Test-bed Metal-molecules-Metal Junctions based on Hg Electrodes

For the sake of a practical discussion, a distinction is made between "active junctions" and "non-active junctions". Active junctions are those aimed at switching the electrical response by an external stimulus acting "in situ" to modify the electronic structure of the molecular system. Non-active junctions are those aimed at studying different conduction regimes by incorporating molecules of different electronic structures. Depending on their geometry, the junctions can incorporate different numbers of molecules. Large area molecular junctions present two main advantages: (1) a simpler assembly, by requiring less sophisticated fabrication and (2) a higher versatility, relative to single molecule junctions, towards potential applications in organic electronics. The present chapter focuses on the fabrication of a variety of large-area molecular junctions and summarizes and compares the experimental results.