Signature of adsorbed solvents for molecular electronics revealed via scanning tunneling microscopy.

After evaporation of the organic solvents, benzene, toluene, and cyclohexane on gold substrates, Scanning Tunneling Microscope (STM) shows the presence of a remaining adsorbed layer. The different solvent molecules were individually observed at ambient conditions, and their electronic transport properties characterized through the STM in the Break Junction approach. The combination of both techniques reveals, on one hand, that solvents are not fully evaporated over the gold electrode and, secondly, characterize the electronic transport of the solvents in molecular electronics. [Display omitted] • Benzene, cyclohexane, and toluene as organic solvents for molecular electronics at ambient conditions. • Organic solvents remain physisorbed on gold surfaces after a controlled evaporation process. • STM and STM-BJ experiments demonstrate the presence of organic solvent molecules on gold surfaces at ambient conditions. • Direct measurements of the diameter and electronic transport in single organic molecules of benzene, cyclohexane, and toluene. • The contribution of the organic solvents cannot be neglected in molecular electronic transport measurements. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]