NSF/DMR-BSF: Collaborative Research: Spin Selective Electron Transmission through Highly Conjugated Multi[(porphinato)metal] Oligomers

非技术性描述：新兴的自旋电子学领域，与电子学类似，设想利用电子的磁性而不是电荷的设备。自旋电子学有望推动下一代超微型计算和信息存储技术，使设备运行速度显著高于当前电子设备，同时显著降低能耗。该项目突出了有机化合物的基础新材料研究，这些研究有助于在环境温度下进行自旋电子操作，为分子结构如何控制自旋电子能力提供了新的见解。 该项目的影响还来自下一代科学家的跨学科培训，新课程的开发，以及招聘，保留和指导科学和工程领域代表性不足的少数民族。项目参与者学习新的科学和开发重要的新技术，建立合作者和联系人网络，并获得在跨学科环境中工作的重要技能，从而为未来的职业生涯和科学技术领导角色做好更好的准备。由于电子自旋可以在室温下被螺旋手性分子结构有效地极化，存在在软材料中产生和操纵极化自旋电流的新机会。 本计画的重点是在设计的高度共轭螺旋手征超结构中，电子自旋极化、相互作用与输运的基础研究。这项工作开始于探索设计具有特殊极化自旋输运性质的超结构，以及它们与金属电极的附着化学。用于测试自旋输运和相关非磁性有机/无机室温自旋注入器器件的模型器件通过使用纳米转移印刷技术组装和制造电极-分子-电极结来获得。该项目旨在描绘工程螺旋手性组装中的基本结构-性质关系，为手性诱导的自旋选择性效应提供新的见解，同时通过原型双电极器件量化自旋依赖的电子输运，作为电极材料，分子结构和锚定基团的函数。

Nontechnical description: The emerging field of spintronics, in analogy to electronics, envisions devices that utilize the magnetic properties of electrons instead of their electrical charges. Spintronics are anticipated to propel the next generation of ultra-miniature computational and information-storage technologies, lead to device operation speeds significantly higher than that for current electronics, while significantly decreasing energy consumption. The project highlights fundamental new materials research of organic compounds that facilitate spintronic operation at ambient temperature, providing new insights into how molecular structure governs spintronic capabilities. The impact of this project also derives from the interdisciplinary training of a next generation of scientists, new curriculum development, as well as from recruiting, retaining, and mentoring of under-represented minorities in science and engineering. Project participants learn new science and develop important new technologies, build networks of collaborators and contacts, and acquire skills important for working in interdisciplinary environments, and are thus better equipped for future careers and leadership roles in science and technology.Technical description: Because electron spins can be efficiently polarized by helically chiral molecular structures at room temperature, new opportunities exist to generate and manipulate polarized spin current in soft materials. This project focuses on fundamental investigations of electron spin polarization, interactions, and transport in designed highly conjugated helically chiral superstructures. This effort begins with exploring superstructures designed to possess exceptional polarized spin transport properties, and their attachment chemistry to metallic electrodes. Model devices for testing spin-transport and related non-magnetic organic/inorganic room-temperature spin injector devices are attained through assembly and fabrication of electrode-molecule-electrode junctions using the nanotransfer printing technique. The project aims to delineate fundamental structure-property relationships in engineered helically chiral assemblies that provide new insights into the chirality-induced spin selectivity effect, while quantifying spin-dependent electronic transport through prototypical two-electrode devices, as functions of electrode material, molecular structure, and anchoring groups.