Novel Chemistries for Nanoscale Surface Functionalization by Molecular Layer Deposition

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Organic-based thin films, those containing carbon atoms, serve as important building blocks for many modern technologies, such as microelectronics, biomedical materials and energy devices. Adding an organic-based film onto a solid surface provides a method to control the electronic, chemical, or mechanical properties of the solid to suit the task at hand. One emerging method for depositing the organic-based film is molecular layer deposition (MLD), in which organic-based films ranging from a single molecular layer to thousands of molecular layers in thickness are applied in a highly controlled fashion. In this project, Professor Stacey Bent develops new chemical reactions to perform MLD, and also studies the bonding within the resulting films. She is investigating a new MLD process for making molecular films that combine both organic materials and inorganic (non-carbon containing) materials. These hybrid films have interesting structures that mix both two- and three-dimensional types of bonding. The research has broader impact in the field of materials chemistry and the fundamental understanding gained from this work helps introduce a new tool-kit for attaching thin films with useful and tunable properties to solid materials. Professor Bent trains both graduate and undergraduate student researchers, and hosts high school teachers in her laboratory for broader impacts in education and outreach to her local community. She actively promotes the participation of a diverse group of students in her research group and maintains an interdisciplinary research environment. Professor Bent also is expanding an undergraduate summer internship program, which she helped initiate, to provide opportunities for undergraduates in science, technology, engineering and math fields to gain hands-on experience in small, energy-related companies.In this research program, Professor Stacey Bent of Stanford University is supported by the Macromolecular, Supramolecular and Nanochemistry (MSN) Program to develop new chemistries for carrying out molecular layer deposition (MLD) of nanoscale organic-based thin films, and to study the chain orientation, packing and structure in these MLD systems. With its layer-by-layer precision and control, MLD provides a useful platform to address fundamental questions about interfacial supramolecular assemblies, including inter- and intramolecular bonding and structure-property relationships. The studies are carried out through three principal efforts: investigating new MLD coupling chemistries to form organic interfacial films, introducing a novel MLD process to make hybrid films combining 2D metal chalcogenides with 3D organic interlayers, and studying the role of intermolecular and interfacial bonding on film morphology, structure, and properties. The research has broader impact in the field of materials chemistry and the fundamental understanding gained from this work helps introduce a new tool-kit for attaching thin films with useful and tunable properties to solid materials. Professor Bent trains both graduate and undergraduate student researchers, and hosts high school teachers in her laboratory through outreach programs at Stanford University for broader impacts in outreach to her local community. She continues to promote the participation of a diverse group of students in her research group and maintain an interdisciplinary environment. Professor Bent also is expanding an undergraduate summer internship program, which she helped initiate, to provide opportunities for STEM undergraduates to gain hands-on experience in small, energy-related companies.