Insulator-protected mechanically controlled break junctions for measuring single-molecule conductance in aqueous environments

Journal article (2016)

Authors

N. Muthusubramanian QN/van der Zant Lab - AS
C. Maity ChemE/Advanced Soft Matter - AS
R. Eelkema ChemE/Advanced Soft Matter - AS
F.C. Grozema ChemE/Opto-electronic Materials - AS
H.S.J. van der Zant QN/van der Zant Lab - AS
Research Group
ChemE/Advanced Soft Matter (AS) (TU Delft)
Copyright: © 2016 N. Muthusubramanian, E. Galan, C. Maity, R. Eelkema, F.C. Grozema, H.S.J. van der Zant
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1063/1.4955273
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Published Date

04-07-2016

Language

English

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Faculty

Applied Sciences

Department

ChemE/Chemical Engineering

Research Group

ChemE/Advanced Soft Matter

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.

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