Molecular deposition on solid surfaces forms crystalline or amorphous/glassy thin solid films. Intermolecular interactions govern the packing and dynamics of these films. The connection between molecular structure and intermolecular interactions is based on understanding electrostatic forces, dispersion forces and hydrogen bonding. Recently, an entire class of dipolar molecular species have demonstrated counterintuitive self-organization such that the dipole moments of individual molecules are oriented in thin films. This leads to the spontaneous generation of polarized molecular films manifesting a polarization charge equivalent to tens to hundreds of volts in strength at the film-vacuum interface, relative to the film-substrate interface. These voltages, and the corresponding electric fields present in such films, result from a collective and spontaneous orientation of molecular dipoles throughout the film during film growth and represent a metastable state of polarized material. The existence of these materials should encourage reconsideration of the importance of solid-state intermolecular electrostatic interactions.

中文翻译：

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物质的自发电态

固体表面上的分子沉积形成结晶或无定形/玻璃状固体薄膜。分子间相互作用控制着这些薄膜的堆积和动力学。分子结构和分子间相互作用之间的联系基于对静电力、色散力和氢键的理解。最近，一整类偶极分子物种已经证明了违反直觉的自组织，使得单个分子的偶极矩在薄膜中定向。这导致极化分子膜的自发生成，在膜-真空界面处表现出相对于膜-基底界面强度相当于数十至数百伏的极化电荷。这些电压以及此类薄膜中存在的相应电场，薄膜生长过程中整个薄膜中分子偶极子集体自发取向的结果，代表了偏振材料的亚稳态。这些材料的存在应该鼓励人们重新考虑固态分子间静电相互作用的重要性。