Molecular Nanoclusters as Precursors to Conductive Thin Films and Crystals

摘要

Research News: The fabrication of electrically conductive organic thin films andcrystals is of both fundamental and technological interest. However, the mechanisms that control crystal structure and morphology during crystallization are not yet completely understood. In order to address these issues, we have employed scanning tunneling and atomic force microscopies to view the formation of molecular conductors on single crystal substrates. We have observed that these materials form ordered molecular nanoclusters, in which at least one dimension has molecular length scale. These nanoclusters evolve into thin films, and eventually, bulk crystals. The role of interactions between the substrate and organic overlayers, as well as the influence of intermolecular interactions within the molecular clusters, has been revealed. (jg).