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Kaiser, Katharina ; Lieske, Leonard-Alexander ; Repp, Jascha ; Gross, Leo

Charge-state lifetimes of single molecules on few monolayers of NaCl

Article

Kaiser, Katharina , Lieske, Leonard-Alexander, Repp, Jascha and Gross, Leo (2023) Charge-state lifetimes of single molecules on few monolayers of NaCl. Nature Communications 14 (1), p. 4988.

DOI to cite this document: 10.5283/epub.54598


Abstract

In molecular tunnel junctions, where the molecule is decoupled from the electrodes by few-monolayers-thin insulating layers, resonant charge transport takes place by sequential charge transfer to and from the molecule which implies transient charging of the molecule. The corresponding charge state transitions, which involve tunneling through the insulating decoupling layers, are crucial for ...

In molecular tunnel junctions, where the molecule is decoupled from the electrodes by few-monolayers-thin insulating layers, resonant charge transport takes place by sequential charge transfer to and from the molecule which implies transient charging of the molecule. The corresponding charge state transitions, which involve tunneling through the insulating decoupling layers, are crucial for understanding electrically driven processes such as electroluminescence or photocurrent generation in such a geometry. Here, we use scanning tunneling microscopy to investigate the decharging of single ZnPc and H2Pc molecules through NaCl films of 3 to 5 monolayers thickness on Cu(111) and Au(111). To this end, we approach the tip to the molecule at resonant tunnel conditions up to a regime where charge transport is limited by tunneling through the NaCl film. The resulting saturation of the tunnel current is a direct measure of the lifetimes of the anionic and cationic states, i.e., the molecule's charge-state lifetime, and thus provides a means to study charge dynamics and, thereby, exciton dynamics. Comparison of anion and cation lifetimes on different substrates reveals the critical role of the level alignment with the insulator's conduction and valence band, and the metal-insulator interface state. Resonant charge transport to and from molecules and their corresponding charge-state transitions are critical to understanding electrically driven processes. Here, the authors investigate the charge-state lifetimes of single molecules through NaCl films of 3 to 5 monolayers thickness.



Involved Institutions


Details

Item typeArticle
Journal or Publication TitleNature Communications
PublisherNATURE PORTFOLIO
Place of PublicationBERLIN
Volume14
Number of Issue or Book Chapter1
Page Rangep. 4988
Date17 August 2023
Date of publication22 Aug 2023 04:46
InstitutionsPhysics > Institute of Experimental and Applied Physics > Group Jascha Repp
Projects
Funded by: Europäische Kommission (EU) (951519)
Identification Number
ValueType
10.1038/s41467-023-40692-1DOI
KeywordsDYNAMICS; PHOTOEMISSION; SPECTROSCOPY; EMISSION;
Dewey Decimal Classification500 Science > 530 Physics
500 Science > 540 Chemistry & allied sciences
StatusPublished
RefereedYes, this version has been refereed
Created at the University of RegensburgUnknown
URN of the UB Regensburgurn:nbn:de:bvb:355-epub-545983
Item ID54598

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