Electronic and transport properties of contacts between molybdenum sulfide nanowires and gold electrodes

We report unique electronic and transport properties of contacts between a molybdenum sulfide nanowire and a gold electrode. The pointlike contacts exhibit a remarkable transparency for the charge carrier injection, which is the consequence of the "task division" between sulfur and molybdenum atoms at the interface with the gold electrode, where sulfur binds the nanowire to the electrode, and the current flows unperturbed through the direct Au - Mo channels. The unique properties of the analyzed contacts solve some major drawbacks in the molecular electronics devices, such as the difficulties for the current injection from the electrodes into conjugated carbon-based molecules.