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This paper describes four significant breakthroughs in the syntheses and testing of molecular scale electronic devices. The 16-mer of oligo(2-dodecylphenylene ethynylene) was prepared on Merrifields resin using the iterative divergent/convergent approach which significantly streamlines the preparation of this molecular scale wire. The formation of self-assembled monolayers and multilayers on gold surfaces of rigid rod conjugated oligomers that have thiol, -dithiol, thioacetyl, or -dithioacetyl end groups have been studied. The direct observation of charge transport through molecules of benzene-1, 4-dithiol, which have been self-assembled onto two facing gold electrodes, has been achieved. Finally, we report initial studies into what effect varying the molecular alligator clip has on the molecule scale wire's conductivity.

We present a novel approach in an effort to perform electrical measurements at the level of a single molecule. A mechanical controllable break junction is utilized in combination with a molecular deposition technique in fluid to obtain the system: metal-molecule-metal. The I - V curve of this system shows pronounced features over a large voltage scale.