Understanding the Design and Conduction of Materials for Organic Electronics at the Molecular Level

该项目由材料研究部(DMR)的电子和光子材料计划(EPM)和化学部(CHE)的化学结构、动力学和机制计划(CSDM)共同资助。技术描述：有机材料作为标准硅基半导体的替代品正迅速在柔性电子、传感器和光伏领域变得可行。然而，这些体系中发生电荷转移的物理机制与化学结构的关系还不是很清楚。在本项目中，将在有机电子学和光伏领域中表现出最好性能的聚合物的重要结构元素分解为它们的分子类似物，以在单分子水平上研究它们的电子和光诱导输运特性。分析了一系列作为聚噻吩类类似物的低聚噻吩类化合物，以了解其作为化学结构函数的传输特性。基于扫描隧道显微镜的断裂结技术被用来测量单分子的电荷输运特性和探测单分子结中的光电导。最后，使用分析将单分子传输测量的结果与块状有机半导体器件特性相关联，从而实现了多尺度方法来理解高效有机半导体的结构和功能。通过单分子水平的合成和测量相结合，该项目为用于有机电子和光伏的新型材料的开发提供了分子设计规则。非技术描述：需要了解能够开发具有先进传输性能的有机半导体材料的主导因素，以补充其无机半导体材料。该项目在表现出高迁移率和光伏特性的聚合物半导体的单分子电子结构组件之间架起了一座桥梁。利用从单分子实验中获得的基本理解，能够设计一类新的材料，这些材料在单分子结和器件结构中进行测试。除了开发影响有机电子的新化合物外，该项目的一个组成部分是向高中、本科生和研究生介绍跨学科科学，旨在向他们灌输追求科学职业的愿望。该项目的性质需要来自应用物理和化学的Venkataraman和Campos小组的研究生之间的密切合作。PIS的一个重点还是招募本科生和/或少数族裔学生参与研究，并使她们成为理科研究生的有竞争力的申请者。最后，有机电子学的基本概念被改编用于曼哈顿学校的演示。

This project is jointly funded by the Electronic and Photonic Materials Program (EPM) in the Division of Materials Research (DMR) and the Chemical Structure, Dynamics and Mechanisms Program (CSDM) in the Division of Chemistry (CHE).Technical Description: Organic materials as alternates to standard silicon-based semiconductors are fast becoming viable in areas of flexible electronics, sensors and photovoltaics. However, the physical mechanism by which charge transfer occurs in relation to the chemical structure in these systems is not well understood. In this project, important architectural elements of polymers that exhibit the best performance in organic electronics and photovoltaics are dissected to their molecular analogues to study their electronic and photo-induced transport characteristics at the single-molecule level. A series of oligomeric thiophenes are analyzed as analogues of polythiophene and its derivatives to understand the transport characteristics as a function of chemical structure. The scanning tunneling microscope-based break-junction technique is used to measure single-molecule charge transport characteristics and to probe photoconductivity in single-molecule junctions. Finally, analysis to correlate results from single-molecule transport measurements to bulk organic semiconducting device characteristics is used, enabling a multi-scale approach to understanding structure and function of efficient organic semiconductors. Through a combination of synthesis and measurements at the single-molecule level, this project provides molecular design rules for the development of novel materials used for organic electronics and photovoltaics.Non-technical Description: There is a need to understand the governing factors enabling the development of organic semiconductor materials with advanced transport properties to complement their inorganic counterparts. This project bridges the gap between the single-molecule electronic structure components of polymeric semiconductors that exhibit high mobilities and photovoltaic characteristics. Using the fundamental understanding gained from single-molecule experiments enables the design of a new class of materials, which are tested in single molecule junctions as well as device architectures. In addition to developing new compounds that impact organic electronics, an integral part of the project introduces interdisciplinary science to high school, undergraduate and graduate students, aiming to instill a desire to pursue careers in science. The nature of the project requires a close collaboration between the graduate students in the Venkataraman and Campos groups, from Applied Physics and Chemistry. A focus of the PIs is also to recruit undergraduate women and/or minority students to participate in the research and prepare them as competitive applicants for graduate school in the sciences. Finally, basic concepts in organic electronics are adapted for demonstrations at schools in Manhattan.