Molecular Electronics: An Experimental and Theoretical Approach

Molecular electronics, an emerging research field at the border of physics, chemistry, and material sciences, has attracted great interest in the last decade. To achieve the ultimate goal of designing molecular electronic devices with the desired functionality and experimental manipulation at the single-molecule level, theoretical understanding of electron transport at the nanoscale is an important prerequisite. This book, a multi-authored volume comprising reviews written by leading scientists, discusses recent advances in the field. It emphasizes the need for studies beyond the low-bias regime, a fact on which the scientific community became aware in the last years. To make the book useful for scientists of various disciplines interested in "learning by doing," each chapter is written in a science/tutorial hybrid style, with its own introduction presenting fundamental concepts and frameworks. The content reflects the strong transdisciplinary efforts needed for substantial progress.

Ioan Baldea is principal investigator and chair of theoretical chemistry, Heidelberg University, and full research professor of theoretical physics at Institute of Space Sciences, National Institute for Lasers, Plasma, and Radiation Physics, Bucharest. His research focuses on molecular electronics and nanotransport, with emphasis on transition voltage spectroscopy, solvent effects, and reorganization in floppy molecules.