Details of Grant 

EPSRC Reference:	EP/L002140/1
Title:	Organic molecular films on semiconductors for device applications
Principal Investigator:	Schofield, Dr SR
Other Investigators:
Researcher Co-Investigators:
Project Partners:
Department:	London Centre for Nanotechnology
Organisation:	UCL
Scheme:	Standard Research
Starts:	01 July 2013	Ends:	30 June 2015	Value (£):	249,864
EPSRC Research Topic Classifications:	Materials Synthesis & Growth
EPSRC Industrial Sector Classifications:	Electronics
Related Grants:
Panel History:	Panel Date Panel Name Outcome 22 May 2013 Developing Leaders Meeting - CAF Announced
Summary on Grant Application Form
The functionalisation of semiconductors through the direct attachment of organic molecules to their surfaces is an emerging area of fundamental research that will lead to the creation of new and exciting functional devices. This activity brings together the enormous breadth of functionality and tailorability of organic molecules-including their chemical, bio-chemical, physical, electronic, and optical properties-with the highly sophisticated and massively parallel capabilities of todays semiconductor processing techniques and technology. In addition to the obvious advantages for incorporating molecular functionality with existing semiconductor devices, semiconductor surfaces are particularly attractive hosts on which to bind molecules because of the robust covalent attachments that organic molecules form with semiconductor surfaces; this often leads to structures that are highly stable, even at room temperature or above. In addition, it is anticipated that organic molecules will form the basis of novel devices where individual molecules are incorporated as active elements (molecular electronics), and their use could extend to ultra-high density information storage applications and quantum computing. However, such applications require a detailed understanding of the interfaces between these molecules and the surfaces to which they are bound. It is therefore critical for the fabrication of such devices and the proper understanding of the science that underpins their operation that we: (1) develop a detailed understanding of the fundamentals of the organic-semiconductor interface; and (2) develop methods and techniques for the creation of defect-free and thermally stable organic layers on semiconductors with the ability to tune the properties of the molecular layer. The aim of the proposed research is to investigate the functionalisation of semiconductor surfaces with organic molecules through the formation of stable, covalently bound, low defect density, homogeneous and heterogeneous organic layers and multilayers on semiconductor surfaces. The techniques that will be applied are scanning tunnelling microscopy and spectroscopy (STM/STS); synchrotron X-ray methods such as photoelectron spectroscopy, X-ray standing wave spectroscopy (XSW) and near-edge X-ray adsorption fine structure spectroscopy (NEXAFS); and atomic force microscopy (AFM) and conductive AFM (cAFM). The major goal of this project is to find ways to maintain the strong advantages provided by the semiconductor substrate when forming organic overlayers; i.e., to maintain the highly homogenous, highly periodic, and highly reproducible nature of the atomically clean and flat semiconductor surface within the organic film
Key Findings
This information can now be found on Gateway to Research (GtR) http://gtr.rcuk.ac.uk
Potential use in non-academic contexts
This information can now be found on Gateway to Research (GtR) http://gtr.rcuk.ac.uk
Impacts
Description This information can now be found on Gateway to Research (GtR) http://gtr.rcuk.ac.uk Summary Date Materialised
Sectors submitted by the Researcher
This information can now be found on Gateway to Research (GtR) http://gtr.rcuk.ac.uk
Project URL:
Further Information:
Organisation Website: