Supramolecular 2D networks are attracting considerable interest as highly ordered functional materials for applications in nanotechnology. The challenge consists in directing the ordering of predesigned molecular species into periodic architectures over extended length scales with atomic precision. Highly-organized supramolecular 2D arrays can be obtained by self-assembly of molecules which interlock via chemical (H-bonding, etc) or physical (size and shape recognition, etc) interactions. By controlling the subtle interplay between molecule-molecule and molecule-substrate interactions it is possible to tailor a variety of 2D self-organized architectures based on functional organic molecules such as liquid crystals, large planar conjugated compounds, guest-host systems and various biological molecules. The use of low-current scanning tunnelling microscopy (STM) at the liquid-solid interface allows to visualize the various resulting 2D networks down to atomic resolution, thus giving access to a refined modelisation. In this seminar we report on recent examples of 2D self-organized systems and their potential implications in molecular electronics. 1. L. Piot, C. Marie, X. Dou, X. Feng, K. Müllen, D. Fichou, textit{J. Am. Chem. Soc.}, textbf{131}, 1378 (2009). 2. L. Piot, C. Marie, X. Feng, K. Müllen, and D. Fichou, textit{Adv. Mater.}, textbf{20}, 3854 (2008). 3. E. Menard, A. Marchenko, V. Podzorov, M. E. Gershenson, D. Fichou, and J. A. Rogers, textit{Adv. Mater.}, textbf{18}, 1552 (2006).
CEA-Saclay, Labo Nanostructures et Semi-Conducteurs Organiques CNRS-CEA-UPMC, SPCSI, Bât. 462, F-91191 Gif-sur-Yvette, France