Directly probing the hybrid bonding of styrene on Cu111

The interfacial electronic structure of chemisorbed styrene on Cu(111) was successfully investigated with two-photon photoemission spectroscopy. We observed unoccupied states 3.5 eV above the Fermi level and occupied states 2.0 eV below the Fermi level. Polarization results reveal that the occupied and unoccupied states arise from bonding and antibonding orbitals formed by hybridization of copper (surface state and d-band orbitals) and styrene (pi1* and pi2* orbitals).     

The electronic structures of Co and Ni tetraazaannulenes

We compare the electronic structure of two metal-centered tetramethyldibenzo-tetraazaannulene (TMTAA) macrocyclic complex molecules: 5,7,12,14- tetramethyl-2,3:9,10-dibenzo[b,i]-1,4,8,11-tetraazacyclotetradecine nickel (II) and 5,7,12,14-tetramethyl-2,3:9,10-dibenzo[b,i]-1,4,8,11-tetraazacyclotetradecine cobalt (II). The experimental gap between the highest occupied molecular orbital to the lowest unoccupied molecular orbital for both molecules, obtained from combined ultraviolet photoemission and inverse photoemission studies, is close to the value of 6.6 eV expected from simple model calculations, but with the Fermi level placed closer to the lowest unoccupied molecular orbital. While both the Co(II) (s = 1/2) and Ni(II) (s = 0) TMTAA molecular electronic structures are very similar, the Ni(II) adopts a high-symmetry molecular configuration upon adsorption, with a strong preferential orientation.     

Effects of fluorination on electronic and excited states of fused zinc oligoporphyrins

Density functional theory (DFT) has been applied to study the effect of fluorination on the electronic and excited states of fused zinc oligoporphyrins in the search for new functionalizing materials, such as n-type organic semiconductors. The excitation spectra of meso-tetrafluoro, beta-octafluoro, and perfluoro zinc porphyrins, and their triply meso-meso-, beta-beta, and beta-beta-linked fluorinated zinc oligoporphyrins were systematically examined using the time-dependent DFT method. The effect of the perfluorination on the zinc porphyrin (ZnP) causes the maximum 1.12 eV and 1.42 eV drops for the highest occupied and lowest unoccupied molecular orbital (HOMO and LUMO, respectively) levels, respectively. The electronic and excitation features of the fluorinated ZnPs are almost similar to the unfluorinated ones. However, the large antibonding contribution of the meso-fluorines disturbs the stabilization of the HOMO, resulting in a more effective reduction of both the HOMO-LUMO gaps and the lowest Q excitation energies with the increasing number of porphyrins compared to the unfluorination and the other types of fluorinations. It is found that the infinite fused fluorinated ZnP tapes with narrow gap (approximately = 0.1 eV-0.2 eV) as predicted by using the periodic-DFT level are slightly inferior to the near-zero gap semimetallic unfluorinated ZnP tape as a conducting molecular wire. The combination of the condensation and the meso- and/or beta-fluorination of ZnP can finely tune the LUMO level to the Fermi level of the electrodes for fabrication of n-type conducting materials. The fused fluoro-oligoporphyrins may then become new n-type organic semiconductors, provided they are well crystallized with a high electron mobility, such as the recently synthesized perfluoropentacene.     

Electronic structure of C60 on Au(887)

We present an analysis of the electronic structure of C60 adsorbed on a vicinal Au(111) surface at different fullerene coverages using photoemission, x-ray absorption, and scanning tunneling microscopy/spectroscopy (STS). STS provides a straightforward determination of the highest occupied molecular orbital (HOMO) and the lowest unoccupied molecular orbital (LUMO) levels with respect to the Fermi energy. At C60 coverages of 0.5 and 1 ML a 2.7 eV wide HOMO-LUMO gap is found. The near-edge x-ray absorption fine structure (NEXAFS) spectrum for the 0.5 ML C60 nanomesh structure displays a significant intensity at the low energy side of the LUMO exciton peak, which is explained as due to absorption into HOMO-LUMO gap states localized at individual C60 cluster edges. From 0.5 to 1 ML we observe a rigid shift of the HOMO-LUMO peaks in the STS spectra and an almost complete quenching of the gap states feature in NEXAFS.     

Charge transfer characteristics of F6TCNNQ–gold interface

The metal–organic interface between polycrystalline gold and hexafluorotetracyanonaphthoquinodimethane (F₆TCNNQ) was investigated by photoelectron spectroscopy with the focus on the charge transfer characteristics from the metal to the molecule. The valence levels, as well as the core levels of the heterojunction, indicate a full electron transfer and a change in the chemical environment. The changes are observed in the first F₆TCNNQ layers, whereas for further film growth, only neutral F₆TCNNQ molecules could be detected. New occupied states below the Fermi level were observed in the valence levels, indicating a lowest unoccupied molecular orbital (LUMO) occupation due to the charge transfer. A fitting of the spectra reveals the presence of a neutral and a charged F₆TCNNQ molecules, but no further species were present.     

Synthesis and Characterization of Diketopyrrolopyrrole‐based D‐π‐A‐π‐D Small Molecules for Organic Solar Cell Applications

Four new small molecules – CTDP , BCTDP , CFDP , and BCFDP having D‐π‐A‐π‐D molecular architecture, possessing carbazole and benzocarbazole as electron donors, diketopyrrolopyrrole core as acceptor and thiophene/furan acting as spacer/bridge between donor (carbazole and benzocarbazole) and acceptor (diketopyrrolopyrrole) units are synthesized. All the four compounds exhibited absorption in the range of 300 to 700 nm, and, in particular, more intense absorption found in the 500 to 660 nm region. The estimated band gaps are found to be 1.92 eV for CTDP, 1.92 eV for BCTDP, 1.94 eV for CFDP, and 1.92 eV for BCFDP from their intersection point of absorption and emission spectra. The electrochemical studies revealed that the highest occupied molecular orbital/lowest unoccupied molecular orbital energy levels of all the four compounds, CTDP (−5.03/−3.65 eV), BCTDP (−5.03/−3.65 eV), CFDP (−4.94/−3.65 eV), and BCFDP (−4.90/−3.62 eV) are well matched with PCBM and expected to be act as donor materials in small molecule bulk hetero junction organic solar cells. All the compounds are thermally stable up to 382–416°C.     

The mechanism of formation and specifics of fragmentation for negative molecular ions of allylsilanes

The processes of formation of negative ions by allylsilane molecules were studied by resonanceelectron-capture mass spectrometry, and photoelectron spectra of these compounds were obtained. It was experimentally found that the overwhelming majority of fragment negative ions are produced in the energy range ～6–10 eV. It was shown that the resonance-electron-capture mass spectrum is almost entirely described by one or two series of intershell resonances due to excitation of an electron successively from several higher occupied orbitals to the lower unoccupied π molecular orbital.     

Revisit of trinickel metal string complexes [Ni3L4X2] (L = dipyridylamido,diazaphenoxazine; X = NCS,CN) for quantum transport

Metal string complexes contain a linear metal‐atom chain in which the metal centers are coordinated by four equatorial and two axial ligands. With a variety of transition‐metal elements and ligands, the structural framework drives the flourishing of molecular design and properties. The one‐dimensional configuration makes the compounds suitable for the studies of quantum transport across molecular junctions. In this study, we report the conductance measurements and transmission spectra of three trinickel metal strings, [Ni₃(dpa)₄(NCS)₂] ( 1 ), [Ni₃(dzp)₄(NCS)₂] ( 2 ), and [Ni₃(dpa)₄(CN)₂] ( 3 ) (Hdpa = dipyridylamine, Hdzp, diazaphenoxazine) in which 1 is a prototypical compound, dzp of 2 represents an equatorial ligand more rigid than dpa of 1 , and ─CN is an axial ligand with a ligand‐field effect stronger than ─NCS of 1 . Measurement results of molecular junctions for 1 , 2 , and 3 are 2.69, 3.24, and 17.4 MΩ, respectively. The highest occupied molecular orbital and lowest unoccupied molecular orbital (HOMO–LUMO) gaps calculated by density functional theory in the gas phase for 1 , 2 , and 3 are about 2.65, 2.34, and 3.85 eV, respectively. Zero‐bias transmission spectra of 1 – 3 show that transmission peaks lie just above E_Fermi (the Fermi energy of the gold electrode), suggesting LUMO‐dominant transport pathways. The transmission peaks at E_Fermi are associated with LUMO+2 found in the gas phase. LUMOs in the free space are located at nearly 1 eV below E_Fermi. The shift of molecular orbitals from their isolated form and the alignment of LUMO+2 with the electrode Fermi level manifest the importance and significant of the electrodes' self‐energy on electron transport.     

Scanning tunneling microscopy and scanning tunneling spectroscopy studies of planar and nonplanar naphthalocyanine on graphite (0001). Part 2: tip-sample distance-dependent I-V spectroscopy

Tip-sample distance-dependent current-voltage tunneling spectroscopy on monolayers of base-free naphthalocyanine (Nc), a planar molecule, and tin-naphthalocyanine (SnNc), a nonplanar molecule, has been studied on a freshly cleaved highly oriented pyrolytic graphite (HOPG) surface using a variable-temperature STM at 50 K under ultra-high vacuum conditions. The current-voltage curves show an unsymmetrical diode-like nature especially at large tip-sample distances in both cases. Normalized differential conductivity of all spectra has been considered for further analysis. The ionization and electron affinity levels are compared with the single-molecule local density of states (LDOS) near the Fermi energy using a theoretical calculation for Nc and SnNc. A tip-sample distance-dependent highest occupied molecular orbital-lowest unoccupied molecular orbital (HOMO-LUMO) gap shrinking is observed in the case of Nc, in which the filled levels of the molecules are pinned while the unfilled levels near the Fermi energy are shifting toward lower energy. In contrast, there is no such HOMO-LUMO gap shrinking in the case of the SnNc decreasing tip-sample distance. However, a subsequent increase in the tunneling current was observed by almost 1 order of magnitude compared with Nc. A model is proposed to explain this phenomenon where the Nc-graphite interface is considered as a pure capacitive interface.     

1-Phenyl-1-propyne on Cu(111): TOFMS TPD, XPS, UPS, and 2PPE Studies

The bonding properties of 1-phenyl-1-propyne (PP, C6H5CCCH3) on Cu(111) at 100 K have been studied using temperature-programmed desorption (TPD), and X-ray, ultraviolet, and two-photon photoemission spectroscopies (XPS, UPS, and 2PPE). In TPD, there is no evidence for dissociation. Multilayer desorption occurs at 187 K, and monolayer desorption occurs at 320 (83.5 kJ/mol) and 390 K (102.4 kJ/mol), with the latter dominating. Based on the calibrated C(1s) XPS, the saturation monolayer coverage is one PP per four surface Cu atoms. The broad and asymmetric C(1s) intensity profile of the monolayer can be resolved into three symmetric components, with peaks at 283.6, 284.5, and 285.2 eV and intensities of 2:6:1, respectively. These are attributed, respectively, to acetylenic carbons bound to Cu, phenyl, and methyl carbons. The monolayer valence band ultraviolet photoemission spectrum profile contains four resonances attributable to PP perturbed by interactions with the Cu(111) substrate. With the exception of the highest occupied molecular orbital (HOMO) that is shifted by 0.4 eV, these are uniformly shifted by 1 eV further from the Fermi level for the multilayer. Calculated electron density plots of the occupied orbitals coupled with UPS profiles suggest a spectator role for the phenyl group and bonding to Cu via the acetylenic carbons. The adsorption of 1.0 monolayer (ML) of PP on Cu(111) lowers the work function by 0.85 eV. Using 2PPE, two unoccupied orbitals were identified at 1.0 (U1*-LUMO) and 0.6 eV (U2*-image state) below the vacuum level. A chemisorption model consistent with these spectroscopic results and the major chemisorption peak in TPD involve di-sigma-bonding of the acetylenic carbons to a pair of second-nearest neighbor surface Cu atoms (cross-bridge).     

Photoabsorption spectra of Ti8C12 metallocarbohedrynes: Theoretical spectroscopy within time-dependent density functional theory

The photoabsorption spectra of several of the most stable isomers of the Ti8C12 metallocarbohedryne are calculated using time-dependent density functional theory. Several ground-state magnitudes have been also calculated, such as cohesive energies, electronic gaps between the highest occupied and lowest unoccupied molecular orbitals, and static polarizabilities. Since significant differences are found among the photoabsorption spectra of the different isomers in the low energy region (0-5 eV), we propose the comparison of experimental and the calculated absorption spectra as a tool to elucidate the isomers that appear to form in the experiments. Between 10 and 13 eV all the spectra show a region of high absorption that we identify as due to collective electronic excitations. The existence of this prominent feature explains the occurrence of delayed ionization and delayed ion emission phenomena observed in previous experiments.     

Scanning tunneling microscopy, orbital-mediated tunneling spectroscopy, and ultraviolet photoelectron spectroscopy of metal(II) tetraphenylporphyrins deposited from vapor.

Thin films of vapor-deposited Ni(II) and Co(II) complexes of tetraphenylporphyrin (NiTPP and CoTPP) were studied supported on gold and embedded in Al-Al(2)O(3)-MTPP-Pb tunnel diodes, where M = Ni or Co. Thin films deposited onto polycrystalline gold were analyzed by ultraviolet photoelectron spectroscopy (UPS) using He I radiation. Scanning tunneling microscopy (STM) and orbital-mediated tunneling spectroscopy (STM-OMTS) were performed on submonolayer films of CoTPP and NiTPP supported on Au(111). Inelastic electron tunneling spectroscopy (IETS) and OMTS were measured in conventional tunnel diode structures. The highest occupied pi molecular orbital of the porphyrin ring was seen in both STM-OMTS and UPS at about 6.4 eV below the vacuum level. The lowest unoccupied pi molecular orbital of the porphyrin ring was observed by STM-OMTS and by IETS-OMTS to be located near 3.4 eV below the vacuum level. The OMTS spectra of CoTPP had a band near 5.2 eV (below the vacuum level) that was attributed to transient oxidation of the central Co(II) ion. That is, it is due to electron OMT via the half-filled d(z)(2) orbital present in Co(II) of CoTPP. The NiTPP OMTS spectra show no such band, consistent with the known difficulty of oxidation of the Ni(II) ion. The STM-based OMTS allowed these two porphyrin complexes to be easily distinguished. The present work is the first report of the observation of STM-OMTS, tunnel junction OMTS, and UPS of the same compounds. Scanning tunneling microscope-based orbital-mediated tunneling provides more information than UPS or tunnel junction-based OMTS and does so with molecular-scale resolution.     

Energy level alignment at interfaces between 3-(4-biphenylyl)-4-phenyl-5-(4-tert-butyl phenyl)-1, 2, 4-triazole (TAZ) and metals (Ca,Mg, Ag,and Au): experiment and theory

We have performed ultraviolet photoelectron spectroscopy measurements and density functional theory calculations to study the electronic structure at the interface between organic semiconductor (3-(4-biphenylyl)-4-phenyl-5-(4-tert-butyl phenyl)-1,2,4-triazole (TAZ)) and metals (Ca, Mg, Ag, and Au). The basic mechanism of interface states at organic–metal interfaces can be understood by controlling the injection of charge carriers at these interfaces. The position of highest occupied molecular orbital relative to the Fermi level and the magnitude of the interface dipole are measured for each organic–metal interface. For TAZ on Ca, Mg, and Ag, interface states are observed near the Fermi level. However, no interface state is observed for TAZ on Au. It is analyzed qualitatively that the interface state is formed due to interaction of TAZ lowest unoccupied molecular orbital composed of C2p and metal s levels. It is suggested that the interface state plays an important role in charge transport at the interface. The mechanism of formation of interface states and electrical properties are discussed.     

Electron transport in a pi-stacking molecular chain

We have investigated the electronic structure and transport properties of a pi-stacking molecular chain which is covalently bonded to a H/Si(100) surface, using the first-principles density functional theory approach combined with Green's function method. The highest occupied molecular orbital (HOMO) dispersion is remarkably reduced, but remains noticeable ( approximately 0.1 eV), when a short pi-stacking styrene wire is cut from an infinitely long wire and sandwiched between metal electrodes. We find that the styrene chain's HOMO and lowest unoccupied molecular orbital (LUMO) states are not separated from Si, indicating that it does not work as a wire. By substituting -NO2 or -NH2 for the top -H of styrene, we are able to shift the position of the HOMO and LUMO with respect to the Fermi level. More importantly, we find that the HOMO of styrene-NH2 falls into the band gap of the substrate and is localized in the pi-stacking chain, which is what we need for a wire to be electrically separated from the substrate. The conductance of such an assembly is comparable to that of Au/benzene dithiolate/Au wire based on chemical bonding, and its tunability makes it a promising system for a molecular device.     

Long-range sigma-pi interactions in tetrahydro-4H-thiopyran end-capped oligo(cyclohexylidenes). Photo-electron spectroscopy, ab initio SCF MO calculations, and natural bond orbital analyses

Long-range sigma-pi interactions in tetrahydro4H-thiopyran end-capped oligo(cyclohexylidenes) were identified by He(I) photoelectron spectroscopy (PES) and ab initio RHF/6-31G* calculations. The vertical ionization energies Ivj of the highest occupied molecular orbitals (MO's) were assigned using Koopmans' theorem (Iv,j = -epsilonj) and by correlation with the ionizations of related reference compounds. The experimental (PES) and theoretical (RHF/6-31G*) results are in good agreement. For tercyclohexylidene derivatives which contain two nonconjugated pi-bonds splittings deltaIv,j of the pi-bands in the range from approximately 0.5 to 0.7 eV (delta-epsilonj approximately 0.6 to 0.9 eV). For the bi- and tercyclohexylidene compounds containing two sulfur atoms at their alpha- and omega-end positions the pi-type sulfur lone pair bands [Lppi(S)] split significantly by deltaIvj approximately 0.3 to 0.4 eV (delta-epsilonj approximately 0.3 to 0.4 eV), i.e. sigma-pi interactions over distances of ca. 8 and 12 A, respectively, occur. The magnitude of the interactions and the observed splittings are independent of the anti and syn conformations of the oligo(cyclohexylidene) hydrocarbon skeletons. RHF/6-31G* Natural Bond Orbital analyses reveal that the Hax-C-C-Hax precanonical MO's (PCMO's) centered on the cyclohexyl-type rings are paramount for the relay of the through-bond sigma-pi interactions; no through-space sigma-pi interactions were identified.     

Manipulating the electronic structures of silicon carbide nanotubes by selected hydrogenation

We show that the electronic and atomic structures of silicon carbide nanotubes (SiCNTs) undergo dramatic changes with hydrogenation from first-principles calculations based on density-functional theory. The exo-hydrogenation of a single C atom results in acceptor states close to the highest occupied valence band of pristine SiCNT, whereas donor states close to the lowest unoccupied conduction band appear as a Si atom being hydrogenated. Upon fully hydrogenating Si atoms, (8,0) and (6,6) SiCNTs become metallic with very high density of states at the Fermi level. The full hydrogenation of C atoms, on the other hand, increases the band gap to 2.6 eV for (8,0) SiCNT and decreases the band gap to 1.47 eV for (6,6) SiCNT, respectively. The band gap of SiCNTs can also be greatly increased through the hydrogenation of all the atoms.     

COT-H在金属Ru表面上沉积的光电子能谱分析

采用紫外光电子能谱（UPS），分析了不对称四苯基四苯乙炔基环辛四烯（COT H）有机发光材料与金属之间的界面电子结构，研究了在金属/COT H界面上的逸出功变化.UPS谱中位于费米能级以下5.6、7.9和10.2 eV处的三个谱峰分别来自于COT H材料中苯环的πCC、σCC和σCH轨道.位于3.8 eV处的谱峰反映了八个苯环聚合后具有π轨道特性的C－C键.从UPS谱图中可以看到， COT H材料的最高占有态（HOS：highest occupied state）位于费米能级以下1.8 eV处.COT H材料的逸出功只有3.2 eV，比清洁Ru表面的逸出功小1.0 eV.角分辨紫外光电子能谱（ARUPS）的结果表明,组成COT H分子应该近似平行于衬底表面.     

Analysis of the Electronic Structure of Aqueous Urea and Its Derivatives: A Systematic Soft X‐Ray–TD‐DFT Approach

Soft X‐ray emission (XE), absorption (XA), and resonant inelastic scattering (RIXS) experiments have been conducted at the nitrogen K‐edge of urea and its derivatives in aqueous solution and were compared with density functional theory and time‐dependent density functional theory calculations. This comprehensive study provides detailed information on the occupied and unoccupied molecular orbitals of urea, thiourea, acetamide, dimethylurea, and biuret at valence levels. By identifying the electronic transitions that contribute to the experimental spectral features, the energy gap between the highest occupied and the lowest unoccupied molecular orbital of each molecule is determined. Moreover, a theoretical approach is introduced to simulate resonant inelastic X‐ray scattering spectra by adding an extra electron to the lowest unoccupied molecular orbital, thereby mimicking the real initial state of the core‐electron absorption before the subsequent relaxation process.     

Innenrücktitelbild: Developing Conjugated Polymers with High Electron Affinity by Replacing a C?C Unit with a B←N Unit (Angew. Chem. 12/2015)

The key parameters of conjugated polymers are lowest unoccupied molecular orbital (LUMO) and highest occupied molecular orbital (HOMO) energy levels. Few approaches can simultaneously lower LUMO and HOMO energy levels of conjugated polymers to a large extent (>0.5 eV). Disclosed herein is a novel strategy to decrease both LUMO and HOMO energy levels of conjugated polymers by about 0.6 eV through replacement of a C C unit by a B←N unit. The replacement makes the resulting polymer transform from an electron donor into an electron acceptor, and is proven by fluorescence quenching experiments and the photovoltaic response. This work not only provides an effective approach to tune the LUMO/HOMO energy levels of conjugated polymers, but also uses organic boron chemistry as a new toolbox to develop conjugated polymers with high electron affinity for polymer optoelectronic devices.     

Developing Conjugated Polymers with High Electron Affinity by Replacing a CC Unit with a B←N Unit

The key parameters of conjugated polymers are lowest unoccupied molecular orbital (LUMO) and highest occupied molecular orbital (HOMO) energy levels. Few approaches can simultaneously lower LUMO and HOMO energy levels of conjugated polymers to a large extent (>0.5 eV). Disclosed herein is a novel strategy to decrease both LUMO and HOMO energy levels of conjugated polymers by about 0.6 eV through replacement of a C? C unit by a B←N unit. The replacement makes the resulting polymer transform from an electron donor into an electron acceptor, and is proven by fluorescence quenching experiments and the photovoltaic response. This work not only provides an effective approach to tune the LUMO/HOMO energy levels of conjugated polymers, but also uses organic boron chemistry as a new toolbox to develop conjugated polymers with high electron affinity for polymer optoelectronic devices.