For the development of electronics down to atomic scale, it is of fundamental importance to build atomic-size interconnections in a planar geometry and to be able to controllably switch between different connection paths. Dangling bond wires build on the H:Si(100) are presently intensively investigated as promising candidates to build such interconnections. In this frame, we have investigated by scanning tunneling microscopy (STM) at low temperature Acetylbiphenyl molecules on the Si(100) surface. STM images show that the molecules adsorb along the dangling bond rows of the silicon. By applying voltage pulses with the STM tip, we demonstrate that single Acetylbiphenyl molecules can be reversibly switched between two different configurations. The experiment shows that Acetylbiphenyl is a suitable molecule to be used as molecular latch on a dangling bond based atomic scale circuit.
For the development of electronics down to atomic scale, it is of fundamental importance to build atomic-size interconnections in a planar geometry and to be able to controllably switch between different connection paths. Dangling bond wires build on the H:Si(100) are presently intensively investigated as promising candidates to build such interconnections. In this frame, we have investigated by scanning tunneling microscopy (STM) at low temperature Acetylbiphenyl molecules on the Si(100) surface. STM images show that the molecules adsorb along the dangling bond rows of the silicon. By applying voltage pulses with the STM tip, we demonstrate that single Acetylbiphenyl molecules can be reversibly switched between two different configurations. The experiment shows that Acetylbiphenyl is a suitable molecule to be used as molecular latch on a dangling bond based atomic scale circuit.
