Electron transport in multi-terminal molecular device

TL;DR

This paper investigates electron transport in a four-terminal molecular device, revealing unique properties such as negative differential resistance and pseudo-gating effects due to quantum interference, using advanced theoretical methods.

Contribution

It introduces a detailed theoretical analysis of four-terminal molecular devices, highlighting new transport phenomena not observed in simpler two-terminal systems.

Findings

Presence of negative differential resistance in four-terminal setup

Observation of pseudo-gating effects due to quantum interference

Complex non-linear behavior dependent on molecular state alignment

Abstract

The electron transport properties of a four-terminal molecular device are computed within the framework of density functional theory and non-equilibrium Keldysh theory. The additional two terminals lead to new properties, including a pronounced negative differential resistance not present in a two-terminal setup, and a pseudo-gating effect. In general, quantum interference between the four terminals and the central molecule leads to a complex non-linear behavior, dependent on the alignment of individual molecular states under bias and their coupling to the leads.