EAPSI: Probing the Structural Dynamics of Controllable Organic Molecular Films

在电子设备中使用有机材料是创造下一代设备和技术的一个有吸引力的选择。使用有机材料可以降低制造成本，并使柔性器件具有广泛的可控性。沉积在有机材料和无机材料之间的界面对这些器件的性能起着重要的决定作用。本研究将寻求探索和控制这些有机-无机界面的结构，以促进更好的界面设计。这项研究将与日本筑波国家材料科学研究所的x射线反射率测量专家樱井健二博士合作进行。这次合作提供了获得独特的x射线反射设备和专业知识的机会，这将促进对可控有机分子膜结构动力学的理解。无机衬底上功能有机分子单层的分子尺度结构和环境对界面的电子和光学性质有重要影响。该项目将开发技术，通过使用外部光学刺激和时间分辨x射线探针来动态控制这些特性。分子构象的动态控制将允许控制电荷转移机制和速率。然而，目前还没有足够的结构洞察力来实现这种控制。关键的挑战是开发与该问题的长度尺度和时间尺度相匹配的表征技术。为了解决这一挑战，本研究将开发精确的时间分辨结构x射线探针，能够在秒到分钟的时间尺度上探测单层厚样品。这一发展将允许单层结构动力学的测量，并使无机底物上功能有机分子之间的界面的动态结构控制成为可能。

The use of organic materials in electronic devices is an attractive option for creating the next generation of devices and technologies. Using organic materials can reduce the manufacturing costs and enable flexible devices with widely controllable properties. The interface between the organic material and the inorganic material it is deposited on plays an important role in determining the properties of these devices. This research will seek to explore and control the structure of these organic-inorganic interfaces to promote better interface design. This research will be conducted in collaboration with Dr. Kenji Sakurai, an expert on x-ray reflectivity measurements, at the National Institute for Materials Science in Tsukuba, Japan. This collaboration offers the opportunity to have access to unique x-ray reflectivity equipment and expertise that will advance the understanding of the structural dynamics of controllable organic molecular films.The molecular-scale structure and environment of a monolayer of functional organic molecules on inorganic substrates has an important impact on the electronic and optical properties of the interface. This project will develop techniques that will allow these properties to be dynamically controlled through the use of external optical stimuli and probed through time-resolved x-ray probes. Dynamic control of molecular conformation would allow charge transfer mechanisms and rates to be manipulated. However, there is currently insufficient structural insight available to enable this control. The key challenge is to develop characterization techniques that match the length scale and time scale of this problem. To address this challenge, this research will develop precise time-resolved structural x-ray probe capable of probing monolayer thick samples on timescales of seconds to minutes. This development will allow measurement of the monolayer structural dynamics and enable dynamic structural control of the interface between functional organic molecules on inorganic substrates.