Ultra-Long Polyradicaloid Wires for Single-Molecule Electronics

在化学系的化学结构、动力学机制-B项目的支持下，哥伦比亚大学化学系的科林·纳科尔斯教授将检验开壳分子可用于形成几乎任何长度的分子线的假设。这些高度导电的分子线具有连接功能分子电子器件（例如整流器、开关等）的潜力。到微加工电极，从而展示了一条整合分子电子学和现有电路制造的途径。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来实际制备单分子设备，这些设备可能适用于许多现有和新兴技术。除了更广泛的技术影响外，该提案还旨在增加科学家的数量，并通过跨越K-8外展，课程开发和本科生，研究生和博士后科学家的研究培训的综合科学/教育计划来弥合相关领域。该提案概述了一种制备超长polyradicaloid分子线的新方法，该分子线在更长的长度下变得更导电。Nuckolls教授和他的研究小组将生产长分子线，可用于将单分子元件与碳纳米管电极互连。通过这一提议，他们将合成空气稳定的polyradicaloid线，可以功能化并集成到测试结构中。此外，拟议的研究将修改这些电线的电子耦合通过其合成设计。最后，提案中概述的研究将使这些polyradicaloid导线互连的单分子电测量成为可能。该奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的知识价值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.