Single-electron counting spectroscopy: simulation study of porphyrin in a molecular junction

TL;DR

This study uses simulation to analyze single-electron transfer in a porphyrin molecular junction, revealing a transition in statistical behavior and identifying fast and slow transport channels through time-series analysis.

Contribution

It introduces a simulation approach to study electron counting in molecular junctions, highlighting the crossover in statistical regimes and transport channel dynamics.

Findings

Crossover from sub- to super-Poissonian statistics with bias voltage

Identification of fast and slow electron transfer channels

Time-series analysis reveals transport channel dynamics

Abstract

Electron counting of a single porphyrin molecule between two electrodes shows a crossover from sub- to super-Poissonian statistics as the bias voltage is scanned. This is attributed to the simultaneous activation of states with electron transfer rates spanning several orders of magnitude. Time-series analysis of consecutive single electron transfer events reveals fast and slow transport channels, which are not resolved by the average current alone.