Abstract:
In this thesis, the electronic properties of side chain liquid crystalline
copolymers were characterized in multilayer Langmuir-Blodgett film by using
computerized current-voltage measurement setup in vacuum with aluminium
electrodes, scanning tunnelling microscope and conductive atomic force microscope
tip. With aluminium electrodes, the electrical resistance systematically increases as
number of monolayer increases from three to fifteen monolayers as verified by the
linear increase of the electrical current as a function of inverse film thickness. This
result shows evidence that the main contribution in electrical conduction is originated
by the molecular monolayer and not by the contact effect since the contacts for all
devices are equivalent. The local molecular conduction was investigated by comparing
the tunnelling current in silicon substrate, hydrophobic treated substrate and one to
four monolayer films. The tunnelling current and surface morphology for three
monolayer films were also studied in the case of annealing at 100 0C for 5 minutes. It
was found that the annealed surface is smoother and less conductive due to the
molecular rearrangement. The asymmetric current-voltage relation can be observed for
forward and reverse bias, probably due to the asymmetry of molecular structure.
In order to investigate interaction between neighbour molecules and its repeat
unit. The hydrophobic and hydrophilic parts of this molecule have been analyzed
based on molecular dynamic simulation of this molecule in water by using
GROMACS program. In order to apply this molecule to nanoscale electronic device,
the electronic structure of the molecule has also been investigated theoretically using
quantum mechanical calculations. The calculated results can be used to demonstrate
electron transport between acceptor part and donor part of the molecule.