Interfaces inorganic devices

Reactive metals are of interest for two primary reasons (1) reaction with the uppermost part of the SAM which can drive uniform nucleation with no penetration and (2) for electropositive metals, injection of electrons into the SAM to create a favorable dipole at the metal/SAM interface for device operation. With respect to the first, as opposed to the results with non-reactive metal deposition, some reports of reactive metal deposition appear to show prevention of metal penetration with the avoidance of short-circuits across the M junction. In general, serious concerns remain that some of metal atoms react destructively with the SAM backbone to produce inorganic species, e.g., carbides and oxides in the case of aggressive metals such as titanium. 

J. B. Pallix, C. H. Becker, and K. T. Gillen, Appl. Surface Sck 32,1 (1988). An applications oriented discussion of using MPI-SALI for depth profiling, interface analysis in inorganic material systems. Examples of SALI depth profiles are given of a B implant in Si and the fluorine implanted electronic test device which was referenced in this encyclopedia article. 

The desire to realise technological goals has spurred the discovery of many new solid electrolytes and intercalation compounds based on crystalline and amorphous inorganic solids. In addition an entirely new class of ionic conductors has been discovered by P. V. Wright (1973) and M. B. Armand, J. M. Chabagno and M. Duclot (1978). These polymer electrolytes can be fabricated as soft films of only a few microns, and their flexibility permits interfaces with solid electrodes to be formed which remain intact when the cells are charged and discharged. This makes possible the development of all-solid-state electrochemical devices. 

Based on cp-AFM evidence for the simple case of an n-alkanethiolate/Au SAM, the M structures show no evidence for penetration of metal to form conducting filaments that can cause shorts. The resultant junctions, however, do show extensive formation of reaction product layers with complex chemical compositions which may lead to unfavorable characteristics for molecular device operation. Indeed, in recent reports the use of Ti deposition on LB films, which contain water and inorganic salts at the bottom Pt electrode/LB film interface, leads to formation of inorganic titanium oxide type species in the junction but these complex inorganic layers have also been reported to impart fortuitously quite useful device... 

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