Group of Multifunctional Molecular Nanofilms
Department of Chemistry, IIT-Kanpur
Current research interest
The rich diversity of the molecules can be exploited in studying the “proof-of-principle” of the proto-type systems for which the molecules need to be confined in space and time to have better control over the molecular dynamics. We aim at surface engineering using small molecules towards the development of varied techniques for the fabrication of molecular electronic devices. Such platforms are exploited or the understanding of current-voltage (I-V) response as functions of temperature, molecular layer thickness, structures, functionalities, and more importantly electrode compositions. We utilize various grafting methods, electrochemical reduction is one of them. This technique yields covalent bond formation between substrate and target molecules. Recent advances in this area reveal that conducting sp2 carbon electrodes can challenge conventional metallic electrodes in the field of "Molecular Electronics" (ME). Functional organic molecules such as aryl diazonium can easily be electrochemically grafted on carbon , and metallic electrodes with desired thickness, and compositions.
Our primary research lies on the "molecules as circuit elements" in understanding and mimicking CMOS functions. Charge-transport phenomena would be studied under external stimuli such as magnetic field, solvents, light to see modulation of conductance. Molecules with an appropriate highest occupied molecular orbital (HOMO) and lowest unoccupied molecular orbital (LUMO) energy levels are fruitful for efficient charge injection to/from electrode.
We use different surface analysis tools including UV-Vis-NIR spectrophotometer, FT-IR and electro-analytical techniques (DC, and AC measurements), AFM, XPS, SEM, electrical measurements, polarized microscope, PXRD, etc. We have made all the facilities needing to fabricate and electrical measurements of nanoscale molecular junctions.