article published yes H. Vazquez author R. Skouta author S. Schneebeli author M. Kamenetska author R. Breslow author Latha Venkataraman author 9ebb78a5-cc0d-11ee-8322-fae086a32caf0000-0002-6957-6089 M.S. Hybertsen author According to Kirchhoff's circuit laws, the net conductance of two parallel components in an electronic circuit is the sum of the individual conductances. However, when the circuit dimensions are comparable to the electronic phase coherence length, quantum interference effects play a critical role1, as exemplified by the Aharonov–Bohm effect in metal rings2,3. At the molecular scale, interference effects dramatically reduce the electron transfer rate through a meta-connected benzene ring when compared with a para-connected benzene ring4,5. For longer conjugated and cross-conjugated molecules, destructive interference effects have been observed in the tunnelling conductance through molecular junctions6,7,8,9,10. Here, we investigate the conductance superposition law for parallel components in single-molecule circuits, particularly the role of interference. We synthesize a series of molecular systems that contain either one backbone or two backbones in parallel, bonded together cofacially by a common linker on each end. Single-molecule conductance measurements and transport calculations based on density functional theory show that the conductance of a double-backbone molecular junction can be more than twice that of a single-backbone junction, providing clear evidence for constructive interference. Springer Nature2012 eng 1748-3387 1748-3395 2294140310.1038/nnano.2012.147 710663-667 yes Vazquez, H., et al. “Probing the Conductance Superposition Law in Single-Molecule Circuits with Parallel Paths.” <i>Nature Nanotechnology</i>, vol. 7, no. 10, Springer Nature, 2012, pp. 663–67, doi:<a href="https://doi.org/10.1038/nnano.2012.147">10.1038/nnano.2012.147</a>. Vazquez H, Skouta R, Schneebeli S, et al. Probing the conductance superposition law in single-molecule circuits with parallel paths. <i>Nature Nanotechnology</i>. 2012;7(10):663-667. doi:<a href="https://doi.org/10.1038/nnano.2012.147">10.1038/nnano.2012.147</a> H. Vazquez, R. Skouta, S. Schneebeli, M. Kamenetska, R. Breslow, L. Venkataraman, M.S. Hybertsen, Nature Nanotechnology 7 (2012) 663–667. Vazquez H, Skouta R, Schneebeli S, Kamenetska M, Breslow R, Venkataraman L, Hybertsen MS. 2012. Probing the conductance superposition law in single-molecule circuits with parallel paths. Nature Nanotechnology. 7(10), 663–667. Vazquez, H., Skouta, R., Schneebeli, S., Kamenetska, M., Breslow, R., Venkataraman, L., &#38; Hybertsen, M. S. (2012). Probing the conductance superposition law in single-molecule circuits with parallel paths. <i>Nature Nanotechnology</i>. Springer Nature. <a href="https://doi.org/10.1038/nnano.2012.147">https://doi.org/10.1038/nnano.2012.147</a> H. Vazquez <i>et al.</i>, “Probing the conductance superposition law in single-molecule circuits with parallel paths,” <i>Nature Nanotechnology</i>, vol. 7, no. 10. Springer Nature, pp. 663–667, 2012. Vazquez, H., R. Skouta, S. Schneebeli, M. Kamenetska, R. Breslow, Latha Venkataraman, and M.S. Hybertsen. “Probing the Conductance Superposition Law in Single-Molecule Circuits with Parallel Paths.” <i>Nature Nanotechnology</i>. Springer Nature, 2012. <a href="https://doi.org/10.1038/nnano.2012.147">https://doi.org/10.1038/nnano.2012.147</a>. 180072024-09-09T12:28:28Z2025-01-03T09:07:44Z