The field of molecular electronics has grown rapidly since its experimental realization in the late 1990s, with thousands of publications on how molecules can act as circuit components and the possibility of extending microelectronic miniaturization. Our research group developed molecular junctions (MJs) using conducting carbon electrodes and covalent bonding, which provide excellent temperature tolerance and operational lifetimes. A carbon-based MJ based on quantum mechanical tunneling for electronic music represents the world’s first commercial application of molecular electronics, with >3000 units currently in consumer hands. The all-carbon MJ consisting of aromatic molecules and oligomers between vapor-deposited carbon electrodes exploits covalent, C–C bonding which avoids the electromigration problem of metal contacts. The high bias and temperature stability as well as partial transparency of the all-carbon MJ permit a wide range of experiments to determine charge transport mechanisms and observe photoeffects to both characterize and stimulate operating MJs. As shown in the Conspectus figure, our group has reported a variety of electronic functions, many of which do not have analogs in conventional semiconductors. Much of the described research is oriented toward the rational design of electronic functions, in which electronic characteristics are determined by molecular structure.

中文翻译：

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用于实用分子电子学的碳基分子结

自 1990 年代后期通过实验实现以来，分子电子学领域发展迅速，发表了数以千计关于分子如何充当电路元件以及扩展微电子小型化可能性的出版物。我们的研究小组使用导电碳电极和共价键合开发了分子结 (MJ)，可提供出色的耐温性和使用寿命。基于电子音乐量子力学隧穿的碳基 MJ 代表了世界上第一个分子电子学的商业应用，目前消费者手中有超过 3000 个单元。全碳 MJ 由气相沉积碳电极之间的芳香族分子和低聚物组成，利用共价 C-C 键合，避免了金属接触的电迁移问题。全碳 MJ 的高偏压和温度稳定性以及部分透明度允许进行广泛的实验，以确定电荷传输机制并观察光效应，以表征和刺激运行的 MJ。如 Conspectus 图中所示，我们小组报告了多种电子功能，其中许多在传统半导体中没有类似物。所描述的大部分研究都面向电子功能的合理设计，其中电子特性由分子结构决定。我们小组报告了多种电子功能，其中许多在传统半导体中没有类似物。所描述的大部分研究都面向电子功能的合理设计，其中电子特性由分子结构决定。我们小组报告了多种电子功能，其中许多在传统半导体中没有类似物。所描述的大部分研究都面向电子功能的合理设计，其中电子特性由分子结构决定。