Molecular direction dependence of single-molecule conductance of a helical peptide in molecular junction

Abstract

The helix-peptide dipole effect on single-molecule conductance was analysed experimentally and theoretically with a single 8mer helical peptide. The helical peptide was immobilized on a gold surface in two opposite directions of the helix dipole. Single-molecule conductance of the helical peptide was determined to be 2.4 × 10⁻⁵G₀ by scanning tunneling microscopy (STM) break-junction measurements under the condition of applied bias voltage parallel to the dipole, which was about 1.2-fold larger than that in the anti-parallel direction. Theoretical calculation also supports that the helix dipole influences the electron transport reaction depending on parallel or anti-parallel orientation of the dipole against the applied electric field.