Progress in molecular electronics (ME) is largely based on improved understanding of the properties of single molecules (SMs) trapped for seconds or longer to enable their detailed characterization. We present a plasmon-supported break-junction (PBJ) platform to significantly increase the lifetime of SM junctions of 1,4-benzenedithiol (BDT) without the need for chemical modification of molecule or electrode. Moderate far-field power densities of ca. 11 mW/μm² lead to a >10-fold increase in minimum lifetime compared with laser-OFF conditions. The nearfield trapping efficiency is twice as large for bridge-site contact compared with hollow-site geometry, which can be attributed to the difference in polarizability. Current measurements and tip-enhanced Raman spectra confirm that native structure and contact geometry of BDT are preserved during the PBJ experiment. By providing a non-invasive pathway to increase short lifetimes of SM junctions, PBJ is a valuable approach for ME, paving the way for improved SM sensing and recognition platforms.

分子电子学（ME）的进步主要基于对单个分子（SM）的性能的更好理解，这些分子被困了几秒钟或更长时间才能对其进行详细的表征。我们提出了一种等离激元支持的断裂连接（PBJ）平台，可以显着增加1,4-苯二硫醇（BDT）的SM连接的寿命，而无需对分子或电极进行化学修饰。中等的远场功率密度约为 11毫瓦/微米²与激光关闭条件相比，可导致最小寿命增加10倍以上。与空心部位的几何形状相比，桥部位接触的近场俘获效率是空心部位几何形状的两倍，这可以归因于极化率的差异。当前的测量结果和尖端增强的拉曼光谱证实，在PBJ实验过程中，BDT的天然结构和接触几何形状得以保留。通过提供非侵入性途径来增加SM连接的短寿命，PBJ是ME的一种有价值的方法，为改善SM感应和识别平台铺平了道路。