Bias-induced conductance switching in single molecule junctions containing a redox-active transition metal complex

Abstract

Abstract: The paper provides a comprehensive theoretical description of electron transport through transition metal complexes in single molecule junctions, where the main focus is on an analysis of the structural parameters responsible for bias-induced conductance switching as found in recent experiments, where an interpretation was provided by our simulations. The switching could be theoretically explained by a two-channel model combining coherent electron transport and electron hopping, where the underlying mechanism could be identified as a charging of the molecule in the junction made possible by the presence of a localized electronic state on the transition metal center. In this article, we present a framework for the description of an electron hopping-based switching process within the semi-classical Marcus–Hush theory, where all relevant quantities are calculated on the basis of density functional theory (DFT). Additionally, structural aspects of the junction and their respective importance for the occurrence of irreversible switching are discussed. Graphical abstract: [Figure not available: see fulltext.]