I am interested in the physics of nanostructures and nanodevices made of organic molecules and/or hybrid systems involving organic molecules, inorganic metal and/or semiconductor nanostructures. I contribute to knowledge development, studying the quantum transport properties of various molecular nanostructures based on self-assembled monolayers, small ensemble of molecules, supramolecular assembly of molecules and nano-objects.

I received the PhD degree and Habilitation diploma in solid-state physics, from the University of Lille, France, in 1984 and 1992, respectively. I am research director at CNRS (centre national de la recherche scientifique) and I work at the Institute for Electronics, Microelectronics and Nanotechnology (IEMN), a CNRS laboratory at the University of Lille.

My research interests (1982-1992) covered physics and characterization of point defects in semiconductors and devices, physics and reliability of thin insulating films, hot-carrier effects in MOSFETs. Since 1992, I am engaged in the field of electronic properties of molecular nanostructures and molecular electronics.

In 2000, I created and headed (until 2019) the « Nanostructures, nanoComponents & Molecules » (NCM) research group at IEMN. From 2015 to 2019, I was head of the department “Physics of materials and nanostructures” at IEMN.

I am the author or co-author of more than 240 scientific (peer-reviewed) papers and 80 invited talks in international conference in these fields. I was scientific advisor for industrial companies (Bull R&D center) on advanced CMOS technology reliability (1988-1990) and for the CEA (Commissariat à l’énergie atomique et aux énergies alternatives) for the “Chimtronique” (Chemistry for nanoelectronics) research program (2006-2013).

MOLECULAR NANOSTRUCTURES, MOLECULAR ELECTRONICS.

I am mainly interested in the study of various molecular nanostructures and devices made of functional molecules (photoswitch, redox, magnetic,…) and 2D materials. I focus on their electronic properties at the nanoscale with the aim to contribute to the fundamental understandings of these systems. Characterization tools to study electron, spin and heat transport properties include various scanning probe microscopes (C-AFM, EFM, STM, SThM, SMM,…) as well as macroscopic soft electrical contact techniques on self-assembled monolayers (Hg, eGaIn contacts). Recent main results include:

– first demonstration of 30 THZ molecular switch devices.
– first demonstration of a molecular diode operating at 17 GHz (using interferometric scanning microwave microscope);
– role and determination of the π-π intermolecular interaction energies in molecular junctions;
– electron transport in molecular devices based on polyoxometalates, peptides, molecular switches (optical, ion,…), Prussian blue analog, assembled on various electrode materials (Si, metal, ferromagnet);
– thermal transport at the nanoscale (SThM : scanning thermal microscope) of molecular nanostructures and molecular junctions.

On an application-driven perspective, I contributed to the study of self-assembled monolayers (SAM) as: (i) nanodielectric in nano-scale OTFT, (ii) nanodielectric and charge transport layer in SAMFET, (iii) functionalized layers for gas sensors and optimization of organic device performances. I also contributed to the understanding of organic semiconductor doping mechanisms and electron transport properties of n-type oxide semiconductors (IGZO) for flexible transistors.

MOLECULAR DEVICES FOR UNCONVENTIONAL COMPUTING.

In 2010, my group proposed and demonstrated the concept of synapstor (synapse transistor) that the main functionalities of a biological synapse are achievable with an organic hybrid transistor (organic semiconductor and gold nanoparticles). This synapstor works at very low voltages (50 mV), in an electrolyte-gated configuration and it has been interfaced with living biological neurons which made these devices prone for a possible brain/neurocomputer interface. More recently, a network of OECTs (organic electrochemical transistor) interacting in a common electrolyte was used to demonstrate pattern recognitions in a neuro-inspired “reservoir computing”system.

We also demonstrated optically-driven switchable logical operations in nanoparticles self-assembled networks of molecular switches (azobenzene derivatives) interconnected by Au nanoparticles. The complex non-linearity of electron transport and dynamics in these highly connected and recurrent networks of molecular junctions are prone for reservoir computing (RC) approaches. These results, without direct analogs in semiconductor devices, open new perspectives to molecular electronics in unconventional computing.

I also contributed to research on inorganic memristors (Ge₂Sb₂Te₅, GeS₂) for neuromorphic applications and on Ag₂S memristors. I collaborated on CNT devices for electro-optical memory and neuromorphic applications.

FEW REPRESENTATIVE PUBLICATIONS

• Molecular Junctions for Terahertz Switches and Detectors.
  Hnid, A. Yassin, I. Arbouch,  D. Guérin, C. van Dyck, L. Sanginet, S. Lenfant, P. Blanchard, J. Cornil &  D. Vuillaume. Nano Letters 24, 2553–2560 (2024). link, arXiv
• Redox-controlled conductance of polyoxometalate molecular junctions.
  Huez, D. Guerin, F. Volatron, S. Lenfant, M.L. Perrin, M. Calame, A. Proust & D. Vuillaume. Nanoscale, 14, 13790-13800 (2022). link, arXiv
• Terphenylthiazole-based self-assembled monolayers on cobalt with high conductance photo-switching ratio for spintronics.
  Prudkovskiy, I. Arbouch, A. Leaustic, P. Yu, C. van Dyck, D. Guérin, S. Lenfant, T. Mallah, J. Cornil & D. Vuillaume, Nanoscale 14, 5725-5742 (2022). link, arXiv
• Thermal conductivity of benzothieno-benzothiophene derivatives at the nanoscale.
  N. Gueye, A. Vercouter, R. Jouclas, D. Guérin, V. Lemaur, G. Schweicher, S. Lenfant, A. Antidormi, Y. Geerts, C. Melis, J. Cornil & D. Vuillaume. Nanoscale 13, 3800-3807 (2021). link, arXiv
• Light-stimulable molecules/nanoparticles networks for switchable logical functions and reservoir computing.
  Viero, D. Guérin, A. VladYka, F. Alibart, S. Lenfant, M. Calame & D. Vuillaume. Adv. Func. Mater. 28, 1801506 (2018). link , arXiv
• High on-off conductance switching ratio in optically-driven self-assembled conjugated molecular systems.
  Smaali, S. Lenfant, S. Karpe, M. Oçafrain, P. Blanchard, D. Deresmes, S. Godey, A. Rochefort, J. Roncali & D. Vuillaume. ACS Nano. 4, 2411-2421 (2010). link, arXiv
• A memristive nanoparticle/organic hybrid synapstor for neuro-inspired computing.
  Alibart, S. Pleutin, O. Bichler, C. Gamrat, T. Serrano-Gotarredona, B. Linares-Barranco & D. Vuillaume. Adv. Func. Mater. 22, 609-616 (2012). link, arXiv
• An organic-nanoparticle transistor behaving as a biological spiking synapse.
  Alibart, S. Pleutin, D. Guerin, C. Novembre, S. Lenfant, K. Lmimouni, C. Gamrat & D. Vuillaume. Adv. Func. Mater. 20, 330-337 (2010). link, arXiv
• Molecular rectifying diodes from self-assembly on silicon.
  Lenfant , C. Krzeminski, C. Delerue, G. Allan & D. Vuillaume. Nano Letters 3, 741-746 (2003). link, arXiv
• Low-voltage, 30 nm channel length, organic transistors with a self-assembled monolayer as gate insulating films.
  Collet, O. Tharaud, A. Chapoton, D. Vuillaume. Appl. Phys. Lett. 76, 1941-1943 (2000). link
• Unimolecular electrical rectification in hexadecylquinolinium tricyanoquinodimethanide.
  M. Metzger, B. Chen, U. Hopfner, M.V. Lakshmikantham, D. Vuillaume, T. Kawai, X. Wu, H. Tachibana, T.V. Hughes, H. Sakurai, J.W. Baldwin, C. Hosch, M.P. Cava, L. Brehmer, G.J. Ashwell. J. Am. Chem. Soc. 119, 10455 (1997). link
• Suppresion of charge carrier tunneling through organic self-assembled monolayers.
  Boulas, J. Davidovits, F. Rondelez & D. Vuillaume. Phys. Rev. Lett. 76, 4797 (1996). link

Web of science : https://www.webofscience.com/wos/author/record/991174

ORCID ID: 0000-0002-3362-1669

Google Scholar  : https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=1Px8DKoAAAAJ&hl=fr&inst=13390055148236426424&oi=ao

On arXiv : click here

CV – D Vuillaume