Interface-Engineered Charge-Transport Properties in Benzenedithiol Molecular Electronic Junctions via Chemically p-Doped Graphene Electrodes

Yeonsik Jang, Sung Joo Kwon, Jaeho Shin, Hyunhak Jeong, Wang Taek Hwang, Junwoo Kim, Jeongmin Koo, Taeg Yeoung Ko, Sunmin Ryu, Gunuk Wang, Tae Woo Lee, Takhee Lee

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

9 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

In this study, we fabricated and characterized vertical molecular junctions consisting of self-assembled monolayers of benzenedithiol (BDT) with a p-doped multilayer graphene electrode. The p-type doping of a graphene film was performed by treating pristine graphene (work function of ∼4.40 eV) with trifluoromethanesulfonic (TFMS) acid, producing a significantly increased work function (∼5.23 eV). The p-doped graphene-electrode molecular junctions statistically showed an order of magnitude higher current density and a lower charge injection barrier height than those of the pristine graphene-electrode molecular junctions, as a result of interface engineering. This enhancement is due to the increased work function of the TFMS-treated p-doped graphene electrode in the highest occupied molecular orbital-mediated tunneling molecular junctions. The validity of these results was proven by a theoretical analysis based on a coherent transport model that considers asymmetric couplings at the electrode-molecule interfaces.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)42043-42049
Number of pages7
JournalACS Applied Materials and Interfaces
Volume9
Issue number48
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 2017 Dec 6

Keywords

  • benzenedithiol (BDT)
  • charge transport
  • coherent transport model
  • graphene doping
  • interface engineering
  • molecular electronics
  • self-assembled monolayer
  • transition voltage spectroscopy

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Materials Science(all)

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