Filled and empty states of alkanethiol monolayer on Au (1 1 1): Fermi level asymmetry and implications for electron transport

Yabing Qi, Omer Yaffe, Einat Tirosh, Ayelet Vilan, David Cahen, Antoine Kahn

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

45 Scopus citations

Abstract

The electronic structure of the prototypical self-assembled monolayer (SAM) system, i.e. alkanethiol molecules on Au, is investigated via ultraviolet and inverse photoemission spectroscopy measurements. The determination of the density of filled and empty states of the system reveals that the metal Fermi level is significantly closer to the lowest unoccupied molecular orbital (LUMO) of the molecules than to their highest occupied molecular orbital (HOMO). The results suggest that charge carrier tunneling is controlled by the LUMO, rather than by the HOMO, in contrast to what is commonly assumed.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)344-347
Number of pages4
JournalChemical Physics Letters
Volume511
Issue number4-6
DOIs
StatePublished - Aug 5 2011

All Science Journal Classification (ASJC) codes

  • General Physics and Astronomy
  • Physical and Theoretical Chemistry

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