Article abstract


Nature Materials 7, 84 - 89 (2008)
Published online: 18 November 2007 | doi:10.1038/nmat2059

Subject Categories: Optical, photonic and optoelectronic materials | Surface and thin films

Electronic functionalization of the surface of organic semiconductors with self-assembled monolayers

M. F. Calhoun, J. Sanchez, D. Olaya, M. E. Gershenson & V. Podzorov


Self-assembled monolayers (SAMs) are widely used in a variety of emerging applications for surface modification of metals and oxides. Here, we demonstrate a new type of molecular self-assembly: the growth of organosilane SAMs at the surface of organic semiconductors. Remarkably, SAM growth results in a pronounced increase of the surface conductivity of organic materials, which can be very large for SAMs with a strong electron-withdrawing ability. For example, the conductivity induced by perfluorinated alkyl silanes in organic molecular crystals approaches 10-5 S per square, two orders of magnitude greater than the maximum conductivity typically achieved in organic field-effect transistors. The observed large electronic effect opens new opportunities for nanoscale surface functionalization of organic semiconductors with molecular self-assembly. In particular, SAM-induced conductivity shows sensitivity to different molecular species present in the environment, which makes this system very attractive for chemical sensing applications.

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  1. Department of Physics and Astronomy, Rutgers University, Piscataway, New Jersey 08854, USA

Correspondence to: V. Podzorov e-mail: podzorov@physics.rutgers.edu




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