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@ARTICLE{Li:642217,
author = {Li, Zhuoqing and Sentker, Kathrin and Brinker, Manuel and
Lippmann, Milena and Seeck, Oliver H. and Kityk, Andriy V.
and Ocko, Ben and Huber, Patrick},
title = {{C}ontrolling {O}rganic {S}emiconductor {S}elf-{A}ssembly
through {C}ylindrical {N}anoconfinement},
journal = {ChemRxiv},
reportid = {PUBDB-2025-05413},
year = {2025},
abstract = {Controlling the self-assembly of organic semiconductors at
the nanoscale is critical for advancing high-performance
electronic and photonic devices, yet remains challenging due
to their intrinsic anisotropic crystallization and
sensitivity to processing conditions. Here, we demonstrate
that cylindrical nanoconfinement within anodic aluminum
oxide membranes provides a versatile platform to precisely
tune the molecular orientation and phase behavior of the
prototypical organic semiconductor
2,7-dioctyl[1]benzothieno[3,2-b][1]benzothiophene
(C8-BTBT-C8). Combining temperature-dependent
high-resolution synchrotron X-ray scattering with optical
birefringence measurements, we uncover that confinement
geometries (pore diameters 25–180 nm) and surface
chemistry govern the emergence of distinct smectic A
textures, featuring molecular layers either parallel or
perpendicular to the pore axis. The competition between
axial and radial smectic layering is modulated by pore size,
surface hydrophilicity, and thermal history, enabling
reversible control over domain orientations and transitions
between liquid crystalline and crystalline states. Notably,
nanoconfinement stabilizes the smectic phase over an
expanded temperature range compared to bulk, while inducing
complex multi-domain configurations owing to geometric
constraints and anchoring conditions. Our results elucidate
fundamental mechanisms by which anisotropic nanoscale
confinement directs the self-organization of highly
conjugated organic molecules, with implications for
optimizing directional charge transport and anisotropic
optical responses in organic–inorganic hybrid
nanoarchitectures. This study establishes nanoconfinement as
a powerful strategy to engineer morphology and functional
properties in organic semiconducting materials with
nanoscale precision.},
cin = {CIMMS},
cid = {I:(DE-H253)CIMMS-20211022},
pnm = {632 - Materials – Quantum, Complex and Functional
Materials (POF4-632)},
pid = {G:(DE-HGF)POF4-632},
experiment = {EXP:(DE-H253)P-P08-20150101},
typ = {PUB:(DE-HGF)25},
doi = {10.26434/chemrxiv-2025-rzjg4},
url = {https://bib-pubdb1.desy.de/record/642217},
}