arXiv subjects

Yueqing Shi

Publications and source records attributed to Yueqing Shi.

4 recordsLinked to original sources

arXiv2024

An Economical and Efficient Helium Recovery System for Vibration-Sensitive Applications

We present the design of a helium liquefaction system tailored to efficiently recover helium vapor from either an individual or a small cluster of vibration-sensitive cryogenic instruments. This design prioritizes a compact footprint, mitigating potential contamination sources such as gas bags and oil-lubricated compressors while maximizing the recovery rate by capturing both the boil-offs during normal operation and refilling process of the bath cryostat. We demonstrated its performance by applying it to a commercial low-temperature scanning probe microscope. It features a > 94% recovery rate and induces negligible vibrational noise to the microscope. Due to its adaptability, affordability, compact size, and suitability for homemade setups, we foresee that our design can be utilized across a wide range of experimental measurements where liquid helium is used as the cryogen.

cond-mat.mes-hall↗

arXiv2024

Operating a Multi-Level Molecular Dimer Switch through Precise Tip-Molecule Control

Controlling structural transitions between molecular configurations is crucial for advancing functional molecular electronics. While reversible switching of bistable two-state molecules has been achieved, creating molecular systems that can be controllably switched between multiple configurations often requires complex synthetic methods, presenting a much greater challenge. In this study, we showcase a straightforward yet effective strategy to create and control transitions between multiple molecular structural states by forming a surface-bound molecular dimer. Using low-temperature scanning tunneling microscopy, we induce and characterize the structural transitions of a pyrrolidine dimer on a Cu(100) surface. The intermolecular interactions open new energy transfer channels, enabling the excitation through pathways that were inaccessible in monomers. The occupation of different molecular states is highly sensitive to both the energy of the tunneling electrons and the interaction with the STM tip. By precisely adjusting the tip-molecule distance, we can select the most probable structural configuration based on sample bias, thereby achieving on-demand control of this molecular dimer switch. This work highlights an approach that leverages both intermolecular and molecule-environment interactions to create and control an artificially fabricated molecular device.

physics.chem-ph↗

arXiv2024

Nano-Scale Manipulation of Single-Molecule Conformational Transition Through Vibrational Excitation

On-demand control of molecular actions is essential for realizing single-molecule functional devices. Such a control can be achieved by manipulating interactions between individual molecules and their nanoscale environment. In this study, we manipulate the conformational transition of a single pyrrolidine molecule on a Cu(100) surface by exciting its vibra-tions with tunneling electrons using scanning tunneling microscopy. Multiple transition pathways between two structural states are identified to be driven by distinct vibrational modes, whose corresponding nuclear motions are determined by density functional theory calculations. Tip-induced van der Waals forces and intermolecular interactions enable precise tuning of molecule-environment interactions, allowing modulation of vibrational energies, alteration of transition probabilities, and selection of the lowest energy transition pathway. This work reveals how external force fields in a tunable nanocavity can modulate molecular conformational transitions, offering an approach to deliberately engineer molecule-environment interactions for specific molecular functions.

physics.chem-ph↗

arXiv2024

Characterization of Coulomb Interactions in Electron Transport through a Single Hetero-Helicene Molecular Junction Using Scanning Tunneling Microscopy

Characterization of the structural and electron transport properties of single chiral molecules provides critical insights into the interplay between their electronic structure and electrochemical environments, providing broader implications given the significance of molecular chirality in chiroptical applications and pharmaceutical sciences. Here, we examined the topographic and electronic features of a recently developed chiral molecule, B,N-embedded double hetero[7]helicene, at the edge of Cu(100) supported NaCl thin film with scanning tunneling microscopy and spectroscopy. An electron transport energy gap of 3.2 eV is measured, which is significantly larger than the energy difference between the highest occupied and the lowest unoccupied molecular orbitals given by theoretical calculations or optical measurements. Through first principles calculations, we demonstrated that this energy discrepancy results from the Coulomb interaction between the tunneling electron and the molecule's electrons. This occurs in electron transport processes when the molecule is well decoupled from the electrodes by the insulating decoupling layers, leading to a temporary ionization of the molecule during electron tunneling. Beyond revealing properties concerning a specific molecule, our findings underscore the key role of Coulomb interactions in modulating electron transport in molecular junctions, providing insights into the interpretation of scanning tunneling spectroscopy features of molecules decoupled by insulating layers.

physics.chem-ph↗