Controlled Modulation of Conductance in Silicon Devices by Molecular Monolayers

• Published in: Journal of the American Chemical Society Vol. 128; no. 45; pp. 14537 - 14541
• Main Authors: He, Tao, He, Jianli, Lu, Meng, Chen, Bo, Pang, Harry, Reus, William F, Nolte, Whitney M, Nackashi, David P, Franzon, Paul D, Tour, James M
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Washington, DC American Chemical Society 15.11.2006
• Subjects: Chemistry; Exact sciences and technology; General and physical chemistry; Field effect transistor; Monolayer; Semiconductor materials; Pi electron; Metal; Charge transfer; Grafting; Electron acceptor; Electron donor
• ISSN: 0002-7863; 1520-5126
• DOI: 10.1021/ja063571l

We have controllably modulated the drain current (I D) and threshold voltage (V T) in pseudo metal-oxide-semiconductor field-effect transistors (MOSFETs) by grafting a monolayer of molecules atop oxide-free H-passivated silicon surfaces. An electronically controlled series of molecules, from strong π-electron donors to strong π-electron acceptors, was covalently attached onto the channel region of the transistors. The device conductance was thus systematically tuned in accordance with the electron-donating ability of the grafted molecules, which is attributed to the charge transfer between the device channel and the molecules. This surface grafting protocol might serve as a useful method for controlling electronic characteristics in small silicon devices at future technology nodes.