Nanometer-scale organic thin film transistors from self-assembled monolayers.

A survey of the most interesting results on nanometer-scale organic thin film transistors (nano-OTFT) is presented. Additionally, we discuss our recent results on the properties of end-group functionalized organic self-assembled monolayers and on their use in the fabrication of nanometer-scale field-effect transistors. Nanometer-scale organic transistors (channel length 30 nm) were fabricated, with a self-assembled monolayer as gate insulator. The carrier transport in these transistors, as a function of the channel length, was investigated, and a transition from a dispersive to a ballistic transport at a channel length of 200 nm was observed. On a molecular scale, alkyl monolayers functionalized at their omega-ends by aromatic moieties were prepared. A high anisotropic conductivity in molecular insulator/semiconductor heterostructures of monolayer thickness was observed. These molecular architectures provide a basis for the building blocks of molecular transistors.