Bio-inspired dye assemblies for supramolecular electronics

Basic data for this project

Type of project: Individual project
Duration: 06/07/2006 - 31/12/2009

Description

Self-assembled supramolecular functional units that are suitable for a directional exciton and charge carrier transport on a scale of up to hundred nanometers will be developed by covalent modification of a tubular dye aggregate that Mother Nature has created on the basis of strong excitonically coupled metallochlorins for photosynthesis. The self-organization of these building blocks leads preferentially to tubular nanoaggregates (with a diameter of 5 - 10 nm), or depending on their structural features and aggregation conditions, to linear or 2-dimensional aggregates. Covalent fixation of these metallochlorin dye aggregates by metathesis reaction or photo-crosslinking, template-directed aggregation and deposition on surfaces and contacting with nanoelectrodes will provide novel supramolecular (semi-)conductor devices, on which the concept of supramolecular nanoelectronics, i.e. a technology based on self-organized pi-pi-conjugated functional units, can be verified. A successful development of this project should open the way to easily accessible alternatives to e.g. carbon nanotube structures for a wide range of electronic applications.

Keywords: supramolecular electronics; bio-inspired dye assemblies