Hexacoordinate Silicon Complexes for Electronic Devices

化学系的化学合成课程支持由教授托马斯A领导的跨学科研究团队。Schmedake（Dept.在北卡罗来纳州-夏洛特大学，Michael Walter（化学）和Yong Zhang（电气和计算机工程）合作开发了用于光电器件应用的六配位硅复合物，如开发用于收集光能或光纤通信的光电子器件。 该项目的目标是通过开发电子和光学性能上级当前材料的新型硅基分子材料，克服当前有机电子器件的一些局限性。 为了实现这一目标，夏洛特夏洛特的团队正在开发新的方法来合成化学稳定和坚固的硅复合物，并优化电子和光学分子特性。 一旦制成，复合物就被纳入原型设备中，以测量它们对设备性能的影响。复合物的合成和器件制造之间的这种相互作用有助于阐明宏观器件优化所需的分子水平的合成设计原理。 该跨学科项目涵盖化学，材料科学和电气工程领域，并为从高中到研究生院职业生涯各个阶段的学生提供特殊培训。 此外，合作者还与当地科学博物馆、教师和学校合作，开发并提供化学和STEM方面的推广项目。夏洛特夏洛特的团队正在合成新的电子传输层和电致发光材料，这些材料基于中性六配位硅配合物，具有双阴离子钳形配体，可增加化学稳定性、强大的氧化还原化学、低偶极矩、简单的立体化学和低重组能。 这些是有机发光二极管、磷光LED和其他分子电子器件中分子组分的理想性质。 配合物也是真空沉积的，高效率的，地球丰富的替代品的稀土元素无机发光二极管磷光体涂层的有吸引力的候选人。该计划涉及合成复合物的开发以及将其纳入原型设备，以便可以测量其特性。这些研究内容正在与研究人员的课堂教学以及与当地科学博物馆、教师和学校的持续合作相结合，以开发和提供化学和STEM方面的外展计划。该奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并被认为值得通过使用基金会的知识价值和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估来支持。

The Chemical Synthesis Program of the Chemistry Division supports an interdisciplinary research team led by Professors Thomas A. Schmedake (Dept. of Chemistry), Michael Walter (Chemistry), and Yong Zhang (Electrical and Computer Engineering) at the University of North Carolina - Charlotte to develop hexacoordinate silicon complexes for optoelectronic device applications like the development of photovoltaics for harvesting light energy or fiber optic communications. The goal of the project is to overcome some of the current limitations of organic electronic devices by developing new silicon-based molecular materials with electronic and optical properties superior to those of current materials. To accomplish this goal, the team at UNC Charlotte is developing new methodology for synthesizing chemically stable and robust silicon complexes with optimized electronic and optical molecular properties. Once made, the complexes are incorporated into prototype devices to measure their effect on device performance. This interplay between the synthesis of the complexes and device fabrication serves to elucidate the molecular-level synthetic design principles needed for macroscale device optimization. The interdisciplinary project spans the fields of chemistry, materials science, and electrical engineering and provides exceptional training for students at various stages in their careers ranging from high school through graduate school. In addition, the collaborators work with a local science museum, teachers, and schools to develop and provide outreach programs in chemistry and STEM.The team at UNC Charlotte is synthesizing new electron transport layer and electroluminescent materials based on neutral hexacoordinate silicon complexes with dianionic pincer ligands for added chemical stability, robust redox chemistry, low dipole moments, simple stereochemistry, and low reorganization energies. These are ideal properties for molecular components in organic light emitting diodes, phosphorescent LEDs and other molecular electronics devices. The complexes are also attractive candidates for vacuum deposited, high-efficiency, and earth-abundant replacements of rare-earth element phosphor coatings for inorganic LEDs. The program involves both the development of the synthetic complexes and their incorporation into prototype devices so that their properties can be measured. These research components are being integrated with both the classroom teaching of the investigators and ongoing collaborations with a local science museum, teachers, and schools to develop and provide outreach programs in chemistry and STEM.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.