Multi-dimensional charge transport in supramolecular helical foldamer assemblies.

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Organic Electronics
• Supramolecular Chemistry

Background:

• Aromatic foldamers are bioinspired molecules with unexplored potential in materials science.
• Understanding charge transport in foldamers is crucial for developing novel electronic devices.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate long-distance vertical and horizontal charge transport in helical oligo-quinolinecarboxamide foldamers.
• To explore the potential of foldamer monolayers for electronic applications.

Main Methods:

• Conductive atomic force microscopy (c-AFM) to measure conductivity.
• Kinetic Monte Carlo (KMC) calculations to simulate charge transport mechanisms.
• Fabrication of single foldamer monolayers on gold and silicon dioxide surfaces.

Main Results:

• Efficient vertical charge transport with low attenuation (0.06 Å⁻¹) observed in foldamer monolayers.
• Negligible horizontal charge transport, indicating strong anisotropy in foldamer monolayers.
• KMC simulations revealed intramolecular charge transfer integrals comparable to crystalline organic semiconductors.
• Charge hopping simulations highlighted the role of multiple 1D and 3D pathways and conformational order.

Conclusions:

• Helical foldamer monolayers exhibit anisotropic charge transport properties.
• These foldamers offer a promising platform for long-distance charge transport by utilizing combined pathways.
• Foldamer-based materials could enable new avenues in organic electronics and materials science.