Researchers have created a new theoretical modeling method that might be useful for creating switches or amplifiers in the field of molecular electronics.
Researchers have created a new theoretical modeling method that could be beneficial in the creation of switches or amplifiers for molecular electronics. This collaborative effort involves experts from the University of Jyväskylä in Finland and Wroclaw University of Science and Technology in Poland.
Molecular electronics focuses on understanding how electrons move through junctions made by individual molecules and how this knowledge can be applied to electronic devices. Traditionally, the time scales used in theoretical models are much quicker than those observed in experiments, creating a challenge in syncing the two.
By using this innovative modeling technique developed by the researchers from the University of Jyväskylä and Wroclaw University of Science and Technology, they explored a setup where a benzenedithiol molecule connects to copper electrodes and interacts with light within a cavity. This new method offers a time scale that is relevant to studying molecular junctions experimentally.
“Our theoretical findings indicate that the molecular system we examined can lead to notable light emission and high harmonic generation,” states Senior Lecturer Riku Tuovinen from the University of Jyväskylä.
Interestingly, the manner in which these phenomena occur resembles observations made in solid-state materials rather than those seen in atomic or molecular systems.
“Our research also revealed that certain symmetries in the configuration can either diminish or amplify specific light frequencies,” Tuovinen explains, “implying that this configuration might serve as a switch or amplifier in the realm of molecular electronics.”
The Molecular Quantum Pump
The researchers describe the setup they investigated as a type of molecular quantum pump.
“Much like the famous Archimedes’ screw’s efficiency relies on its angle and spiral step, the performance of molecular quantum pumps is influenced by the magnitude and phase difference of the applied voltages,” Tuovinen elaborates.
This study was published in Nano Letters on July 10, 2024.
