Single-Molecule Functional Chips: Unveiling the Full Potential of Molecular Electronics and Optoelectronics

An ideal methodology for miniaturizing the physical size, enhancing the operational frequency, and building the multifunctional capability of functional chips is to use opto- or electroactive single molecules as their central elements; such devices are generally termed single-molecule electronics and optoelectronics. The exploration of the electronic and optoelectronic properties of materials at the single-molecule level also allows the complete elucidation of the correlation between molecular structure and function, which in turn aids technological advances that can help to address the challenge raised by Moore’s Law. In this Account, we present our ongoing investigative pursuits in the realm of single-molecule electronics and optoelectronics, with a particular emphasis on studies using graphene-molecule-graphene single-molecule junctions as the primary framework. To date, we have established a diverse range of single-molecule multifunctional devices, including photoswitches, field-effect transistors, rectifiers, light-emitting diodes, spin electronic devices, memristors, and molecular wires. These types of devices possess stable graphene electrodes and robust covalent molecule-electrode interfaces.