Surface plasmon fluorescence investigation of energy-transfer-controllable organic thin films

Thin functional organic films on a gold substrate were fabricated by adsorbing tetrakis(carboxyphenyl)porphyrin (TCPP) on a spacer layer, which was prepared by the layer-by-layer adsorption of a dendrimer and a linear polymer. The thickness and photoluminescence of the films were investigated by surface plasmon resonance and surface plasmon fluorescence techniques, respectively. TCPP adsorbed on the spacer layer in aqueous solutions of different ionic strengths resulted in a thick TCPP adlayer at high ionic strength and a shrunk spacer layer at low ionic strength. The fluorescence was quenched at high ionic strength but could be observed at low ionic strength. The effects are explained by the states of dye aggregation. This study shows the control of energy transfer from a metal surface to a dye layer by changing the dye adlayer. It can contribute to the development of molecular devices involving energy-transfer systems.     

Thermal stability of surface freezing films in Ga-based alloys: an x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and scanning tunneling microscopy study

We have investigated the thickness and surface structure of surface freezing films in Ga-Bi and Ga-Pb alloys over a wide temperature range between room temperature and the respective surface freezing transitions by x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and scanning tunnelling microscopy (STM). For the example of a Ga-Bi alloy dilute in Bi, XPS measurements show that the surface freezing film has a nearly constant value of approximately 25 A between the surface freezing temperature of 130 degrees C and room temperature if the sample is cooled slowly (5 Kh). On heating to 130 degrees C the film thickness exhibits a clear hysteresis on melting. On quenching the alloy sample (>100 Kh) the film thickness increases by almost a factor of 10. These observations indicate that the surface freezing films are metastable. The surface structure of the surface freezing films of various Ga-rich Ga-Bi and Ga-Pb alloys has been probed for the first time by STM at different temperatures below and above the bulk eutectic point. Atomically resolved STM images show the surface structures of pure Bi (0001) and Pb (111), respectively, at room temperature. On heating above the eutectic temperature the surface structure of the films does not change significantly as judged from the size and thickness of Pb or Bi terraces. These observations together with the film thickness variation with temperature indicate that the surface freezing films behave like a metastable independent surface phase. These results together with the wetting characteristics of these alloys suggest that surface freezing in these systems is a first order surface phase transition between wetting and metastable surface freezing films. The energy barrier for nucleation is strongly reduced due to a lowering of the interfacial energy if the nucleus is completely immersed in the respective wetting layer.     

Buried interfacial layer of highly oriented molecules in copper phthalocyanine thin films on polycrystalline gold

The growth of copper phthalocyanine thin films evaporated on polycrystalline gold is examined in detail using near edge x-ray absorption fine structure spectroscopy and surface sensitive x-ray photoemission spectroscopy. The combination of both methods allows distinguishing between the uppermost layers and buried interface layers in films up to approximately 3 nm thickness. An interfacial layer of approximately 3 ML of molecules with an orientation parallel to the substrate surface was found, whereas the subsequent molecules are perpendicular to the metal surface. It was shown that even if the preferred molecular orientation in thin films is perpendicular, the buried interfacial layer can be oriented differently.     

Electronically-coupled MM quadruply-bonded complexes of molybdenum and tungsten

The reaction of M2(O2CBu(t))4 (M = Mo, W) with a dicarboxylic acid in toluene yields compounds of general formula [M2]-O2C-X-CO2-[M2] ([M2] = M2(O2CBu(t))3; X = conjugated spacer). The M2 units are electronically coupled via interactions between the M2 delta and dicarboxylate pi* orbitals, and the magnitude of this coupling is revealed by electronic structure calculations and spectroscopic data. These compounds show intense metal to ligand charge transfer (MLCT) absorptions in the visible region of the electronic spectrum that are temperature and solvent dependent. Evidence of electronic coupling is seen in their cyclic voltammograms, which show two successive one-electron oxidations. The extent of electronic coupling in the mixed valence radical cations [M2]-O2C-X-CO2-[M2]+, generated by oxidation with one equivalent of AgPF6 or FeCp2PF6, is evaluated by EPR and UV-vis-NIR spectroscopic data, and delocalized behavior is observed in compounds with W2 units separated by up to 13.6 angstroms. The simplicity of the frontier M2 orbital interactions with the bridge pi orbitals provides a convenient system with which to study electron transfer in mixed valence systems, as compared to the extensively studied, but more complicated, dinuclear t(2g)6/t(2g)5 mixed valence compounds. Oligomeric and polymeric compounds incorporating M2 units have also been synthesized, having general formula [M2(O2CR)2(O2C-Thio-CO2)]n (Thio = n-hexyl substituted ter- and quinque-thiophenes). They can be deposited as thin films by spin coating, and show photoluminescence and electroluminescence. These metallo-polythiophenes show potential for application in electronic materials. (     

Anodic behavior of iron, cobalt, and nickel silicides in alkaline electrolytes

Anodic behavior of iron, cobalt, and nickel silicides with different silicon-to-metal ratios and that of pure silicon are studied in NaOH and NaOH + KCl electrolytes using cyclic voltammetry and x-ray photo-electron spectroscopy. Basic silicide dissolution regularities are revealed and compositions of the surface films are examined. Despite a high silicon solubility in alkaline electrolytes, due to protective properties of the surface oxide film of a complex composition, the silicides exhibit good anodic stability.     

Crystallographic and morphological characterization of thin pentacene films on polycrystalline copper surfaces

The degree of crystallinity, the structure and orientation of crystallites, and the morphology of thin pentacene films grown by vapor deposition in an ultrahigh vacuum environment on polycrystalline copper substrates have been investigated by x-ray diffraction and tapping-mode scanning force microscopy (TM-SFM). Depending on the substrate temperature during deposition, very different results are obtained: While at 77 K a long-range order is missing, the films become crystalline at elevated temperatures. From a high-resolution x-ray-diffraction profile analysis, the volume-weighted size of the crystallites perpendicular to the film surface could be determined. This size of the crystallites increases strongly upon changing temperature between room temperature and 333 K, at which point the size of individual crystallites typically exceeds 100 nm. In this temperature region, three different polymorphs are identified. The vast majority of crystallites have a fiber texture with the (001) net planes parallel to the substrate. In this geometry, the molecules are oriented standing up on the substrate (end-on arrangement). This alignment is remarkably different from that on single-crystalline metal surfaces, indicating that the growth is not epitaxial. Additionally, TM-SFM images show needlelike structures which suggest the presence of at least one additional orientation of crystallites (flat-on or edge-on). These results indicate that properties of thin crystalline pentacene films prepared on technologically relevant polycrystalline metal substrates for fast electronic applications may be compromised by the simultaneous presence of different local molecular aggregation states at all temperatures.     

Amorphous-to-crystalline transformation of ultrathin Fe Layers:57Fe Mössbauer study of artificial multilayers

Multilayered films consisting of ultrathin Fe layers with spacer layers of other materials, such as Mg, Nd, or C, have been prepared by using vacuum deposition techniques. The properties of Fe layers have been investigated from⁵⁷Fe Mössbauer spectroscopy. If the stacking is nonepitaxial, the structure of the Fe layers is amorphous as long as the thickness is less than a critical value. It is found that a structural transformation from amorphous to crystalline (bcc) generally takes place in the course of nonepitaxial film growth.     

Structure and morphology of coevaporated pentacene-perfluoropentacene thin films

The structural properties of coevaporated thin films of pentacene (PEN) and perfluoropentacene (PFP) on SiO(2) were studied using x-ray reflectivity and grazing incidence x-ray diffraction. Reciprocal space maps of the coevaporated thin films with different volume fractions reveal the coexistence of two different molecular mixed PEN-PFP phases together with the pure PEN and PFP crystallites. The crystal structure of PEN:PFP blends does not change continuously with volume fraction, instead the proportion of the appropriate phases changes, as seen from the diffraction analysis. Additional temperature dependent experiments reveal that the fraction of the two mixed PEN-PFP phases varies with growth temperature. The λ-phase (molecular plane parallel to the substrate) is metastable and induced by low growth temperature. The σ-phase (molecular plane nearly perpendicular to the substrate) is thermally stable and nucleates predominantly at high growth temperatures.     

系列烷基多硫化物形成的摩擦膜和热膜的XANES分析

采用X射线吸收精细结构光谱(XANES)对不同硫含量的系列烷基多硫化物与钢表面在70 ℃和150 ℃反应的热膜以及摩擦膜进行了分析. 结果表明, 在70 ℃和150 ℃下生成的热膜的主要成分是FeSO4或Fe2(SO4)3, 温度的升高会增大生成的热膜厚度; 生成的摩擦膜成分主要是铁的硫酸盐、二硫化铁和亚砜的混合物. 添加剂分子中硫含量的提高可以增大生成的热膜和摩擦膜的厚度.     

[NiFe/Cu/Co/Cu]n纳米多层线的电化学制备及表征

采用电沉积法,在阳极氧化铝(AAO)模板中制备了[NiFe/Cu/Co/Cu]_n多层纳米线.利用扫描电子显微镜(SEM)及透射电子显微镜(TEM)对纳米多层线的表面形貌及结构进行了表征,纳米线阵列高度有序、直径均一、层状结构清晰,NiFe层厚度约40 nm,Cu层厚度约60 nm,Co层厚度约15 nm,各子层厚度可控.利用X射线能谱分析仪(EDS)对纳米多层线NiFe层的成分进行了测试,Ni,Fe的原子比为4:1.利用X射线衍射仪(XRD)对[NiFe/Cu/Co/Cu]_n纳米多层膜和多层线结构进行了测试,多层膜为面心立方(fcc)结构,多层线NiFe层为面心立方(fcc)结构,Cu层为六方密排hcp(100),Co层为面心立方(fcc)结构.与组成、结构完全相同的多层膜相比,[NiFe/Cu/Co/Cu]_n多层纳米线具有更优越的巨磁电阻性能.     

X-ray scattering by black foam films

The x-ray scattering by the three types of black foam films (common black, Newton black, and stratified black films) was experimentally studied. A special device in which flat black films with an area of ca. 2 cm² can be produced was developed and x-ray diffraction patterns were obtained by a vertical diffractometer. The three types of films differ significantly in their x-ray reflections, which proves that they have different structure. For common black films, the comparison of observed and calculated intensities lead to a model, which corresponds to the three-layer model. The Newton black films exhibit diffraction trace with only one highly asymetric peak and there is, as of yet, no unambigous interpretation. The patterns of the stratified black films have several pronounced sharp peaks corresponding to the areas of different films with a given thickness.     

Magnetostatic Coupling in CoFe2O4/Pb(Zr0.53Ti0.47)O3 Magnetoelectric Composite Thin Films of 2-2 Type Structure

CoFe₂O₄/Pb(Zr_0.53Ti_0.47)O₃ (CFO/PZT) magnetoelectric composite thin films of 2-2 type structure had been prepared onto Pt/Ti/SiO₂/Si substrate by a sol-gel process and spin coat-ing technique. The structure of the prepared thin film is substrate/PZT/CFO/PZT/CFO. Two CFO ferromagnetic layers are separated from each other by a thin PZT layer. The upper CFO layer is magnetostatically coupled with the lower CFO layer. Subsequent scan-ning electron microscopy (SEM) investigations show that the prepared thin films exhibit good morphologies and compact structure, and cross-sectional micrographs clearly display a multilayered nanostructure of multilayered thin films. The composite thin films exhibit both good magnetic and ferroelectric properties. The spacing between ferromagnetic layers can be varied by adjusting the thickness of intermediate PZT layer. It is found that the strength of magnetostatic coupling has a great impact on magnetoelectric properties of composite thin films, i.e., the magnetoelectric voltage coefficient of composite thin film tends to increase with the decreasing of pacing between two neighboring CFO ferromagnetic layers as a result of magnetostatic coupling effect.     

Quantum size effects in the low temperature layer-by-layer growth of Pb on Ge(0 0 1)

The electronic properties of thin metallic films deviate from the corresponding bulk ones when the film thickness is comparable with the wavelength of the electrons at the Fermi level. This phenomenon, referred to as quantum size effect (QSE), is also expected to affect the film morphology and structure leading to the “electronic growth” of metals on semiconductors. Such effect may be observed when metals are grown on substrates held at low temperature and are manifested through the occurrence of “magical” thickness islands or critical thickness for layer-by-layer growth. In particular, layer-by-layer growth of Pb(1 1 1) films has been reported for deposition on Ge(0 0 1) below 130 K. An extremely flat morphology is preserved throughout deposition from four up to a dozen of monolayers. These flat films are shown to be metastable and to reorganize into large clusters uncovering the first Pb layer pseudomorphic to the underlying Ge(0 0 1) substrate already at room temperature. Indications of QSE induced structural variations of the growing films have been reported for Pb growth on both Si(1 1 1) and Ge(0 0 1). In the latter case, the apparent height of the Pb(1 1 1) monatomic step was shown to change in an oscillatory fashion by He atom scattering (HAS) during layer-by-layer growth at low temperature. The extent of the structural QSE has been obtained by a comparison of the HAS data with X-ray diffraction (XRD) and reflectivity experiments. Whereas step height variations as large as 20% have been measured by HAS reflectivity, the displacement of the atomic planes from their bulk position, as measured by XRD, has been found to mainly affect the topmost Pb layer, but with a lower extent, i.e. the QSE observed by HAS are mainly due to a perpendicular displacement of the topmost layer charge density. The effect of the variable surface relaxation on the surface vibration has been studied from the acoustic dispersion of the low energy phonons, as measured by inelastic HAS.     

Boundary effects on the electrical conductivity of pure and doped cerium oxide thin films

Thin films of CeO(2) (both nominally pure and 10 mol% gadolinium-doped) grown via pulsed-laser deposition were studied. The electrical conductivity of the samples was measured as a function of thickness, temperature and oxygen partial pressure (pO(2)) using impedance spectroscopy. As expected, undoped CeO(2) exhibits electronic conductivity (with activation energy between 1.4 and 1.6 eV) whereas the highly doped samples are oxygen vacancy conductors (activation energy around 0.7 eV for epitaxial films). In order to investigate the influence of the nature of the substrate the thin films were grown on two different substrates, Al(2)O(3) (0001) and SiO(2) (0001), and compared. While the films grown on SiO(2) exhibit a microstructure characterized by columnar grains, the films grown on Al(2)O(3) are epitaxial. Notably, for films on both substrates the conductivity and activation energy vary with film thickness and exhibit remarkable differences when the films on different substrates are compared. In the case of the polycrystalline films (SiO(2) substrate), the space charge layer effects of the grain boundaries dominate over the substrate-film interface effect. In the case of the epitaxial films (Al(2)O(3) substrate), a small interface effect, probably due to a space charge layer or structural strain, is observed.     

Pulsed Laser Deposition ZnS Buffer Layers for CIGS Solar Cells

Polycrystalline ZnS films were prepared by pulsed laser deposition （PLD） on quartz glass substrates under different growth conditions at different substrate temperatures of 20, 200, 400, and 600 ℃, which is a suitable alternative to chemical bath deposited （CBD） CdS as a buffer layer in Cu（In,Ga）Se2 （CIGS） solar cells. X-ray diffraction studies indicate the films are polycrystalline with zinc-blende structure and they exhibit preferential orientation along the cubic phase β-ZnS （111） direction, which conflicts with the conclusion of wurtzite structure by Murali that the ZnS films deposited by pulse plating technique was polycrystalline with wurtzite structure. The Raman spectra of grown films show Al mode at approximately 350 cm^-1, generally observed in the cubic phase β-ZnS compounds. The planar and the cross-sectional morphology were observed by scanning electron microscopic. The dense, smooth, uniform grains are formed on the quartz glass substrates through PLD technique. The grain size of ZnS deposited by PLD is much smaller than that of CdS by conventional CBD method, which is analyzed as the main reason of detrimental cell performance. The composition of the ZnS films was also measured by X-ray fluorescence. The typical ZnS films obtained in this work are near stoichiometric and only a small amount of S-rich. The energy band gaps at different temperatures were obtained by absorption spectroscopy measurement, which increases from 3.2 eV to 3.7 eV with the increasing of the deposition temperature. ZnS has a wider energy band gap than CdS （2.4 eV）, which can enhance the blue response of the photovoltaic cells. These results show the high-quality of these substitute buffer layer materials are prepared through an all-dry technology, which can be used in the manufacture of CIGS thin film solar cells.     

Epitaxy and thermal behaviour of metastable metal films

We demonstrate the complexity of metal-on-metal epitaxy. Low-energy ion scattering and medium-energy electron diffraction were used to study the growth, structure and thermal stability of iron deposited on a Cu(001) surface. The system exhibits as a function of film thickness a rich variety of morphological and structural phases. At smallest coverages (< 2 ML) iron does not grow layer-by-layer at room temperature. Iron is even partially incorporated into the copper substrate. Near 2 ML the substrate is covered for the most part (90%) with Fe and at even higher coverages layer-by-layer growth occurs, leading to well-ordered fcc iron films. Above 10 ML a structural phase transition into the bcc equilibrium modification is observed. All of the deposited films exhibit additional thermal metastability. Heating the samples causes enrichment of the surface with copper, resulting in a Cu/Fe/Cu sandwich morphology with a Cu overlayer of initially monoatomic height on top of the iron layers, which remain essentially intact. The onset temperature of Cu diffusion depends on the film thickness, but is always far below the values for regular bulk diffusion.     

Adhesive liquid-crystalline polymers

The synthesis and characterization of liquid-crystalline polymers with possible good adhesive properties is reported. These polymers are prepared by alternating copolymerization of maleic anhydride and mesogenic alkenes. The spacer length m is varied (m = 2, 3, 4, 6, 8 and 9) and methoxybiphenyl is used as the mesogenic group. The glass transition temperature decreases and the isotropization temperature increases with spacer length. Depending on the spacer length and temperature, S_B and S_Ad mesophases can be observed. After annealing, spin-coated films of these polymers show very regular layered structures with a layer spacing similar to that in the bulk.     

Polymer films on metals investigated by optical second harmonic generation

In two different types of experiments, polymer films on gold substrates were investigated by optical second harmonic generation (SHG). Thickness dependent ex situ measurements on Langmuir-Blodgett films of the octadecylammonium salt of polyamic acid (PACS) show a preferential orientation of the polymer molecules. In situ SHG experiments were performed to monitor the growth of polyamic acid films deposited from the gas phase. Pyromellitic dianhydride (PMDA), 4,4-oxydianiline (ODA), and 4,4-diaminodiphenyl disulfide (DAPS) served as monomers. Similar to the Langmuir-Blodgett films, an oriented growth is observed. The thickness dependence of the SHG signal is strongly dependent on the interfacial chemistry which is very different for the two amines used as monomers. Based on a comprehensive three layer model, the relation between the structure of the films and the SHG signal is discussed.     

Measuring the electronic structure of disordered overlayers by electron momentum spectroscopy: the Cu/Si interface

The Cu? Si interface was studied by electron momentum spectroscopy. A thick disordered interface is formed if one material is deposited on the other. Electron momentum spectroscopy measures intensity as a function of binding energy and target electron momentum. Momentum resolution is demonstrated to be very helpful in interpreting the data, even for these disordered interfaces. The interface layer has a well‐defined electronic structure, different from either Si or Cu, and consistent with silicide formation. Information is obtained about the total bandwidth of the interface compound, effective Brillouin zone size and Fermi radius. No clear differences are observed in the electronic structure of the interface layer for Si deposited on Cu or Cu deposited on Si. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Thickness measurement of semiconductor thin films by energy dispersive X-ray fluorescence benchtop instrumentation: Application to GaN epilayers grown by molecular beam epitaxy

The importance of thin films in modern high technology products, such as semiconductors, requires fast and non-destructive analysis. A methodology to determine the thickness of single layers with benchtop energy dispersive X-ray fluorescence (EDXRF) instrumentation is described and tested following analytical validation criteria. The experimental work was carried out on gallium nitride thin films epitaxially grown on sapphire substrate. The results of samples with layers in the range from 400 to 1000 nm exhibit a good correlation with the layer thickness determined by optical reflectance. Spectral data obtained using thin layered samples indicate the possibility to precisely evaluate layer thickness from 5 nm, with a low relative standard deviation (RSD < 2%) of the results. In view of the limits of optical reflectance for very thin layer determination, EDXRF analysis offers the potential for the thickness determination of such kind of samples.