Mechanoelectric sensitivity reveals destructive quantum interference in single-molecule junctions
Sebastiaan van der Poel (TU Delft - QN/van der Zant Lab, Kavli institute of nanoscience Delft)
Juan Hurtado-Gallego (Universidad Autónoma de Madrid)
Matthias Blaschke (Universität Augsburg)
Rubén López-Nebreda (Universidad Autónoma de Madrid)
Almudena Gallego (University of Basel)
Marcel Mayor (Sun Yat-sen University, University of Basel, Karlsruhe Institut für Technologie)
Fabian Pauly (Universität Augsburg)
Herre S.J. van der Zant (TU Delft - QN/van der Zant Lab, Kavli institute of nanoscience Delft)
Nicolás Agraït (Universidad Autónoma de Madrid)
More Info
expand_more
Other than for strictly personal use, it is not permitted to download, forward or distribute the text or part of it, without the consent of the author(s) and/or copyright holder(s), unless the work is under an open content license such as Creative Commons.
Abstract
Quantum interference plays an important role in charge transport through single-molecule junctions, even at room temperature. Of special interest is the measurement of the destructive quantum interference dip itself. Such measurements are especially demanding when performed in a continuous mode of operation. Here, we use mechanical modulation experiments at ambient conditions to reconstruct the destructive quantum interference dip of conductance versus displacement. Simultaneous measurements of the Seebeck coefficient show a sinusoidal response across the dip without sign change. Calculations that include electrode distance and energy alignment variations explain both observations quantitatively, emphasizing the crucial role of thermal fluctuations for measurements under ambient conditions. Our results open the way for establishing a closer link between break-junction experiments and theory in explaining single-molecule transport phenomena, especially when describing sharp features in the transmission.
help_outline