Patterned assemblies of molecules on surfaces (2002-2003)

Because of their redox and photophysical properties, artificial porphyrin systems have been designed for applications such as light-harvesting antennae, catalysts and sensors. Control of molecular orientation is required in order to construct practical devices, and in this project methods of assembling porphyrins on surfaces in well-defined patterns will be developed. Sophisticated methods will be used to characterise the films produced in these ways, in order to provide the information necessary to refine procedures and design new molecules suitable for advanced applications. Expected outcomes are new methods and architectures that can ultimately yield devices that act at the molecular level.''