Professor Richard McCreery of Ohio State University is supported by the Analytical and Surface Chemistry Program to study the electronic properties of electrode/molecular monolayer/electrode sandwich junctions. Electrical measurements will be performed at different temperatures to determine the mechanism of charge transfer and conductance through the molecular monolayer, and in-situ spectroscopy (Raman, FTIR, UV-Vis) will be used to monitor changes in chemical bonding and in the molecular structure of the monolayer, and how these are affected while carrying out electronic functions. The project addresses fundamental research issues in a topical area of analytical and surface chemistry with high technological relevance to the field of molecular electronics. The goal is to gain understanding of the electronic behavior of a variety of molecules and rationally design molecules to perform specific electronic functions for potential applications in scientific and consumer arenas, such as high density data storage, molecular transistors, photodetectors, light emission technology, and chemical sensors.
