Highly conductive molecular junctions were formed by direct binding of benzene molecules between two Pt electrodes. Measurements of conductance, isotopic shift in inelastic spectroscopy and shot noise compared with calculations provide indications fo
r a stable molecular junction where the benzene molecule is preserved intact and bonded to the Pt leads via carbon atoms. The junction has a conductance comparable to that for metallic atomic junctions (around 0.1-1 Go), where the conductance and the number of transmission channels are controlled by the molecules orientation at different inter-electrode distances.
