Supramolecular conjugated materials: achieving dimensional control at the nanoscale

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The last 15 years has witnessed a revolution in the development of technologies associated with information processing and communications. Laptop computers, cell phones, blackberrries and even the internet itself are examples of innovations which have transformed the way we live. Critical to the continuation of these technological advancements is the need for new science, and within this context one of the major fundamental challenges for the future is the development of smaller, lighter, cheaper and more efficient electronic, optical and magnetic materials. This endeavor, which motivates research in both industrial and academic settings, represents the underlying motivation for the present research proposal. More specifically, the objectives of the proposed research program involve the design and development of new materials for molecular electronic applications. Since the performance of electronic devices critically depends on the extent of molecular order (in addition to other factors), rational engineering of self-organizing molecular systems with multifunctional characteristics is one of the most attractive and active fields of current research. Liquid crystalline (LC) materials, which are associated with highly ordered supramolecular structures, are ideal candidates for such studies. Furthermore, inclusion of radical spins into liquid crystals should enable a magneto-responsive LC phase thus alignment through weak magnetic fields and the inherent self-healing properties of LCs should be possible. Overall, the objective of this research program is to investigate and understand the role of structure and morphology on the properties of advanced functional materials. Since LC materials are used in a variety of optical displays, the proposed research not only addresses the issues concerning organic electronics, but may also revolutionize the performance of digital displays used on everything from digital watches to flat panel televisions.