Single-molecule electrical junctions

Abstract

The objective of this review is to describe current experimental research of single-molecule electrical junctions in the context of various theoretical frameworks, with emphasis on the application of single-electron transistor theory to molecular junctions. Molecule quantum dots are at least an order of magnitude smaller than semiconductor quantum dots, which allows the study of many of the same mesoscopic and many-body effects at far higher temperatures. We discuss processes such as cotunneling, sequential tunneling, and incoherent tunneling, as well as the Kondo effect, Zeeman splitting, and the Coulomb diamond. Goals for future experimental work are outlined.