Molecular inking and printing on silicon

该战略项目旨在开发一种在硅表面控制压印稳定分子尺度图案的方法。该方法体现在授予该实验室的四项国际专利（三项已颁发，一项正在申请）中。在这种最终的纳米级微型化中，无论是掩模还是手动操作都是不切实际的，相反，体现图案的“墨水”必须是自组装的。因此，该项目的第一部分寻求用于物理吸附的图案化自组装的新方法（即，松散附着的）油墨。第二部分解决了随后的问题，永久附着这些移动的分子尺度的模式或其反应产物的底层表面的“本地化”的化学反应，热，光或电子诱导。第一部分和第二部分一起构成了一个新的“印刷机”的纳米图案，实现和制造纳米电路的基本步骤。

This Strategic Project is directed toward the development of a method for the controlled imprinting of stable molecular-scale patterns on silicon surfaces. The method is embodied in four international patents (three issued, one pending) awarded to this laboratory. At this ultimate nano-scale of miniaturization neither masks nor manual manipulation are practical, instead, the 'ink' that embodies the pattern must be self-assembled. Accordingly, part I of this project seeks novel means for the patterned self-assembly of physisorbed (i.e., loosely attached) inks on silicon. Part II addresses the subsequent problem of permanently attaching these mobile molecular-scale patterns or their reaction-products to the underlying surface by means of 'localized' chemical reactions, induced by heat, light or electrons. Parts I and II taken together constitute a novel 'printing press' for nano-patterning, a fundamental step toward the realization and manufacture of nano-circuitry.