Earticle

This miniaccount presents the selective examples of our recent discoveries in the photopolymerization of vinyl monomers using the organic initiators such as hydrosilanes, poly(hydroarylsilane)s, benzoin silyl ethers, and thianthrene cation radical. In the photopolymerization of vinyl monomers with silanes polysilanes, while the polymerization yields and polymer molecular weights of the poly(MMA)s containing the silyl moieties decreased, the TGA residue yields and intensities of SiH stretching IR bands increased as the mole ratio of the silanes over MMA increased. The hydroarylsilane and poly(hydroarylsilane) seemed to influence strongly on the photopolymerizaiton of olefinic monomers as both chain initiation and chain transfer agents. For the photohomopolymerization and photocopolymerization of MA and AA, the similar trends were observed. Benzoin silyl ethers and thianthrene cation radical also exhibit the photoinitiating ability in the photopolymerization of MMA.

A newly developed OTFT manufacturing process using the combination of self-assembly techniques and vapor phase polymerization method revealed that a thick SiO2 dielectric layer (100~200 nm) is not well compatible with conducting polymer electrode, thereby resulting in still recognizable contact resistance, unstable Vth and leaking off current. A couple of very recent studies showed that this issue may be solved by replacing such inorganic dielectric with a self-assembled monolayer or multilayer (organic) dielectric. Therefore, this short review introduces recent trends in the development of high performance thin film transistor consisting of both organic semiconductor and SAM dielectric.

This minireview provides the chosen examples of our recent discoveries in the polymerization of hydrosilanes, dihydrosilole, lactones, and vinyl derivatives using various catalysts. Hydrosilanes and lactones copolymerize to give poly(lactone-co-silane)s with Cp2MCl2/Red-Al (M = Ti, Zr, Hf) catalyst. Hydrosilanes (including dihydrosilole) reduce noble metal complexes (e.g., AgNO3, Ag2SO4, HAuCl4, H2PtCl6) to give nanoparticles along with silicon polymers such as polysilanes, polysilole, polysiloxanes (and silicas) depending on the reaction conditions. Interestingly, phenylsilane dehydrocoupled to polyphenylsilane in the inert nitrogen atmosphere while phenylsilane dehydrocoupled to silica in the ambient air atmosphere. Cp2M/CX4 (M = Fe, Co, Ni; X = Cl, Br, I) combination initiate the polymerization of vinyl monomers. In the photopolymerization of vinyl monomers using Cp2M/CCl4 (M = Fe, Co, Ni), the photopolymerization of MMA initiated by Cp2M/CCl4 (M = Fe, Co, Ni) shows while the polymerization yield decreases in the order Cp2Fe > Cp2Ni > Cp2Co, the molecular weight decreases in the order Cp2Co > Cp2Ni > Cp2Fe. For the photohomopolymerization and photocopolymerization of MA and AA, the similar trends were observed. The photopolymerizations are not living. Many exciting possibilities remain to be examined and some of them are demonstrated in the body of the minireview.

We describe the synthesis and characterization of silicon nanoparticles prepared by the soluton reduction of SiCl4. These reactions produce Si nanoparticles with surfaces that are covalently terminated. The resultant organic derivatized Si nanoparticles as well as a probable distribution of Water-soluble Si nanoparticles are observed and characterized by photoluminescence(PL) spectroscopy. This work focuses originally on the organic- and water-soluble silicon nanoparticles in terms of the photoluminescence. Further this work displays probably the first layout of hydrogen terminated Si nanoparticles synthesized in solution at room temperature.

The purpose of this project is the synthesis of dihydrosilole and its optical characterization for their applications. Dihydrosilole was synthesized from the reduction reaction of either dichlorosilole or chlorohydrosilole with lithium aluminium hydride. The reaction yield for the dihydrosilole through the latter method was higher. The optical characteristics and AIEE effect of dihydrosilole nanoaggregates was investigated for the purpose of increasing the photoluminescence efficiency. Photoluminescence efficiency of dihydrosilole nanoaggregates increased about 100 times compared to that of molecular state.

Synthesis and characterization of alkyl-capped nanocrystalline silicon (R-n-Si) have been achieved from the reaction of silicontetrachloride with magnesiumsilicide. Surface of silicon nanocrystal has been derivatized with various alkyl groups (R=methyl, n-butyl, etc.). Silicon nanoparticles have been also obtained by the sonication of luminescent porous silicon. Former exhibits an emission band at 360 nm, but latter exhibits an emission band at 680 nm. In this study very sensitive detection of TNT (2,4,6-trinitrotoluene), DNT (2,4-dinitrotoluene), NB (nitrobenzene), and PA (picric acid) has been achieved in gas phase with porous silicon using photoluminescence quenching of the silicon crystallites as a transduction mode. Porous silicon are electrochemically etched from crystalline silicon wafers in an aqueous solution of hydrofluoric acid. We have characterized these silicon nanoparticles by Luminescence Spectrometer (LS 55)

Photonic crystals containing multiple rugate structure are prepared by electrochemical etchings. Typically etched rugate PSi prepared in this study. Etching is carried out in a Teflon cell by using a two-electrode configuration with a Pt mesh counter electrode. They exhibit sharp photonic band gaps in the optical reflectivity spectrum. This reflectivity can be tuned to appear anywhere in the visible to near-infrared spectral range, depending on the programmed etch waveform. We study the method of full width half maxima and reflectivity index control by using amplitude.

Electrochemical etching of heavily doped p-type silicon wafers (boron doped, <100> orientation, resistivity; 0.8-1.2 mΩ/cm) with different current density resulting two different refractive indices resulted in DBR (Distributed Bragg Reflectors) porous silicon, which exhibited strong in-plane anisotropy of refractive index (birefringence). Dielectric stacks of birefringent porous silicon acting as distributed Bragg reflectors have two distinct reflection bands depending on the polarization of the incident linearly polarized light. This effect is caused by a three-dimensional (in plane and in depth) variation of the refraction index. Optical characteristics of DBR porous silicon were investigated.

New functionalized siloles have been synthesized and their optical characterizations are investigated. Silole unit has been interested, since silole has a unique optical and electronic properties. Here we report the synthesis of new type of photoluminescent silole. New siloles have been characterized by NMR, FTIR, and UV-vis absorption spectroscopy. Their optical characteristics have been also investigated using photoluminescence spectroscopy. Possible applications such as OLED and chemical sensors will be presented.