Ultra-low conductivity through insulating self-assembled organic monolayers

Abstract

We demonstrate that monolayers made of organic molecules (long chain hydrocarbons) as thin as to 1.9 nm form high performance electrically insulating barriers. Leakage current densities of the order of 10 −8 to 10 −7 A/cm 2 have been obtained. The energy barrier height to electron is so high (3.6 eV) that the tunnelling current through these monolayers is negligible. These properties put such ultra-thin organic monolayers on a par with 4 to 5 nm thick silicon dioxide, and enable us to envision possible applications in sub-0.1 μm channel length MISFET devices.