characterized in UHV. We find that the conductivity of a PDDT nanostructure can be increased by more than five orders of magnitude (from < 10-4 to 10 S cm-1) by exposure to energetic electrons, and then repeatedly returned to a semi-insulating state by subsequent exposure to hydrogen. Based on systematic measurements complemented by calculations of electronic structure and electron transport in PDDT, we conclude that the conductance modulation is caused by H desorption and reabsorption. The phenomenon has potential applications in hydrogen sensing and molecular electronics.

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Reversible electron-induced conductance in polymer nanostructures

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