Electronic, Magnetic, and Thermodynamic Properties of Molecular Solids

该个人研究者奖为研究分子固体的电子基态和磁性基态提供了支持。这是一类独特的材料，其中有机分子以链状或平面状结构堆叠。这项研究的动机是最近分子固体的发展，在特殊的成分、温度、磁场和电场条件下，超导和/或磁性会出现。该项目涉及对以不同方式引入电荷的分子固体的三个顺序层次的研究：1)一种不寻常的有机材料，其中电荷由磁性离子引入；2)单组分分子固体，仅通过分子排列就能产生金属态（不需要反离子）；3)化学工程或“功能化”形式的烯（即四烯和并五烯）。在后者中，电荷将以光学和/或电场的方式引入薄膜或晶体的表面。这些分子系统的基础物理和潜在的新设备应用都将继续进行。参与这项研究的研究生将获得培训，为他们未来在学术界、工业或政府实验室的职业生涯提供所需的技能。此外，对K-16教育推广和教师计划的坚定承诺被纳入研究议程。最近的发展表明，分子固体很可能成为未来利用生物分子材料技术的基础。分子固体是一类独特的材料，其中有机分子以链状或平面状结构堆叠。在这里，超导和/或磁性在特殊的成分、温度、磁场和电场条件下出现。这个个人研究项目将探测分子固体的电子和磁性。该项目将研究三种分子结构：第一种，在分子层中同时引入电荷和磁性；第二种情况是，一个分子固体被设计成导电，仅靠分子的排列；第三，“功能化”形式的分子构建模块是化学工程。这里将采用光场和电场方法来开关导电和磁性能。新的设备应用和基础科学将在这些分子系统中进行。参与这项研究的研究生将获得培训，为他们未来在学术界、工业或政府实验室的职业生涯提供所需的技能。此外，对K-16教育推广和教师计划的坚定承诺被纳入研究议程。

This individual investigator award provides support for an investigation of the electronic and magnetic ground states of molecular solids. These are a unique class of materials, where organic molecules are stacked in chain or plane-like structures. The research is motivated by recent developments involving molecular solids where superconducting and/or magnetic properties appear under special conditions of composition, temperature, magnetic fields, and electric fields. The project involves investigations of three sequential hierarchies of molecular solids where electrical charge is introduced in different ways: 1) an unusual organic material where charge is introduced by a magnetic ion; 2) a single component molecular solid, engineered to produce a metallic state solely by the molecular arrangement (without need for a counter ion); and 3) chemically engineered, or "functionalized" forms of the acenes (i.e. tetracene and pentacene). In the latter, electrical charge will be introduced at the surface of thin films or crystals optically and/or with an electric field. Both the fundamental physics, and potential new device applications for these molecular systems, will be pursued. The graduate students involved in this research will obtain training that will provide them with the skills needed for a future career in academia or in industrial or government laboratories. In addition, a strong commitment to educational outreach K-16 and teacher programs is integrated into the research agenda. Recent developments indicate that molecular solids are likely to form the basis for future technologies utilizing bio-molecular materials. Molecular solids are a unique class of materials where organic molecules are stacked in chain or plane-like structures. Here superconducting, and/or magnetic properties appear under special conditions of composition, temperature, magnetic fields, and electric fields. This individual investigator project will probe the electronic and magnetic properties of molecular solids. The project will study three kinds of molecular structures: first, where both electrical charge and magnetism is introduced into the molecular layers; second, where a molecular solid is engineered to conduct electrically, solely by the molecular arrangement; and third, where "functionalized" forms of molecular building blocks are chemically engineered. Here optical and electric field methods will be employed to switch the conducting and magnetic properties on and off. New device applications, and fundamental science, will be pursued in these molecular systems. The graduate students involved in this research will obtain training that will provide them with the skills needed for a future career in academia or in industrial or government laboratories. In addition, a strong commitment to educational outreach K-16 and teacher programs is integrated into the research agenda.