Prof. Dr. Uri Peskin – Freiburg Institute for Advanced Studies

Prof. Dr. Uri Peskin

Technion – Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa
Chemistry

External Senior Fellow (Marie S. Curie FCFP)
October 2020 – February 2021

Website

E-Mail: uri@technion.ac.il

Last Update: 31.08.2021

Curriculum Vitae

Prof. Uri Peskin holds a BSc degree in Chemistry from the Hebrew University in Jerusalem (1988), and a D.Sc. degree from the Technion – Israel Institute of Technology. He was a post-doctoral fellow at the university of California at Berkeley (1993-1995) and since 1995 he is on the faculty of the Technion- Israel Institute of Technology at the chemistry department.

His research focuses on the development of computational strategies and numerical algorithms for the solution of multidimensional wave equations, modelling charge transport in nano-scale system, with emphasis on molecular electronics, and theoretical approaches for dynamics in open quantum systems, and for the effect of the microscopic environment on processes in molecular systems. Specific contributions include: a quantum scattering theory for time-dependent Hamiltonians, a quantum Langevin equation for open quantum systems, a high-order perturbation theory for multi-dimensional wave equations, identification of new mechanisms (e.g., quantum unfurling) for charge transport in DNA, prediction of cooperative effects in charge transport through coupled quantum dot arrays, proposition of single-molecule based quantum electron pumps, and of the laser-pulse-pair-sequence technique for measuring ultrafast dynamics in molecular electronic devices, introduction of new strategies for mechanical stabilization of nano-electronic devices, and predicting the effect of contact interferences on the current through single molecule junctions.

He is the author of 90 research articles, and 80 invited conference lectures. He supervised 20 graduate research thesis, won 20 competitive basic research grants, and several research and teaching awards.

Selected Publications

R. Volkovich, R. Haertle, M. Thoss and U. Peskin, “Bias-controlled selective excitation of vibrational modes in molecular junctions: a route towards mode-selective chemistry”, Phys. Chem. Chem. Phys. 13, 14333-14349 (2011).
R. Pozner, E. Lifshitz and U. Peskin, “Charge transport induced recoil and dissociation in double quantum dots”, Nano Lett. 14, 6244–6249 (2014).
A. D. Levine, M. Iv and U. Peskin, “Length-independent Transport Rates in DNA by Quantum Mechanical Unfurling”, Chem. Sci. 7, 1535-1542 (2016).
D. Gelbwaser-Klimovsky, A. Aspuru-Guzik, M. Thoss, and U. Peskin, “High voltage assisted mechanical stabilization of single-molecule junctions”, Nano Lett. 18, 8, 4727 (2018).
R. Haertle, C. Schinabeck, M. Kulkarni, D. Gelbwaser-Klimovsky, M. Thoss and U. Peskin, “Cooling by heating in nonequilibrium nanosystems”, Phys. Rev. B. 98, 081404(R) (2018).

FRIAS Project

Field-induced Mechanical Stabilization of Molecular Electronic Devices

The anticipated realization of molecular electronic devices depends largely on the ability to stabilize mechanically single molecules under strong electric fields and variable charging states. Experimental efforts are devoted to characterization of molecular junction dissociation under resonant tunneling conditions, while theory is challenged to unravel the relevant mechanisms. As a part of this effort, we recently proposed strategies for minimizing the vibrational heating of molecules, based on changing the properties of the electrodes (conducting leads) to which the molecules are attached (chemical composition, chemical surroundings, ambient temperature). However, the associated protocols are still challenging from the experimental point of view. Here we propose to develop a new strategy that does not require a permanent change in the electrodes or in the ambient conditions. Rather, the control of intramolecular vibrational energy would be based on time-dependent changes in the electrodes. The proposed study would include theoretical analysis of intra-molecular vibrational heating and cooling in non-equilibrium conditions in the presence of driven reservoirs, as well as numerical simulations of realistic molecular junction models.