Tuning the Kondo Effect with a Mechanically Controllable Break Junction

Abstract

We study electron transport through ${\mathrm{C}}_{60}$ molecules in the Kondo regime using a mechanically controllable break junction. By varying the electrode spacing, we are able to change both the width and the height of the Kondo resonance, indicating modification of the Kondo temperature and the relative strength of coupling to the two electrodes. The linear conductance as a function of $T/T_K$ agrees with the scaling function expected for the spin-$1/2$ Kondo problem. We are also able to tune finite-bias Kondo features which appear at the energy of the first ${\mathrm{C}}_{60}$ intracage vibrational mode.