ORGANIC INSULATING FILMS OF NANOMETER THICKNESSES

It is demonstrated that monolayers of organic molecules (long chain hy drocarbons) as thin as 1.9 nm, deposited by the self-assembly techniqu e on silicon, form high performance electrically insulating barriers. Their properties are compared with those of silicon dioxide. Leakage c urrent densities through the organic monolayers of the order of 10(-8) -10(-7) A/cm(2) have been obtained. These values are 4-5 decades lower than those for silicon dioxide of equivalent thickness. Larger tunnel ing barriers for organic monolayers than for silicon dioxide explain t hese results. (C) 1996 American Institute of Physics.