Functionalized, hydrogen-passivated silicon surfaces

1. A method for making a molecule-surface interface, said method comprising:

a) providing at least one silicon surface;

wherein the at least one silicon surface comprises a doping state and a silicon form; and

wherein the at least one silicon surface is at least partially hydride-passivated;

b) generating at least one diazonium salt as an organic group precursor;

c) contacting the at least one diazonium salt with the at least one silicon surface; and

d) reacting the at least one diazonium salt with the at least one silicon surface in at least one solvent in the absence of an externally applied potential to covalently bond a plurality of organic groups to the at least one silicon surface;

wherein the plurality of organic groups comprise at least one layer on the at least one silicon surface.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the doping state comprises undoped intrinsic silicon.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein the silicon form is selected from the group consisting of single-crystal silicon, polycrystalline silicon, nanocrystalline silicon, and amorphous silicon.

4. The method of claim 3 , wherein the single-crystal silicon has a Miller index selected from the group consisting of <100>, <111> and <110>.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the doping state comprises at least one dopant comprising the at least one silicon surface.

6. The method of claim 5 , wherein the at least one dopant is selected from the group consisting of boron, phosphorus, arsenic, antimony, tellurium, zinc, aluminum, chromium and combinations thereof.

7. The method of claim 5 , wherein the doping state and the silicon form comprise a silicon source selected from the group consisting of p-type doped single-crystal silicon, n-type doped single-crystal silicon, p-type doped polycrystalline silicon, n-type doped polycrystalline silicon, n-type doped nanocrystalline silicon, p-type doped nanocrystalline silicon, n-type doped amorphous silicon and p-type doped amorphous silicon.

8. The method of claim 7 , wherein the p-type doped single-crystal silicon, n-type doped single-crystal silicon, p-type doped polycrystalline silicon and n-type doped polycrystalline silicon each have a Miller index selected from the group consisting of <100>, <111> and <110>.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the at least one solvent is selected from the group consisting of acetonitrile, methylene chloride, chloroform, ether, sulfolane, water and combinations thereof.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein the at least one diazonium salt comprises at least one aryl diazonium salt.

11. The method of claim 10 , wherein the at least one aryl diazonium salt has structure of

wherein R 1 is selected from the group consisting of alkyl, alkenyl, aryl, and alkynyl;

wherein A is selected from the group consisting of H, alkyl, alkenyl, aryl, alkynyl and combinations thereof;

wherein Y x comprises at least one substituent selected from the group consisting of nitro, amino, acyl, heteroatoms, alkyl, alkenyl, aryl, alkynyl, fluoro, diazonium, diazo, allyl, thiol, thioacetate, isonitrile, nitrile and H; and

wherein X − is selected from the group consisting of tetrafluoroborate, tetrakis(pentafluorophenyl)borate, hexafluorophosphate, chloride, bromide, iodide and hydrogensulfate (HSO 4 − ).

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein A comprises an aryl group further substituted with at least one substituent selected from the group consisting of nitro, amino, acyl, heteroatoms, alkyl, alkenyl, aryl, alkynyl, fluoro, diazonium, diazo, allyl, thiol, thioacetate, isonitrile, nitrile and H.

13. The method of claim 11 , wherein the at least one aryl diazonium salt has a structure selected from the group consisting of

14. The method of claim 1 , wherein the generating step-comprises pre-forming the at least one diazonium salt.

15. The method of claim 1 , wherein the generating step-comprises an in situ formation of the at least one diazonium salt.

16. The method of claim 15 , wherein the in situ formation comprises adding at least one reagent to an aromatic amine to form an aryl diazonium salt.

17. The method of claim 16 , wherein the at least one reagent comprises isoamyl nitrite.

18. The method of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of organic groups comprise an ordered monolayer.

19. The method of claim 18 , wherein a long axis of each of the plurality of organic groups makes an angle to the at least one silicon surface between about 90° and about 45°.

20. The method of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of organic groups comprise a multilayer.

21. The method of claim 1 , wherein the at least one silicon surface comprises a shape selected from the group consisting of flat, curved, corrugated, and combinations thereof.