Nanometer sized polymer based Schottky junctions

The aim of this work was to realize and characterize rectifying junctions with nanometer thickness based on conducting polymers. Various monolayer films were deposited onto different flat graphite electrodes in order to obtain the Schottky interfaces. The second electrical contact was realized by approaching the monolayer film with sharp tip electrode at nanometric distances, in order to create tunneling barriers. A couple of hundred of junctions were realized following this procedure. The investigated junctions have shown rectifying behavior on the current/voltage characteristics in the 96% of the cases. The analysis of the current/voltage characteristics revealed the typical behavior of Schottky barriers. The ideality factor and the Schottky barrier of the junctions were calculated. Moreover, a linear relationship between the threshold voltage and the tunneling barrier width was revealed. In our knowledge, this is the first report of a Schottky junction realized with a monolayer of polymer film.