Harnessing Hopping in Molecular-Scale Electronics: Approaching New Devices 'One Step at a Time'

2026-07-22

With feature sizes of integrated circuits rapidly approaching molecular length scales, historical motivations to pursue the use of individual molecules in electronic circuits can no longer be justified based on their size alone. Instead, the focus has shifted towards the identification and exploitation of unusual transport phenomena unique to molecular materials (dominated by quantum mechanics) which can complement or supplant current silicon-based technologies. With the large majority of previous studies centered around the study of organic, redox-inactive molecules - typically transporting charge via single-step tunnelling processes - investigations of analogous systems that explicitly involve multi-step tunnelling, or ‘hopping’, behaviour are comparatively rare. In this project I propose to systematically study hopping processes in molecular-scale electronics (HOPELEC), with two primary objectives: (i) to construct the first single-molecule current oscillator; and (ii) probe under-explored current rectification mechanisms for single-molecule diodes. This highly interdisciplinary research area will involve the synthesis of new multi-site redox-active metal complexes capable of binding between nanoscale electrodes. Transport through these systems will be studied both at the single-molecule level using the scanning tunnelling microscope-based break junction technique, and in large area measurements using the eutectic Ga−In method. This work will expose new molecular-scale device mechanisms at the intersection of Marcus and Landauer theories, and contribute to our understanding of related processes in biology and materials science. Project results will be actively promoted through Outreach workshops on electronics/computation (translated also to YouTube). The extensive training, enhanced international profile, networks, and new experiences provided by this Fellowship will function as a 'springboard' in propelling me from Ph.D. student to independent research scholar.

Netherlands

2026-02-15