Homer L. Dodge Department
of Physics and Astronomy
The University of Oklahoma

I am interested in surface physics at the nanometer-scale in condensed systems. In practical terms, can I build an electronic device out of a single molecule? Insight into critical technological problems, such as molecular-scale electronics, molecular light-emitting-diodes, and light harvesting systems, relies on understanding fundamental physical processes at the nanometer scale. When a single molecule is placed between two electrodes, what is its electrical conductivity? How does light modify the molecule’s electrical properties?

My focus is to understand the electronic and the optoelectronic characteristics of individual molecules and functional nanometer-scale assemblies. The experimental approach is to combine the molecular-scale resolution of scanning probe techniques, such as scanning tunneling microscopy (STM) and atomic force microscopy (AFM), with optical spectroscopy. When the tunnel junction containing a molecule is illuminated with light, its electronic properties will be slightly modified. This effect will be employed as a spatially localized optical detector with molecular resolution. Conversely, inelastic tunneling processes can induce light emission analogous to electroluminescence in light emitting diodes.

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