Bi-ferrocene based molecular rectifier for nano-patch rectenna device

The RECTifying antENNA or rectenna device has been extensively studied for light-harvesting properties. This device utilizes the wave nature of the light through a nano-antenna and hence provides an alternative way for solar energy harvesting. In this work, we discuss nano-patch rectenna devices composed of silver nanocubes (antenna) and molecular diodes (rectifying element), which can be fabricated on a larger scale and at a lower cost than the counterpart clean room and lithographic techniques. In this work, we show the deposition of biferrocene alkane-di-thiolate molecules on template stripped gold substrates which serves three purposes: offer enhanced reproducible nano-gap, assemble patch antennas on the gold substrate and provide current rectification. This work explains both deposition of the molecular assembly through copper catalysed click reaction and characterization of the resulting SAM. We confirm the deposition and presence of both ferrocene units through cyclic voltammetry and ellipsometry. Finally, EGaIn junction measurements are performed with a plausible potential energy diagram.