Synthesis of a mesoscale ordered 2D-conjugated polymer with semiconducting properties

TL;DR

This paper reports the successful synthesis of a mesoscale ordered 2D-conjugated polymer with semiconducting properties and Dirac cone structures, advancing the potential for nanoelectronic applications.

Contribution

The authors demonstrate a novel synthesis method for mesoscale ordered 2D-conjugated polymers with Dirac cones using Ullmann coupling on Au(111).

Findings

Achieved mesoscale ordered 2DCP with semiconducting properties.

Established a synthesis approach combining azatriangulene precursors and hot dosing.

Opened pathways for integrating 2DCP Dirac cone materials into devices.

Abstract

2D materials with high charge carrier mobility and tunable electronic band gaps have attracted intense research effort for their potential use as active components in nanoelectronics. 2D-conjugated polymers (2DCP) constitute a promising sub-class due to the fact that the electronic band structure can be manipulated by varying the molecular building blocks, while at the same time preserving the key features of 2D materials such as Dirac cones and high charge mobility. The major challenge for their use in technological applications is to fabricate mesoscale ordered 2DCP networks since current synthetic routes yield only small domains with a high density of defects. Here we demonstrate the synthesis of a mesoscale ordered 2DCP with semiconducting properties and Dirac cone structures via Ullmann coupling on Au(111). This material has been obtained by combining rigid azatriangulene precursors and a hot dosing approach which favours molecular diffusion and reduces the formation of voids in the network. These results open opportunities for the synthesis of 2DCP Dirac cone materials and their integration into devices.