Materials Meets Concepts in Molecule-Based Electronics

Abstract

In this contribution, molecular materials are highlighted as an important topic in the diverse field of condensed matter physics, with focus on their particular electronic and transport properties. A better understanding of their performance in various applications and devices demands for an extension of basic theoretical approaches to describe charge transport in molecular materials, including the accurate description of electron-phonon coupling. Starting with the simplest case of a molecular junction and moving on to larger aggregates of bulk organic semiconductors, charge-transport regimes from ballistic motion to incoherent hopping, which are frequently encountered in molecular systems under respective conditions, are discussed. Transport features of specific materials are described through ab initio material parameters whose determination is addressed. © 2014 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA.