Outreach Programs

Education Programs Technology Outreach Program International Programs Distinguished Lecturer Series International Center for Materials Research MRL Diversity Fellowship MRL Travel Fellowship

Intern: Courtney Krause, University of Washington Mentor: Dwight Seferos Faculty Supervisor: Guillermo Bazan Department: Chemistry

SELF-ASSEMBLING MONOLAYERS FEATURING QUANTUM DOTS

As electronics have grown smaller, it has become increasingly important to discover new technologies, which will shrink components, lower power requirements and reduce heat production. Currently data is stored in electrons, however, in the future data may be stored in electron spin. It has been shown that Cadmium-Selenide (CdSe) quantum dots connected by conjugated organic molecules are able to transfer spin from one dot to another. This system is created using self-assembling monolayers. Glass slides are functionalized with either an amine or thiol group; the functional groups then bind to quantum dots, creating a monolayer. After the initial layer is in place, organic molecules are introduced to the surface followed by an additional layer of quantum dots – this process can be repeated to add more layers. UV/Vis and atomic force microscopy are used to characterize the thickness and uniformity of each layer’s surface. Characterization of the layers will allow for improved design and streamlined production for future researchers.

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