High-Quality Reduced Graphene Oxide Electrodes for Sub-Kelvin Studies of Molecular Monolayer Junctions

Electron transport phenomena in molecular monolayers are complex and potentially different from those of single molecules because of, for example, molecule-molecule interactions. Unfortunately, access to detailed mechanistic investigations of molecular monolayer junctions at ultralow temperatures is typically hampered by the narrow range of operating temperatures for most large-area device platforms. Here, we present a highly optimized chemically derived graphene material with a near temperature-independent conductance profile. Using this material as a conducting interlayer electrode in solid-state molecular electronic devices, we show robust and reliable large-area molecular junction operation at temperatures ranging from room temperature to below 1 K, and we demonstrate the ability to measure inelastic electron tunneling spectroscopy of a conjugated molecular monolayer at cryogenic temperatures.