Formation of self-assembled monolayers on silicon substrates

Abstract

This invention provides a new method of forming a self-assembling monolayer (SAM) of alcohol-terminated or thiol-terminated organic molecules (e.g. ferrocenes, porphyrins, etc.) on a silicon or other group IV element surface. The assembly is based on the formation of an E-O— or an E-S— bond where E is the group IV element (e.g. Si, Ge, etc.). The procedure has been successfully used on both P- and n-type group IV element surfaces. The assemblies are stable under ambient conditions and can be exposed to repeated electrochemical cycling.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS[0001]This application is a Divisional of U.S. Ser. No. 10 / 040,059, filed on Oct. 26, 2001, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety for all purposes.STATEMENT AS TO RIGHTS TO INVENTIONS MADE UNDER FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT[0002]This invention was made with Government Support under Grant No: N00014-99-0357, awarded by the Office of Naval Research. The Government of the United States of America may have certain rights in this invention.FIELD OF THE INVENTION[0003]This invention pertains to the field of semiconductor fabrication. In particular this invention provides novel methods of coupling organic molecules to group IV elements (e.g. silicon, germanium, etc.).BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION[0004]The fabrication of ordered molecular assemblies on conducting silicon surfaces is of considerable interest owing to its potential applications in the microelectronic industry. One goal of semiconductor fabrication is to ...

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Benefits of technology

[0036]The term “storage medium” refers to a composition comprising two or more storage molecules. The storage medium can contain only one species of storage molecule or it can contain two or more different species of storage molecule. In preferred embodiments, the term “storage medium” refers to a collection of storage molecules. Preferred storage media comprise a multiplicity (at least 2) of different and distinguishable (preferably non-neutral) oxidation states. The multiplicity of different and distinguishable oxidation states can be produced by the combination of different species of storage molecules, each species contributing to said multiplicity of different oxidation states and each species having a single non-neutral oxidation state. Alternatively or in addition, the storage medium can comprise one or more species of storage molecule having a multiplicity of non-neutral oxidation states. The storage medium can contain predominantly one species of storage molecule or it can contain a number of different storage molecules. The storage media can also include molecules other than storage molecules (e.g. to provide chemical stability, suitable mechanical properties, to prevent charge leakage, etc.).

Problems solved by technology

Such approaches, however, have typically involved difficult reaction conditions, have been relatively inefficient, have degraded the organic molecule(s), and / or have resulted in the production of fairly toxic materials.

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