Conductance oscillations in helicene-based junctions.

Abstract

We have carried out a theoretical study into electron transport through molecular junctions based on dithiolated helicenes of varying lengths. We found that, for certain specific structural conditions, in which the orientation and the pitch of the helical structures are kept constant, the transmission at the Fermi level exhibits oscillations as a function of the molecular length, which approximately follow an odd-even pattern. Dispersive interactions alter this trend, however, ensuing a rather different quasi-periodic oscillating pattern with a sawtooth profile.