In Silico Modeling of Indigo and Tyrian Purple Single-Electron Nano-Transistors Using Density Functional Theory Approach

ABSTRACT: The purpose of this study was to develop and implement an in silico model of indigoid-based single-electron transistor (SET) nanodevices, which consist of indigoid molecules from natural dye weakly coupled to gold electrodes that function in a Coulomb blockade regime. The electronic properties of the indigoid molecules were investigated using the optimized density-functional theory (DFT) with a continuum model. Higher electron transport characteristics were determined for Tyrian purple, consistent with experimentally derived data. Overall, these results can be used to correctly predict and emphasize the electron transport functions of organic SETs, demonstrating their potential for sustainable nanoelectronics comprising the biodegradable and biocompatible materials. GRAPHICAL ABSTRACT: In silico model and gate coupling of indigoid single-electron nano-transistors [Image: see text] ELECTRONIC SUPPLEMENTARY MATERIAL: The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s11671-017-2193-7) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.