Dithienylethene-Based Single Molecular Photothermal Linear Actuator

Rashid U, Chatir E, Medrano Sandonas L, Sreelakshmi PA, Dianat A, Gutierrez R, Cuniberti G, Cobo S, Kaliginedi V (2023)

Publication Type: Journal article

Publication year: 2023

Journal

Angewandte Chemie International Edition Wiley

DOI: 10.1002/anie.202218767

Abstract

By employing a mechanically controllable break junction technique, we have realized an ideal single molecular linear actuator based on dithienylethene (DTE) based molecular architecture, which undergoes reversible photothermal isomerization when subjected to UV irradiation under ambient conditions. As a result, open form (compressed, UV OFF) and closed form (elongated, UV ON) of dithienylethene-based molecular junctions are achieved. Interestingly, the mechanical actuation is achieved without changing the conductance of the molecular junction around the Fermi level over several cycles, which is an essential property required for an ideal single molecular actuator. Our study demonstrates a unique example of achieving a perfect balance between tunneling width and barrier height change upon photothermal isomerization, resulting in no change in conductance but a change in the molecular length, which results in mechanical actuation at the single molecular level.

Involved external institutions

Indian Institute of Science (IISc) IN India (IN) University of Grenoble Alpes (UGA) / Université de Grenoble FR France (FR) University of Luxembourg LU Luxembourg (LU) Technische Universität Dresden DE Germany (DE)

How to cite

APA:

Rashid, U., Chatir, E., Medrano Sandonas, L., Sreelakshmi, P.A., Dianat, A., Gutierrez, R.,... Kaliginedi, V. (2023). Dithienylethene-Based Single Molecular Photothermal Linear Actuator. Angewandte Chemie International Edition. https://dx.doi.org/10.1002/anie.202218767

MLA:

Rashid, Umar, et al. "Dithienylethene-Based Single Molecular Photothermal Linear Actuator." Angewandte Chemie International Edition (2023).

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