Molecular Manipulation Technologies Using an Electric Field and Application to Organic Nanoelectronics

Abstract

To realize a single or several molecule device, the following are necessary: (1) an electrical wiring method that is not destructive to the molecular aggregates and does not affect the electronic state of the molecules, (2) noncontact and controllable molecular manipulation technology, (3) oriented growth techniques especially to prepare a nanodevice employing an anisotropic molecular system. In this paper, recently developed electric-field assisted growth and its application to molecular device fabrication are presented.

Controlling the polymorphism of organic/inorganic interfaces with electric fields

“…Positive values correspond to a field whose field lines would point towards the interface for a positive test charge. We note that field strengths of this magnitude are larger than what is used in typical crystallization experiments, 19,23,53 but they can, in principle, be experimentally realized, e.g., in STM junctions. [54][55][56] or in optical experiments.…”

“…Another possible handle to affect the thermodynamic stability is to apply an electric field. [15][16][17][18][19][20] Most experiments employing electric fields during growth have been performed for either (single) crystals 14,16,18,[21][22][23] or thin films. 19,[24][25][26][27][28][29] Therein, improved morphological characteristics of the prepared samples (increased grain sizes, crystal orientation, etc.)…”

“…31,32 In these cases, the electric field either aligns the molecules in a specific direction or modifies the intermolecular interactions, which gives rise to changes in morphology or structure. 19,23 However, for many modern nanotechnology applications, relevant properties are mostly determined by the interface, i.e., the first layer of an (organic) molecule on a (metallic) substrate. 1,[33][34][35][36][37][38] Here, the application of an electric field would not only modify the intermolecular interactions, but also the interaction of the molecules with the substrate.…”

Polymorphism mediated by electric fields: a first principles study on organic/inorganic interfaces

“…Another possible handle to affect the thermodynamic stability is to apply an electric eld. [15][16][17][18][19][20] Most experiments employing electric elds during growth have been performed for either (single) crystals 14,16,18,[21][22][23][24] or thin lms. 19,[25][26][27][28][29][30] Therein, improved morphological characteristics of the prepared samples (increased grain sizes, crystal orientation, etc.)…”

“…32,33 In these cases, the electric eld either aligns the molecules in a specic direction or modies the intermolecular interactions, which gives rise to changes in morphology or structure. 19,23 However, for many modern nanotechnology applications, relevant properties are mostly determined by the interface, i.e., the rst layer of an (organic) molecule on a (metallic) substrate. 1,[34][35][36][37][38][39] Here, the application of an electric eld would not only modify the intermolecular interactions, but also the interaction of the molecules with the substrate.…”