Exploring the Ligand Functionality, Electronic Band Gaps, and Switching Characteristics of Single Wells–Dawson‐Type Polyoxometalates on Gold

The miniaturization, high performance, energy efficiency, and new added functionalities are the essential drivers of modern information data storage processing technologies. Polyoxometalates (POMs) characterized by atomically well-defined structures with discrete levels ability to undergo redox transformations viewed as promising active components for integration into next-generation (beyond-CMOS) hybrid nanoelectronics. Herein, fundamental insights application organically augmented POMs on conducting surfaces offered. Three key findings resulting from scanning probe investigations combined integral spectroscopic methods used explore tris(alkoxo)-ligated, vanadium-containing Wells-Dawson-type POM Au(111) reported on. First, it is shown how (OCH2)3C–R ligands, depending structurally exposed R group (R = CH2SMe NHCOC6H4SMe), influence self-assembly behavior synthesized gold. Second, impact employed ligands determined assembly characteristics relative position POM's electronic band structure against Fermi level gold surface explained. Third, on-surface conductance switching single due external electrical stimuli demonstrated. author's experimental efforts enable discover highly sought-after multi-level resistive orchestrated electrically accessible V(3d) states in single-molecules at room temperature a narrow voltage range.