Jacob W. Ciszek
	Title:	Assistant Professor
	Office:	Flanner Hall Room #122
	Phone:	773/508-3107
	E-mail:	jciszek@luc.edu

Personal Information

Research Interests

The Ciszek group's focus is on the application of complex synthetic molecules to surfaces.  Be it Feringa's molecular motors, thermochromic switches, metal organic frameworks, or geometric macrocycles, over the years chemistry has developed a myriad of molecules that are capable of complex transformations, contain periodic shape yet tunable structure, or display other remarkable properties.  Likewise, materials science and surface chemistry have accumulated decades of knowledge on molecular effects.  We are interested in applying cutting edge synthetic molecules to recently established surface phenomena and rapidly advancing both fields as well as the interface between them.

The group's main focus is on modulating surface properties, specifically the work function of metals.  Over the last 20 years scientists have become aware that self-assembled monolayers are capable of changing the properties of surfaces, such as the work function, band gap, and plasmons (nanoparticle surfaces). Changes in the work function have lead to more efficient electrical transport and thus more efficient organic light emitting diodes (OLEDs).  Changes in the band gap allows one to tune a surfaces interaction with light.  These are but a few of the properties we seek to address via synthesis of intelligently designed molecules assembled on the surface

In addition, we are looking at how synthetic molecules can be used for patterning of a surface.  Surface patterns at the nanometer scale are extremely challenging.  Yet to a synthetic chemist the difference between 2.1 nm and 2.4 nm is merely the spacing of two carbon-carbon bonds.  The group seeks to take advantage of synthetic chemistry's ability to work accurately on the nanometer and angstrom scale to create regular sub-5 nm patterns on surfaces.

Awards and Honors

Invited speaker at the CeNTech Nanoscience Symposium for Young Scientists, University of Münster, Germany, 2007.

Selected Publications

Ward, D. R; Halas, N. J.; Ciszek, J. W.; Tour, J. M.; Wu, Y.; Nordlander, P.; Natelson, D. "Simultaneous Measurements of Electronic Conduction and Raman Response in Molecular Junctions" Nano Lett. 2008, 8, 919.

Hamadani, B. H.; Corley, D. A.; Ciszek, J. W.; Tour, J. M.; Natelson, D. "Controlling charge injection in organic field-effect transistors using self-assembled monolayers" Nano Lett. 2006, 6, 1303.

Ciszek, J. W.; Keane, Z. K.; Cheng, L.; Stewart, M. P.; Yu, L. H.; Natelson, D.; Tour, J. M. "Neutral complexes of first row transition metals bearing unbound thiol derivatives and their assembly on metallic surfaces" J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2006, 128, 3179.

Ciszek, J. W.; Tour. J. M. "Mechanistic implications of the assembly of organic thiocyanates on precious metals" Chem. Mater. 2005, 17, 5684.

Ciszek, J. W.; Stewart, M. P.; Tour, J. M. "Spontaneous assembly of organic thiocyanates on gold surfaces. Alternative precursors for gold thiolate assemblies" J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2004, 126, 13172.

Yu, L. H.; Keane, Z. K.; Ciszek, J. W.; Cheng, L.; Stewart, M. P.; Tour, J. M.; Natelson, D. "Inelastic electron tunneling via molecular vibrations in single-molecule transistors" Phys. Rev. Lett.  2004, 93, 266802.