Oligothiophene Self‐Assembly on the Surface of ZnO Nanorods: Toward Coaxial p–n Hybrid Heterojunctions

We describe herein the design, synthesis and detailed structural characterization of hybrid 1D nanostructures. They are prepared by supramolecular self‐assembly of oligothiophene molecules on the surface of zinc oxide nanorods in solution at room temperature. Electronic absorption spectroscopy and X‐ray diffraction show that both organic and inorganic components in the coaxial p–n heterojunctions are crystalline. Especially, it is demonstrated that the organic compounds form a self‐assembled monolayer at the surface of the nanorods, which is not the case when zinc oxide quantum dots are instead used. As a result of their hybrid nature, the 1D nanostructures lead to ambipolar semiconducting nanostructured materials as active layers in field‐effect transistors. Structured nanorods: Hybrid 1D nanostructures are prepared by supramolecular self‐assembly of oligothiophene molecules on the surface of zinc‐oxide nanorods in solution at room temperature (see graphic). These nanostructures form ambipolar semiconducting nanostructured layers in field‐effect transistors.