NER: A Novel Biomimetic Molecular Photosensor: Fabrication of a Functional Nanodevice

NER：一种新型仿生分子光电传感器：功能性纳米器件的制造

• 批准号: 0404248
• 负责人: Joel Olson
• 金额: $ 10万
• 依托单位: Florida Institute of Technology
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Standard Grant
• 财政年份: 2004
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2004-07-01 至 2006-06-30
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=0404248&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: NER; Novel; Biomimetic; Molecular; Photosensor

The objective of this research is the fabrication of a working molecular photosensor based on the molecule retinol (vitamin A), precursor of the active chromophore present in animal retinae. The approach is to synthesize a thiolated retinoid, and then attach it as a self assembled monolayer to a gold scanning tunneling microscope tip. The scanning tunneling microscope will allow the retinoid modified tip to be brought into close proximity ( 1nm) to a gold surface; the small distance will allow a tunneling current to pass through the molecule from tip to surface or vice versa. The retinoid bridged tunneling junction will then be irradiated using visible light while the tunneling current is observed; if the excited state of the molecule significantly affects the tunneling current, a photoresponse should be observed. Such a system would constitute a molecular photosensor.A successful result for the described research would constitute a significant advance in the emerging field of molecular devices and electronics, which could ultimately lead to microscopic cameras, retinal implants, and nanoscale photodetectors that require very little power. The development of these methods will help maintain technical superiority in the critical nanotechnology field. Additionally, this study may enhance knowledge of the behavior of retinoids under completely uninvestigated conditions, which may pave the way to a greater understanding of vision and vision related disorders (an example of which is age-related macular degeneration).

这项研究的目的是制作一种基于视黄醇(维生素A)分子的工作分子光传感器，视黄醇是动物视网膜中存在的活性发色团的前体。方法是合成一种硫代化的类维A酸，然后将其作为自组装单分子膜连接到金扫描隧道显微镜尖端。扫描隧道显微镜将允许类维甲酸修饰的尖端靠近金表面(1 Nm)；较小的距离将允许隧道电流从尖端通过分子到表面，反之亦然。然后，在观察隧道电流的同时，用可见光照射类维甲酸桥式隧道结；如果分子的激发状态显著影响隧道电流，则应该观察到光响应。这样的系统将构成一个分子光传感器。所描述的研究的成功结果将构成新兴的分子器件和电子学领域的重大进步，最终可能导致需要很小功率的微型相机、视网膜植入物和纳米级光电探测器。这些方法的发展将有助于在关键的纳米技术领域保持技术优势。此外，这项研究可能会增强对维甲酸在完全未经调查的情况下的行为的了解，这可能为更好地理解视力和与视力相关的疾病(例如年龄相关性黄斑变性)铺平道路。