New Methodologies for the Organic Modification of Solid Surfaces

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The immobilization of organic and bioorganic molecules on solid surfaces is a central objective in nanotechnology and microarray technologies. Developments in sensors and molecular electronic devices are directly related to advances in immobilization techniques and methodologies for molecular manipulation and control of surface adsorbates. My long-term objective is the development of molecular electronic devices, for use in sensing applications. My initial thrust concerns three important aspects of the chemistry necessary to make this a realizable technology; (i) the development of new approaches for the efficient modification of solid surfaces with organic molecules, (ii) the rigorous characterization of surfaces and investigation of the electrochemical properties of the films, and (iii) the electrochemical manipulation of adsorbates on a highly local level.Both conducting (Au and Ag) as well as semiconducting (Si) surfaces will be investigated. While most experimental conditions for SAM preparation yield reproducible organic interfaces with specific desirable functionalities that are acceptable for some applications, other fundamental properties need still to be further studied and optimized including corrosion and electrochemical properties. This is intrinsically related to the development of SAMs with lower defects and increased order. On the other hand, the organic modification of oxide-free Si surfaces offering a direct combination of molecular materials and solid-state semiconductor structures and is then an attractive approach toward technologically useful and molecularly tunable thin films.The idea of this proposal is to use my experience in electron transfer based reactions, electrosynthesis and SAM electrochemistry to develop chemical solutions to the issues of surface derivatization and local manipulation.