Fabrication, characterization and application of novel, highly stable, carbene-based self-assembled monolayers

我们一直在寻求在形成基于自组装单分子膜(SAM)结构的材料方面的突破。我们已经申请了一项基于N-杂环卡宾(NHC)分子类形成这些自组装膜的技术专利。在我们基于NHC的SAM中，可以在金属表面生长一种高度有序的单层厚的分子阵列。SAM技术已有30多年的历史，最初的版本基于硫基(烷硫醇)化学。然而，烷硫醇是有限的：它们在氧化环境中不稳定，暴露在空气和液体中时寿命很短。它们也主要限于黄金，对其他金属几乎没有用处。到目前为止，我们已经证明了NHCS可以取代烷基硫醇作为金和其他一系列过渡金属上的SAM前体分子。空气稳定的NHC前驱体已经被开发出来，形成的自组装膜可以很容易地操纵成不同的自组装几何结构；可以支持广泛的表面功能；对氧化和高温环境高度稳定，会破坏基于硫醇的自组装膜；并吸引了工业合作伙伴的兴趣，用于生物分子检测、金属钝化和微电子应用等领域。*我们将建立一个利用这一突破的研究计划。我们相信，NHC-SAM具有挑战当前光刻技术的潜力，特别是在半导体制造中使用的金属互连方面。目前，铜是这里的首选金属。我们的NHC SAM不仅可以保护铜免受氧化，我们最近还发现，它们可以完全蚀刻铜氧化物，并与潜在的基于钨或钼等金属的下一代微电子技术兼容。我们还将在基于表面等离子体共振(SPR)现象的探测器系统中使用NHC SAM。SPR可用于检测药物分子和疾病生物标志物，但目前的技术昂贵，仅限于医院或研究机构的专家实验室。凭借其更强的稳健性和潜在的更高的灵敏度，我们的NHC-SAM技术应该能够支持新的现场快速诊断仪器，将SPR的使用扩大到更广泛的应用。*在未来五年中，将有16名高素质的博士后、研究生和本科生水平的人员接受培训。学生们将接触到跨学科的研究环境，有机会与来自英国和中国的同事互动，并接触到几个主要的科研设施，如萨斯卡通的加拿大光源。我们预计这些学生将获得研究和工作场所可转移的技能，以成功竞争研究和开发、工业、大学和公共服务部门的职位。*

We have been pursuing our breakthrough in forming materials based on a structure known as a self-assembled monolayer (SAM). We have patented a technology for forming these SAMs, based on the molecule class N-heterocyclic carbenes (NHC). In our NHC-based SAM, a highly ordered array of molecules, a single layer thick, may be grown on a metal surface. SAM technology has been around for over 30 years, with the original version based on a sulfur-based (alkanethiol) chemistry. However, alkanethiols are limited: they are unstable in oxidizing environments, and have a short lifetime when exposed to air and liquids. They are also mainly limited to gold, finding little use with other metals. To date, we have demonstrated that NHCs can replace alkanethiols as SAM precursor molecules on gold, and on a range of other transition metals. Air stable NHC precursors have been developed and the SAMs formed can be readily manipulated into differing self-assembly geometries; can support a wide range of surface functionality; are highly stable to oxidizing and higher temperature environments that would destroy thiol-based SAMs; and have drawn the interest of industrial partners for use in such areas as biomolecule detection, metal passivation and microelectronics applications.*******We will build a research program that capitalizes on this breakthrough. We believe that NHC-SAMs have the potential to challenge current photolithography technology, particularly around the metal interconnects that are used in semiconductor manufacture. Currently, copper is the metal of choice here. Our NHC SAMs can not only protect copper from oxidation, we have also recently found that they can etch copper oxides completely, and are compatible with potential next generation microelectronics technologies based on metals such as tungsten or molybdenum. We will also use NHC SAMs in a detector system based on a phenomenon known as surface plasmon resonance (SPR). SPR can be used to detect drug molecules and disease biomarkers, but the current technology is expensive, and limited to expert labs in hospitals or research facilities. With their greater robustness, and potential greater sensitivity, our NHC-SAM technology should be able to support new field-based and quick diagnostic instruments, expanding the use of SPR to a wider range of applications.*******Over the course of the next five years, 16 highly qualified personnel will be trained at the postdoctoral, graduate and undergraduate levels. Students will be exposed to an interdisciplinary research environment, with the opportunity to interact with colleagues from the UK and China, and be exposed to several major scientific research facilities, such as the Canadian Light Source in Saskatoon. We anticipate that these students will gain the research and workplace transferable skills to successfully compete for positions in research and development, industrial, university and public service sectors.***