Developing Structure-Property Relationships for Electronic Structure and Dynamics at Organic Semiconductor Interfaces

在这项由美国国家科学基金会资助的项目中，亚利桑那大学的奥利弗·蒙蒂教授正在研究金属表面的有机分子，重点是分子和金属的结构如何影响电子从金属表面转移到分子的速度(反之亦然)。蒙蒂教授的研究小组在这项研究中使用了几种实验技术，包括扫描隧道显微镜(STM)，它可以为单个原子和分子成像，以及光电子光谱学，它使用强激光从样品中射出电子。并揭示了电子与分子或表面结合的强度。因此，必须仔细控制这些电子从金属表面转移到分子，以改进催化、新的传感器技术和新的能量转换方法。该项目对有机半导体/金属界面的电子结构、自组装和载流子动力学之间的相互作用进行了系统和基本的了解。Monti教授将原子分辨扫描隧道显微镜与具有系统变化的分子和表面电子结构的界面的动量和时间分辨光电子能谱相结合，从而能够预测跨界面的电荷流动。界面电荷转移是多相催化、电化学和新型有机电子技术的核心过程。除了培训下一代化学科学家外，蒙蒂教授和他的学生还在开发和传播有机半导体数据库，该数据库将关键分子特性与设备性能联系起来。该数据库还用于亚利桑那大学的积极参与课堂活动，以在普通化学课程中发展结构-性质关系的概念。

In this project funded by the Chemical Structure, Dynamics and Mechanisms A program of the National Science Foundation, Professor Oliver Monti of the University of Arizona is studying organic molecules on metal surfaces, with a specific focus on how the structure of the molecules and the metal influences the rate at which electrons can be transferred from the metal surface to the molecule (and vice versa).  Professor Monti's research group uses several experimental techniques in this investigation, including scanning tunneling microscopy (STM), which can image individual atoms and molecules, and photoelectron spectroscopy, which uses intense laser light to eject electrons from the sample, and reveals how strongly electrons are bound to either the molecule or the surface.   This electrons transfer from metal surface to molecule must be carefully controlled for improved catalysis, new sensor technologies and novel approaches to energy conversion. This project develops a systematic and fundamental understanding of the interplay of electronic structure, self-assembly and carrier dynamics at organic semiconductor / metal interfaces. Professor Monti combines atomically resolved scanning tunneling microscopy with momentum- and time-resolved photoelectron spectroscopy of interfaces with systematically varied molecular and surface electronic structure to enable predictive tailoring of charge flow across interfaces. Charge-transfer across interfaces constitutes a central process in heterogeneous catalysis, electrochemistry and novel organic electronic technologies. Beyond training the next generation of scientists in Chemistry, Professor Monti and his students are developing and disseminating a database of organic semiconductors which links key molecular properties to device performance. This database is also used in active engagement classroom activities at The University of Arizona to develop the concept of structure-property relationships within the General Chemistry curriculum.