Development of multi-function integrated π-conjugated macromolecules toward the fusion of silicon- and molecular-nanotechnology

分子级电子学的概念现在已经实现了单个元件，如电线、二极管、开关和存储单元，但由于分子模块彼此连接的困难，制造完整的分子级电路仍然具有挑战性。分子单片技术将布线、晶体管和所需的无源元件集成在一个大分子上，有望解决这一问题。在这个项目中，我们一直试图建立这类新型大分子的结构和它们在金属/半导体衬底表面上有目的组织的协议。“平面多功能集成”π共轭大分子的设计一直是分子电子学领域的一个深入研究课题，因为它们有可能成为未来IT硬件（如超密集分子尺度量子计算机）的基础部件。为了建立这类定制大分子的结构，我们开发了各种类型的分子构建块，并基于高分辨率STM实验结合它们的体级物理性质在衬底表面上对它们进行了表征。我们建立了用于在金属/半导体衬底上设置分子体系的“分子锚模块”和用于构建平面网格型分子框架的“分子结模块”的合成路线。这些分子的纯化是通过凝胶渗透色谱实现的。以双乙醇为基体，用MALDI-TOF质谱分析清楚地揭示了所得化合物的纯度。

The concept of molecular-scale electronics is now realized for individual components such as wire, diode, switch, and memory cell, but the fabrication of complete molecular-scale circuits remains challenging because of the difficulty of connecting molecular modules to one another. Molecular monolithic technology, which inte-grates the wiring, transistors and the required passive elements on a single macromolecule, has been proposed as a promising solution to this problem. In this project we have been trying to establish both the architecture of this novel class of macromolecules and the protocols for their purposive organization on metal/semiconductor substrate surfaces.The design of "planar and multi-function integrated" π-conjugated macromolecules has been a subject of intensive research in the field of molecular electronics, because of their potential applications as basic compo-nents for future IT hardware such as ultra-dense molecular-scale quantum computers. In order to establish the architecture for this class of tailor-made macromolecules, we have developed various types of molecular build-ing blocks and characterized them on substrate surfaces based on the high-resolution STM experiments combined with their bulk-level physical properties. We have established the synthetic routes of i) "molecule-anchor modules" for setting the molecular systems on metal/semiconductor substrate, and ii) "molecule-junction modules" for constructing planar grid-type molecular frameworks. Purification of these molecules was achieved by gel permeation chromatography. The purity of the obtained compounds was clearly reveled by MALDI-TOF mass spectroscopy using dithranol as matrix.