Print Email Facebook Twitter Insulator-protected mechanically controlled break junctions for measuring single-molecule conductance in aqueous environments Title Insulator-protected mechanically controlled break junctions for measuring single-molecule conductance in aqueous environments Author Muthusubramanian, N. (TU Delft QN/van der Zant Lab) Galan, E. Maity, C. (TU Delft ChemE/Advanced Soft Matter) Eelkema, R. (TU Delft ChemE/Advanced Soft Matter) Grozema, F.C. (TU Delft ChemE/Opto-electronic Materials) van der Zant, H.S.J. (TU Delft QN/van der Zant Lab) Date 2016-07-04 Abstract We present a method to fabricate insulated gold mechanically controlled break junctions (MCBJ) by coating the metal with a thin layer of aluminum oxide using plasma enhanced atomic layer deposition. The Al2O3 thickness deposited on the MCBJ devices was varied from 2 to 15 nm to test the suppression of leakage currents in deionized water and phosphate buffered saline. Junctions coated with a 15 nm thick oxide layer yielded atomically sharp electrodes and negligible conductance counts in the range of 1 to 10-4 G0 (1 G0 = 77 μS), where single-molecule conductances are commonly observed. The insulated devices were used to measure the conductance of an amphiphilic oligophenylene ethynylene derivative in deionized water. To reference this document use: http://resolver.tudelft.nl/uuid:4576e049-5e2b-4c82-90d4-78435fd655f1 DOI https://doi.org/10.1063/1.4955273 Embargo date 2017-07-05 ISSN 0003-6951 Source Applied Physics Letters, 109 (1) Part of collection Institutional Repository Document type journal article Rights © 2016 N. Muthusubramanian, E. Galan, C. Maity, R. Eelkema, F.C. Grozema, H.S.J. van der Zant Files PDF 1.4955273.pdf 1.34 MB Close viewer /islandora/object/uuid:4576e049-5e2b-4c82-90d4-78435fd655f1/datastream/OBJ/view