A single molecule Kondo switch: multistability of tetracyanoethylene on Cu(111)

Nano Lett. 2010 Oct 13;10(10):4175-80. doi: 10.1021/nl1024563.

Abstract

Single tetracyanoethyelene (TCNE) molecules on Cu(111) are reversibly switched among five states by applying voltage pulses with the tip of a scanning tunneling microscope. A pronounced Kondo resonance in tunneling spectroscopy indicates that one of the states is magnetic. Side bands of the Kondo resonance appear at energies which correspond to inter- and intramolecular vibrational modes. Density functional theory suggests that molecular deformation changes the occupancy in TCNE's molecular orbitals, thus producing the magnetic state.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.