Negative differential electrical resistance of a rotational organic nanomotor

Abstract

A robust, nanoelectromechanical switch is proposed based upon an asymmetric pendant moiety anchored to an organic backbonebetween two C60 fullerenes, which in turn are connected to gold electrodes. Ab initio density functional calculations are used todemonstrate that an electric field induces rotation of the pendant group, leading to a nonlinear current-voltage relation. The nonlinearityis strong enough to lead to negative differential resistance at modest source-drain voltages.