Azobenzenes as light-controlled molecular electronic switches in nanoscale metal-molecule-metal junctions

J Am Chem Soc. 2008 Jul 23;130(29):9192-3. doi: 10.1021/ja8018093. Epub 2008 Jun 25.

Abstract

Conductance switching associated with the photoisomerization of azobenzene-based (Azo) molecules was observed in nanoscopic metal-molecule-metal junctions. The junctions were formed by using a conducting atomic force microscope (C-AFM) approach, where a metallic AFM tip was used to electrically contact a gold-supported Azo self-assembled monolayer. The measured 30-fold increase in conductance is consistent with the expected decrease in tunneling barrier length resulting from the conformational change of the Azo molecule.