Modifying electron transfer at the silicon-molecule interface using atomic tethers

Published

August 10, 2010

Author(s)

Christina A. Hacker

Abstract

We present the correlation of the electronic properties at the semiconductor-molecule interface with the nature of the covalent attachment. The chemical state, monolayer structure, and electronic properties of aliphatic monolayers with Si-O, Si-C, and Si-S covalent linkages on Si(111) surfaces were investigated with contact angle wetting, spectroscopic ellipsometry, infrared vibrational spectroscopy, x-ray photoemission spectroscopy, and ultraviolet photoemission spectroscopy. Vibrational spectra indicate aliphatic films tethered to Si with few gauche defects in agreement with hydrophobic contact angles and ellipsometric thickness measurements. Core level electronic spectra taken as a function of semiconductor doping reveal shifts in binding energy attributed to molecular bonding. Valence band spectra reveal the work function of the molecule-Si composite as a function of semiconductor doping and atomic tether. By combining valence band spectra with core level spectra, the electronic properties of the molecule-Si system can be understood. In particular, the relative contribution of charge transfer due to surface band bending and the polarization due to molecular dipoles was determined. The O, C, and S atomic tethers induce differing amounts of band bending and interface dipoles which can be utilized to engineer the electronic properties of molecule-semiconductor junctions.

Citation

Solid State Electronics

Volume

54

Pub Type

Journals

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Local Download

Keywords

molecular electronics, silicon, monolayers, atomic dipole, work function, photoelectron spectroscopy

Citation

Hacker, C. (2010), Modifying electron transfer at the silicon-molecule interface using atomic tethers, Solid State Electronics, [online], https://tsapps.nist.gov/publication/get_pdf.cfm?pub_id=904819 (Accessed April 19, 2024)