The field of “molecular electronics (ME)” aims to manipulate charge-transport properties by varying molecular structures and functionalities, thickness positioned between electrodes.¹ Molecules are the primary building blocks can be used as circuit elements and creation of molecular devices of dimension possibly much smaller than existed silicon-based devices. Thanks to the molecular flexibility which offer tremendous opportunities and challenge the traditional silicon-based electronics. Our research group at IIT K focus on creation of Molecular Junctions by replacing conventional metals as top and bottom contacts. Till date, well studied “molecular electronics” employs metal-molecule-metal (MMM) configuration. However, the MMM suffers due to its less stability, and more importantly can create short circuit if there are some pinholes present at the template layers/bottom contacts/Self-assembled monolayers (SAMs). In this regard, carbon-based molecular electronics act as a great alternative, as sp² carbon has been a promising electrode material which can make strong covalent bonds between the carbon electrode and organic molecules through diazonium reduction and are highly stable up to 300 ^oC.² Interestingly, thickness of the molecular layers can be controlled by electrochemical grafting conditions which can be achieved either by controlling the electrochemical window or by changing the voltammogram cycles.³ The top contact such as e-beam carbon of 10 nm thickness can be deposited over the molecular assemblies in order to prepare the carbon-molecule-carbon “molecular junction”. We intend to study fundamental understanding of stimuli responsive charge transport across the organic, inorganic complexes, biomolecules (such as redox-active proteins, enzymes). Opto-electronic properties of the molecular based devices can be tuned easily by changing the molecular structures, functional group, thickness, which can’t be achieved using the silicon-based devices. We are also interested in studying spintronics phenomena on carbon-based ferromagnetic devices, where functional organic molecules will be the spin transport media.

References:

1. Chem. Phys. Lett., 1974, 277
2. Adv. Funct. Mater., 2011, 2273
3. J. Am. Chem. Soc., 2018, 7239.

• Mondal et al., “Field and Chirality Effects on Electrochemical Charge Transfer Rates: Spin Dependent Electrochemistry”, ACS Nano 2015, 9, 3377.

• Mondal et al., “Chiral Conductive Polymers as Spin Filters”, Adv. Mater., 2015, 27, 1924.

• Mondal et al., “Spin-dependent Transport through Chiral Molecules Studied by Spin-dependent Electrochemistry”, Acc. Chem. Res., 2016, 49, 2560.

• Mondal et al., “Photo-spintronics: Magnetic Field Controlled Photoemission and Light Controlled Spin Transport in Hybrid Chiral Oligopeptides-nanoparticles Structures”, Nano. Lett., 2016, 16, 2806.

• Mondal et al., “Nanometric Assembly of Functional Terpyridyl-Complexes on Transparent and Conductive Oxide Substrates: Structure, Properties and Applications”, Acc. Chem. Res., 2017, 50, 2128.

• Mondal et al., “Internal Electric Field Modulation in Molecular Electronic Devices by Atmosphere and Mobile ions”, J. Am. Chem. Soc., 2018, 140, 7239.

• Basic Inorganic Chemistry

• Advanced Main Group Chemistry

• Coordination Chemistry

• Assistant Professor, IIT Kanpur, Since April 2019 – present

• Marie-Curie Postdoctoral Fellow, ICMoL, University of Valencia, Spain, Dec. 2017 – March 2019

• Postdoctoral Fellow, NINT, University of Alberta, Canada, March 2016 – Nov. 2017

• Postdoctoral Fellow, Weizmann Institute of Science, Israel, Oct. 2013 – March 2016

• National Scholarship at the end of Class VIII, Govt. of West Bengal, 1999   

• Scholarship from Bharat Sevashram Sangha, Kolkata, 2003

• Scholarship from Chief Minister’s Relief Funds, Govt. of W.B., Kolkata, 2008

• Junior Research Fellowship, CSIR, New Delhi, 2009

• Post-doctoral Fellowship, Weizmann Institute of Science, Israel, 2013  

• ACS Author Rewards, American Chemical Society, 2015

• Post-doctoral Fellowship, Alberta Innovates, AB, Canada, 2016

• International Incoming Marie-Curie Fellowship, European Union, 2017

Office

FB 436 ,
Department of Chemistry
IIT Kanpur,
Kanpur 208016

Office Phone: 0512-259-2074

Email: pcmondal[AT]iitk.ac.in