Atomically precise construction of uniform single-molecule junctions for molecular electronics

Mingyao Li, Bing Yin, Boyu Wang, Weilin Hu, Jie Cheng, Chunyan Gao, Zezhou Li, Yang Xu, Chen Yang, Xinmiao Xie, Jie Guo, Cong Zhao, Jinying Wang, Xike Gao, Yanfeng Zhang, Jihan Zhou, Zhiheng Yang, Agostino Migliore (), Chuancheng Jia () and Xuefeng Guo ()
Additional contact information
Mingyao Li: Peking University
Bing Yin: Peking University
Boyu Wang: Nankai University
Weilin Hu: Peking University
Jie Cheng: Chinese Academy of Sciences
Chunyan Gao: Nankai University
Zezhou Li: Peking University
Yang Xu: Tsinghua University
Chen Yang: Peking University
Xinmiao Xie: Peking University
Jie Guo: Nankai University
Cong Zhao: Nankai University
Jinying Wang: Nankai University
Xike Gao: Chinese Academy of Sciences
Yanfeng Zhang: Peking University
Jihan Zhou: Peking University
Zhiheng Yang: Peking University
Agostino Migliore: Via Marzolo 1
Chuancheng Jia: Nankai University
Xuefeng Guo: Peking University

Nature Communications, 2025, vol. 16, issue 1, 1-11

Abstract: Abstract Atomically precise construction of ultra-small electronic devices meets the urgent need for further device miniaturisation and enables numerous electronic applications. In particular, single-molecule junctions are attractive because they serve as platforms for studying fundamental scientific laws at the single-molecule level and can be used to build functional devices. Here, we present a robust methodology using anisotropic hydrogen plasma etching of graphene and in situ Friedel-Crafts acylation reaction to construct, with atomic precision, uniform covalently bonded graphene-molecule-graphene (GMG) single-molecule junctions with clear zigzag graphene edges. Applying the methodology to an azulene-type molecule, stable GMG single-molecule junctions are constructed with high yield (~82%) and high uniformity (~1.56% conductance variance over 60 devices). The reliability of the platform is shown via real-time and direct electrical monitoring of the three-level conductance fluctuation of an individual azulene molecule. This work demonstrates a universal single-molecule platform that offers countless opportunities to reveal intrinsic molecular properties and build high-performance functional molecular nanocircuits.

Date: 2025
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DOI: 10.1038/s41467-025-63113-x

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