# Efficient heating of single-molecule junctions for thermoelectric studies at cryogenic temperatures

## TL;DR

This paper introduces a novel device architecture that enables efficient heating and thermoelectric measurement of single-molecule junctions at cryogenic temperatures, facilitating detailed studies of their transport properties.

## Contribution

A new device design with a direct-contact sample heater that allows wide-range temperature biasing of single-molecule junctions at cryogenic temperatures.

## Key findings

- Achieved temperature biases up to 60K with minimal heating.
- Compatible with base temperatures below 2K.
- Enables studies in both linear and non-linear thermoelectric regimes.

## Abstract

The energy dependent thermoelectric response of a single molecule contains valuable information about its transmission function and its excited states. However, measuring it requires devices that can efficiently heat up one side of the molecule while being able to tune its electrochemical potential over a wide energy range. Furthermore, to increase junction stability devices need to operate at cryogenic temperatures. In this work we report on a new device architecture to study the thermoelectric properties and the conductance of single molecules simultaneously over a wide energy range. We employ a sample heater in direct contact with the metallic electrodes contacting the single molecule which allows us to apply temperature biases up to $\Delta T = 60$K with minimal heating of the molecular junction. This makes these devices compatible with base temperatures $T_\mathrm{bath} <2$K and enables studies in the linear ($\Delta T \ll T_\mathrm{molecule}$) and non-linear ($\Delta T \gg T_\mathrm{molecule}$) thermoelectric transport regimes.