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

我们一直在寻求突破，形成基于自组装单层（SAM）结构的材料。我们已经申请了一项基于分子类N-杂环卡宾（NHC）形成这些SAM的技术专利。在我们的基于NHC的SAM中，可以在金属表面上生长单层厚度的高度有序的分子阵列。SAM技术已经存在了30多年，最初的版本基于硫基（烷醇）化学。然而，烷硫醇是有限的：它们在氧化环境中不稳定，并且当暴露于空气和液体时寿命短。它们也主要限于黄金，很少与其他金属一起使用。到目前为止，我们已经证明，NHC可以取代烷硫醇作为SAM前体分子的黄金，并在一系列其他过渡金属。已经开发出空气稳定的NHC前体，并且形成的SAM可以容易地操纵成不同的自组装几何形状;可以支持广泛的表面功能;对氧化和高温环境高度稳定，这将破坏基于硫醇的SAM;并且已经引起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有潜力挑战目前的光刻技术，特别是在半导体制造中使用的金属互连周围。目前，铜是首选金属。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氧化铜，并与基于钨或钼等金属的潜在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）现象的检测器系统中使用NHC SAM。SPR可用于检测药物分子和疾病生物标志物，但目前的技术价格昂贵，且仅限于医院或研究机构的专家实验室。凭借其更强的鲁棒性和潜在的更高灵敏度，我们的NHC-SAM技术应该能够支持新的基于现场的快速诊断仪器，将SPR的使用扩展到更广泛的应用。 在今后五年中，将培养16名博士后、研究生和本科生高素质人才。学生将接触到一个跨学科的研究环境，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，如加拿大光源在萨斯卡通。我们预计，这些学生将获得研究和工作场所可转移的技能，成功地竞争在研发，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.