PT  - JOURNAL ARTICLE
AU  - Cui, X. D.
AU  - Primak, A.
AU  - Zarate, X.
AU  - Tomfohr, J.
AU  - Sankey, O. F.
AU  - Moore, A. L.
AU  - Moore, T. A.
AU  - Gust, D.
AU  - Harris, G.
AU  - Lindsay, S. M.
TI  - Reproducible Measurement of Single-Molecule Conductivity
AID  - 10.1126/science.1064354
DP  - 2001 Oct 19
TA  - Science
PG  - 571--574
VI  - 294
IP  - 5542
4099  - http://science.sciencemag.org/content/294/5542/571.short
4100  - http://science.sciencemag.org/content/294/5542/571.full
SO  - Science2001 Oct 19; 294
AB  - A reliable method has been developed for making through-bond electrical contacts to molecules. Current-voltage curves are quantized as integer multiples of one fundamental curve, an observation used to identify single-molecule contacts. The resistance of a single octanedithiol molecule was 900 ± 50 megohms, based on measurements on more than 1000 single molecules. In contrast, nonbonded contacts to octanethiol monolayers were at least four orders of magnitude more resistive, less reproducible, and had a different voltage dependence, demonstrating that the measurement of intrinsic molecular properties requires chemically bonded contacts.