Ultra-Long Polyradicaloid Wires for Single-Molecule Electronics

在化学系化学结构、动力学和机制-B计划的支持下，哥伦比亚大学化学系的科林·努科尔斯教授将检验这一假说，即开壳分子可以用来形成几乎任何长度的分子线。这些高导电性的分子导线有可能连接功能分子电子设备(例如整流器、开关等)。到微细加工电极，从而展示了一条整合分子电子学和现有电路制造的道路。该提案包含了更广泛的技术影响，因为它开创了一种新的方法，可以现实地制备单分子器件，这种方法可能适用于许多成熟的和新兴的技术。除了更广泛的技术影响，这项建议旨在通过一个涵盖K-8推广、课程开发和本科生、研究生和博士后科学家研究培训的综合科学/教育计划，增加科学家的数量，并在相关领域架起桥梁。这项提议概述了一种新的方法来制备超长的多自由基分子导线，这种导线在更长的长度上变得更导电。Nuckolls教授和他的研究小组将生产可用于将单分子元素与碳纳米管电极互连的长分子导线。通过这一提议，他们将合成空气稳定的聚基类线，这些线可以功能化并集成到测试结构中。此外，拟议的研究将通过它们的合成设计来修改这些电线的电子耦合。最后，提案中概述的研究将使这些多自由基导线互连的单分子电学测量成为可能。该奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的智力优势和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

With support from the Chemical Structure, Dynamics & Mechanisms-B Program of the Chemistry Division, Professor Colin Nuckolls of the Department of Chemistry at Columbia University will test the hypothesis that open-shell molecules can be used to form molecular wires of virtually any length. These highly conductive molecular wires, have the potential to connect functional molecular electronics (e.g. rectifiers, switches, etc.) to microfabricated electrodes, thus demonstrating a path for integrating molecular electronics and existing circuitry manufacturing. The proposal contains technological broader impacts because it pioneers a new approach to the realistic preparation of single-molecule devices that could be useful across many established and emerging technologies. Beyond the technological broader impacts, this proposal aims to increase the number of scientists as well as bridge related fields with an integrated science/educational program that spans K-8 outreach, curriculum development, and research training for undergraduate, graduate, and post-doctoral scientists. This proposal outlines a new approach to the preparation of ultra-long polyradicaloid molecular wires that become more conductive at longer lengths. Professor Nuckolls and his research group will produce long molecular wires that can be used to interconnect single-molecule elements to carbon nanotube electrodes. Through this proposal, they will synthesize air-stable polyradicaloid wires that can be functionalized and integrated into test structures. Furthermore, the proposed studies will modify the electronic couplings of these wires through their synthetic design. Finally, the studies outlined in the proposal will enable single molecule electrical measurements from these polyradicaloid wire interconnects.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.