Loyola University Chicago

Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry

Faculty & Staff

Ciszek, Jacob

Title/s:  Professor
Graduate Program Director

Office #:  FH-122

Phone: 773.508.3107

Email: jciszek@luc.edu

External Webpage: http://jciszek.sites.luc.edu

Degrees

1999 B. S., Chemical Engineering, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

2005 PhD., Chemistry, Rice University

2005-2008 Postdoctoral Associate, Northwestern University

2006-2008 American Cancer Society Postdoctoral Fellow, Northwestern University

Research Interests

The Ciszek group studies the chemical functionalization of optoelectronically relevant surfaces. Modern electronics, especially light emitting diodes (LEDs), have transitioned from inorganic materials to organic. Yet despite the pervasiveness of these materials, no chemistry has been developed to optimize their interfaces with other layers.  This absence is even more glaring as the metal-on-organic contact is crucial to device performance. Our group develops reactions to form “monolayers” on these substrates such that flaws like poor adhesion and charge injection barriers are eliminated.

At its heart, the group is a blend of surface science, organic chemistry, materials science, and device engineering. Our primary focus is on the surface science, where most of the ground-breaking experiments occurs. Through a combination of MALDI, XPS, PM-IRRAS, UV-vis, AFM, x-ray crystallography, and SEM, we tease out the chemical changes at the surface that are necessary for improved device behavior.

Our systems of study are organic molecular crystals (or films)Prototypical semiconductor molecules like pentacene are reacted with vapor dosed adsorbates to yield functionalized surfaces. From a fundamental standpoint, these reactions are fascinating as geometric considerations (based off molecular orientation in the crystal) appear to be the primary determinant of reactivity and isomer selectivity. Electronic effects appear muted at best. We are developing composite mechanisms which examine how factors such as the intercalation pathways for adsorbates, the highly anisotropic nature of reaction loci, the relatively weak intermolecular forces within the molecular crystal, and the material’s low surface energies impact reactivity.  This improved understanding is then utilized to alter the surfaces in such a way that integration with metal top contacts or other overlayers is improved.

Awards

2015 Sujack Family Award for Excellence in Faculty Research.

2011 NSF CAREER award

2011 Fellow - Office of Naval Research Summer Faculty Research Program

Selected Publications

Calimano, J.; Li, F.; Florián, J.; Piñero-Cruz, D. M.; Fielitz, T. R; Holmes, R. J.; Ciszek, J. W. “Solid State Properties and Spectroscopic Analysis of Thin-Film TPBi” accepted J. Phys. Chem. C. 2020

Piranej, S.; Shelhart Sayers, M. A. W.; Deye, G. J.; Maximoff, S. N.; Hopwood, J. P.; Park, H. P.; Slavsky, J. G.; Ciszek, J. W. “The role of surface phenomena on the reaction of molecular solids: the Diels-Alder reaction on pentacene” CrystEngComm. 2020, 22, 4108

Li, F.; Hopwood, J. P.; Galey, M. M.; Sanchez, L. M.; Ciszek, J. W. “Chemically Transformed Monolayers on Acene Thin Films for Improved Metal/Organic Interfaces” Chem. Comm. 2019, 55, 13975.

Li, F.; Ciszek, J. W. “Reaction Induced Morphology Changes of Tetracene and Pentacene Surfaces” RSC Advances. 2019, 9, 26942.

Williams, C. G.; Wang, M.; Hopwood, J. P.; Tempas, C. D.; Morris, T. W.; Wisman, D. L. Kesmodel, L. L.; Ciszek, J. W.; Tait, S. L. “Surface-catalyzed dehydrogenation and intermolecular CC bond formation at peripheral alkyl units on Cu(100) and Au(111)” Surf. Sci. 2019, 683, 23.

Publication list via Google Scholar.