Fabrication and conductance characterization of single C60 molecular junction in solutions

The conductance and stretching length of the single C60 molecule bridging two Au electrodes (C60 molecular junction) were studied in air, mesitylene and 0.1 M HClO4 solution. In air, the C60 molecular junction did not show any well-defined conductance value. In either mesitylene or HClO4 solution, the systems showed a conductance value of 0.01G0. The stretching length of the single C60 molecular junction was determined to be 0.01 nm. The values of the conductance and stretching length in solution were smaller than those obtained in ultra high vacuum, indicating the weak C60–Au interaction in solution. Considering the particular shape of the C60 molecule and the junction formation process in the present system, a sliding model was proposed to interpret the observation.