Non-Lithographic Routes to Functional Nanostructures and Characterization of their Electronic Behaviors

该项目将在扫描隧道显微镜下研究功能纳米结构的基础化学和材料科学方面，以及它们的特性和作为由单个金属纳米颗粒（配体覆盖的金纳米团簇）构建的电子器件的潜在用途。将探索原位盖盖配体化学反应作为器件门控的一种手段。该项目包括表征单个纳米级金团簇和分子桥接团簇阵列中的电子传输。项目内容包括：(1)覆盖配体化学对金簇中单电子隧穿的影响。(2)扫描单电子隧道显微镜针尖的表征。(3)分子桥接金簇二聚体和三聚体的组装及其电子性质表征。扫描单电子隧道显微镜尖端将用于表征纳米级金属半导体结的电子特性。该方法包括一种非光刻的方法，该方法正在开发中，用于与单个纳米团簇和其他分子尺度物体（分子，树状大分子等）进行电接触，以使用完全的溶液相组装方法“连接”单个团簇。该项目涉及具有高潜在技术相关性的材料科学主题领域的基础研究问题。该研究将为电子/光子器件的新领域提供基础材料科学知识。从研究中获得的基本知识和理解有望有助于开发超越当前硅器件和IC范式的先进器件和电路。在这些调查中要解决各种基本问题。该计划的一个重要特点是通过培养学生在一个基础和技术上重要的领域的研究和教育的整合。＊＊＊

This project will investigate fundamental chemistry and materials science aspects of functional nanostructures with relevance to their characteristics and potential use as electronic devices constructed from single metal nanoparticles(ligand-capped Au nanoclusters) in a scanning tunneling microscope. In situ capping ligand chemical reactions will be explored as a means of device gating. The project includes characterization of electron transport in individual nanoscopic gold clusters and molecularly bridged cluster arrays. Elements of the project include: (1) Effects of capping ligand chemistry on single electron tunneling in Au clusters. (2) Characterization of a scanning single electron tunneling microscope tip. (3) Assembly of molecularly bridged Au cluster dimers and trimers and characterization of their electronic properties. The scanning single electron tunneling microscope tip will be used to characterize the electronic properties of nanoscale metal semiconductor junctions. The approach involves a non-lithographic method being developed to make electrical contact to single nanoclusters and other molecular-scale objects (molecules, dendrimers, etc.) to "wire up" single clusters using entirely solution-phase assembly methods. %%%The project addresses basic research issues in a topical area of materials science having high potential technological relevance. The research will contribute basic materials science knowledge at a fundamental level to new aspects of electronic/photonic devices. The basic knowledge and understanding gained from the research is expected to contribute to developing advanced devices and circuits beyond the current silicon device and IC paradigm. A variety of fundamental issues are to be addressed in these investigations. An important feature of the program is the integration of research and education through the training of students in a fundamentally and technologically significant area. ***