Hybrid assembly technique using alternating current field for molecular electronic measurements

We present an approach to facilitate transport measurements of electronic molecules. The technique consists of forming a self-assembled monolayer of the investigated molecule on prepatterned electrodes and then bridging the electrodes with nanoparticles using an alternating electric field. This technique can potentially allow screening of a large number of electronic molecules in a facile manner. Application of an alternating current field is equally useful for trapping other nanometer-scale structures such as carbon nanotubes. As an example of our hybrid technique, we report preliminary transport measurements of a test molecule that has been reported using a different test bed: Our results show qualitative agreement with previously published data. (C) 2002 American Vacuum Society.