Modeling disordered morphologies in organic semiconductors

Organic thin film devices are investigated for many diverse applications, including light emitting diodes, organic photovoltaic and organic field effect transistors. Modeling of their properties on the basis of their detailed molecular structure requires generation of representative morphologies, many of which are amorphous. Because time‐scales for the formation of the molecular structure are slow, we have developed a linear‐scaling single molecule deposition protocol which generates morphologies by simulation of vapor deposition of molecular films. We have applied this protocol to systems comprising argon, buckminsterfullerene, N,N‐Di(naphthalene‐1‐yl)‐N,N'‐diphenyl‐benzidine, mer‐tris(8‐hydroxy‐quinoline)aluminum(III), and phenyl‐C₆₁‐butyric acid methyl ester, with and without postdeposition relaxation of the individually deposited molecules. The proposed single molecule deposition protocol leads to formation of highly ordered morphologies in argon and buckminsterfullerene systems when postdeposition relaxation is used to locally anneal the configuration in the vicinity of the newly deposited molecule. The other systems formed disordered amorphous morphologies and the postdeposition local relaxation step has only a small effect on the characteristics of the disordered morphology in comparison to the materials forming crystals. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.     

Growth-related properties and postgrowth phenomena in organic molecular thin films

The problem of monitoring the structural and morphological evolutions of thin films of organic molecular materials during their growth by organic molecular beam epitaxy and in the postgrowth stage is addressed here by a combination of in situ optical reflectance anisotropy measurements, ex situ optical and morphological investigations, and theoretical simulation of the material optical response. For alpha-quaterthiophene, a representative material in the class of organic molecular semiconductors, the results show that molecules crystallize in the first stage of growth in metastable structures, even when deposition is carried out at room temperature. In the postdeposition stage, the film structure evolves within a few days to the known equilibrium structure of the low temperature polymorph. When deposition is carried out at low substrate temperatures, an evolution of the film morphology is also demonstrated.     

Hyperthermal organic thin film growth on surfaces terminated with self-assembled monolayers. I. The dynamics of trapping

We have examined the initial stages of growth of a crystalline small molecule organic thin film, diindenoperylene (DIP), on SiO(2) surfaces terminated with a series of self-assembled monolayers (SAMs). In this study we make use of supersonic molecular beam techniques to vary the incident kinetic energy of the DIP molecules, and we use in situ, real time synchrotron x-ray scattering to monitor the buildup of each molecular layer in the growing thin film. We find that the effects of the SAMs are most apparent concerning growth in the sub-monolayer regime, before the substrate is entirely covered by the DIP thin film. In this coverage regime on bare SiO(2), and SiO(2) terminated with either hexamethyldisilazane or perflurooctyltrichlorosilane the adsorption dynamics are consistent with trapping-mediated adsorption as observed in more simple systems, where the probability of adsorption decreases significantly with increasing kinetic energy. Once these surfaces are covered with DIP, however, the adsorption probability increases, particularly at the highest incident kinetic energy, and the probability of adsorption exhibits only a weak dependence on the incident kinetic energy. In contrast, on surfaces terminated by octyl- (OTS) and octadecyltrichlorosilane (ODTS) the trapping probability is high and exhibits little dependence on the incident kinetic energy, essentially the same as what is observed on these same surfaces covered by DIP. We postulate, which is backed by the results of molecular dynamics simulations, that direct molecular insertion into the OTS and ODTS layers is a primary explanation for efficient trapping on these surfaces.     

Oriented growth of crystalline pentacene films with preferred a-b in-plane alignment on a rubbed crystalline polymethylene surface

We have achieved a growth of highly oriented crystalline pentacene thin films, with preferred a-b in-plane orientation with respect to the rubbing direction of a rubbed polymethylene surface. The polymethylene thin film, generated on a gold surface by gold-catalyzed decomposition of diazomethane, was annealed and gently rubbed in a fixed direction by a flannelette cloth to serve as an alignment layer during the deposition of pentacene molecules. Various surface analysis techniques, including reflection absorption IR spectroscopy (RAIRS), near-edge X-ray absorption fine structure (NEXAFS) spectroscopy, grazing incidence X-ray diffraction (GIXD), and atomic force microscopy were used to elucidate the structural details of the polymethylene and the pentacene thin films deposited on it. Two crystalline morphologies of pentacene thin film were observed: the minor one of rod-like molecular crystals having their long axes of the crystals perpendicular to the rubbing direction, and the dominant one of platelet-like and layered crystals having the molecular axes stand near vertical to the surface. Moreover, GIXD revealed that the rubbing on polymethylene indeed induced a preferential azimuthal alignment of pentacene crystallites. The deposition of pentacene at 25 degrees C led to a twin growth of crystallites with the [110] direction predominately aligned perpendicular to the rubbing direction. In contrast, the pentacene deposition at 50 degrees C produced twinned crystallites of lower twin angle and the [120] direction aligned parallel to the rubbing direction.     

Formation of intra-island grain boundaries in pentacene monolayers

To assess the formation of intra-island grain boundaries during the early stages of pentacene film growth, we studied sub-monolayers of pentacene on pristine silicon oxide and silicon oxide with high pinning centre density (induced by UV/O(3) treatment). We investigated the influence of the kinetic energy of the impinging molecules on the sub-monolayer growth by comparing organic molecular beam deposition (OMBD) and supersonic molecular beam deposition (SuMBD). For pentacene films fabricated by OMBD, higher pentacene island-density and higher polycrystalline island density were observed on UV/O(3)-treated silicon oxide as compared to pristine silicon oxide. Pentacene films deposited by SuMBD exhibited about one order of magnitude lower island- and polycrystalline island densities compared to OMBD, on both types of substrates. Our results suggest that polycrystalline growth of single islands on amorphous silicon oxide is facilitated by structural/chemical surface pinning centres, which act as nucleation centres for multiple grain formation in a single island. Furthermore, the overall lower intra-island grain boundary density in pentacene films fabricated by SuMBD reduces the number of charge carrier trapping sites specific to grain boundaries and should thus help achieving higher charge carrier mobilities, which are advantageous for their use in organic thin-film transistors.     

Study of the growth process of in situ polyaniline deposited films

Polyaniline (PAni) thin films were deposited onto BK7 glass substrates using the in situ deposition technique. The control of the time and the aniline concentration in the PAni polymerization reaction on the film deposition allowed us to prepare films with different thickness, down to approximately 25 nm. The film growth process was monitored by measuring the UV-vis spectra and the AFM height profiles of the film surface. The curves of adsorption kinetics were analyzed with the Avrami's model, yielding an exponent n=3, thus indicating nucleation of spheroids at the initial stages of polymerization that grow through a diffusion process. AFM images of the surface height profiles corroborate this hypothesis, with spheroids growing with no preferred orientation during the in situ deposition.     

Study of the first nucleation steps of thin films by XPS inelastic peak shape analysis

The initial steps in the formation of thin films have been investigated by analysis of the peak shape (both inelastic background and elastic contributions) of X‐ray photoelectron spectra. Surface coverage and averaged height of the deposited particles have been estimated for several overlayers (nanometre range) after successive deposition cycles. This study has permitted the assessment of the type of nucleation and growth mechanisms of the films. The experiments have been carried out in situ in the preparation chamber of an XPS spectrometer. To check the performance of the method, several materials (i.e. cerium oxide, vanadium oxide and cadmium sulfide) have been deposited on different substrates using a variety of preparation procedures (i.e. thermal evaporation, ion beam assisted deposition and plasma enhanced chemical vapour deposition). It is shown that the first deposited nuclei of the films are usually formed by three‐dimensional particles whose heights and degree of surface coverage depend on the chemical characteristics of the growing thin film and substrate materials, as well as the deposition procedure. It is concluded that XPS peak shape analysis can be satisfactorily used as a general method to characterize morphologically the first nanometric moieties that nucleate a thin film. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Surface morphology and biological activity of protein thin films produced by electrospray deposition

Protein thin films were prepared by the electrospray deposition (ESD) method from aqueous solutions of alpha-lactalbumin (alpha-LA) at different concentrations, and their surface morphologies and biological activities were characterized. The surface morphologies of the deposited films were observed using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and atomic force microscopy (AFM). The SEM and AFM images showed that the film surfaces had a fine porous structure, in which the pore diameters ranged from 40 to 600 nm. The biological activities of the cross-linked protein films were tested by the mechanochemical method. The response to calcium ion (Ca(2+)) demonstrated that the biological activity of the films was preserved. These results indicate that the ESD method is potentially useful for the fabrication of active protein thin films. The freestanding protein thin films prepared by ESD and postdeposition cross-linking provide novel options for protein-based biomaterials.     

Characterization and electrochemical deposition of natural melanin thin films

Melanin is an important class of biological pigments because of its distinct chemical and physical properties. The electrochemical deposition of natural melanin thin films was studied using two different techniques; constant potential and cyclic voltammetry along with a deposition time of five hours. The thin films deposited electrochemically on a fluorine-doped tin oxide conductive glass substrate using the constant potential method, exhibited faster growth rate and better adhesion to the fluorine-doped tin oxide working electrodes than those deposited using the cyclic voltammetry method. The thin films deposited on the fluorine-doped tin oxide conductor glass using the constant potential method were also more homogeneous than those deposited via the cyclic voltammetry technique. The increase of film thickness is related to the increase of electrochemical deposition time. Interestingly, the electrochemical deposition using the constant potential method had the advantage of consuming less electric charge. The physical and chemical structures of the melanin thin films were characterized using ultraviolet–visible absorption spectroscopy, Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy, and X-ray diffraction analysis. The ultraviolet–visible absorption spectra showed the correlation between the variation of deposition rates of melanin and the type of electrochemical technique employed as well as the thickness of the film. The average thickness of the film is 500 nm which absorb 40% of light in both type of films. The atomic force microscopy images illustrated the homogeneous deposition of the melanin molecules on the fluorine-doped tin oxide conductive glass substrate, indicating that the thickness of the thin films can be controlled. We estimated an average grain size of 14.093 Å. The ease of preparing such thin films of organic materials can open new avenues towards the use of soft conductors, in contrast to the complex preparation of industrial semiconductors.     

Kinetic Control over Morphology of Nanoporous Graphene on Surface

On-surface synthesis of high-quality nanoporous graphene (NPG) for application in nanotechnology and nanodevices remains challenging. Rational design of molecular precursors and proper kinetic control over the reaction process are the two key factors to tune the synthesis. Herein, we report a detailed study of the coupling reactions of a planar halogen-substituted nanographene molecular precursor, hexaiodo-peri-hexabenzocoronene (I₆-HBC), on the Au(111) surface in the synthesis of NPG. The influence of three basic kinetic processes – molecular adsorption, migration, and coupling – on the synthesis was investigated. The results show that the HBC molecules deposited at low temperature predominantly desorb from the Au(111) surface during the annealing process, whereas depositing the precursor molecules onto a hot surface (700 K) can lead to the formation of NPG. However, at such a high surface temperature, simultaneous intermolecular dehydrogenative coupling between HBC monomers can hinder the ordered growth of NPG through Ullmann coupling. Moreover, the deposition rate of the precursors greatly influences the growth morphology of the NPG nanostructures.     

Growth of organic n-conductors on thin polymer films for use in organic field effect transistors

Thin films of different polymers - poly(styrene) (PS), poly(methylmethacrylate) (PMMA), poly(vinylcarbazole) (PVCz), poly(vinylchloride) (PVC) and poly(vinylidene fluoride) (PVDF) - were deposited by spin-coating or by vapor deposition. On these polymers, thin films of (hexadecafluorophthalocyaninato)-oxovanadium (F₁₆PcVO) were prepared by physical vapor deposition. The growth of these films was monitored in situ by optical spectroscopy. The optical absorbance spectra were analyzed based on the coupling of transition dipoles to obtain information on the intermolecular arrangement of chromophores in the films. In all of these samples, the molecules are oriented with their molecular plane preferentially perpendicular to the substrate surface. This gives the desired overlap of the π-systems for electric conductance parallel to the substrate. Differences in the interactions were detected when deposition temperatures below or above the glass transition temperature of a given polymer were compared. The morphology of the polymer films and the deposited semiconductors were investigated by atomic force microscopy and scanning electron microscopy. The influence of the chosen substrate on the film structure is determined. The optical and electric properties of the films could thereby be influenced and the applicability of such films as active layers in organic thin film transistors is discussed.     

衬底温度对ZnO薄膜生长过程和微结构的影响

从原子尺度上去研究薄膜生长过程中温度对薄膜取向性、缺陷结构以及薄膜完整性的影响和作用规律, 对于解释薄膜生长的物理本质、控制生长条件、提高薄膜制备的质量具有重要意义. 本文应用基于反应力场的分子动力学方法研究了ZnO薄膜(000l)表面作为衬底的薄膜沉积生长过程, 初步讨论了衬底温度(200、500和800 K)变化对沉积较薄ZnO膜质量的影响, 部分结果与实验观察相符. 结果表明, 衬底温度在500 K左右时, 沉积原子结构径向分布函数曲线特征峰尖锐、明显, 有序度较高, 注入和溅射对薄膜完整性影响较小, 沉积形成的薄膜结构稳定而又致密. 在预置衬底表面平坦的情况下薄膜呈现一种链岛状的生长模式, 每原子层均具有两种生长取向, 导致其生长前锋交汇处形成了一种新的有序缺陷.     

Atomistic simulation of the formation of nanoporous silica films via molecular chemical vapor deposition on nonporous substrates

To distinguish thin deposited film characteristics clearly from the influence of substrate morphological properties, the growth mechanism and the macroscale and nanoscale properties of nanoporous SiO(2) films deposited on nonporous silica (SiO(2)) substrates from chemical precursors Si(OH)(4) and TEOS (tetraethoxysilane) via low-pressure chemical vapor deposition are the primary targets of this study. This work employs a kinetic Monte Carlo (KMC) simulation method coupled to the Metropolis Monte Carlo method to relax the strained silica structure. The influence of the deposition temperature (473, 673, and 873 K) on the properties of the SiO(x) layers is addressed via analysis of the film growth rates, density profiles of the deposited thin films, pore size distributions, carbon depth profiles (with respect to TEOS), and voidage analysis for layers of different thicknesses (8-18 nm). A comparison of simulation with experimental results is also carried out.     

Compressed matrix thin film (CMTF)-assisted laser desorption ionization mass spectrometric analysis

The inhomogeneous re-crystallization process of matrix materials is the major concerns associated with matrix assisted laser desorption/ionization (MALDI) analysis. We describe here the approach termed compressed matrix thin film (CMTF) in order to make a uniform matrix deposition. In this approach, solid matrix particles are compressed under 10 MPa of pressure by a compressor that is regularly used in infrared spectroscopic analysis. Then aqueous samples can be deposited on the surface of the matrix film. Major advantages of the CMTF approach are summarized as follows. (1) Reproducible sample preparation procedure. Size and thickness of matrix thin films can be controlled by using a fixed mold.force and known amount of matrix materials. (2) Significantly decreased shot-to-shot variations and enhanced reproducibility. (3) Tolerance for in situ salt washing. Because matrix materials are hydrophobic, salts can be washed away while proteins or peptides are retained on the surface of matrix thin films through hydrophobic interactions. (4) Improved sensitivity. The hydrophobic coating of MALDI sample plate by matrix thin films prevents the spreading of samples across the plate and confines analytes to a small area, leading to increased local concentration. (5) A new means for tissue analysis. Tissue sections can be directly transferred to the uniform surface of matrix materials for reproducible and quantitative comparison of different molecules in different localization. The proposed CMTF should be an enabling technique for mass spectrometric analysis with improved correlations between signal intensities and sample quantities.     

Effect of Substrate Temperature on the Epitaxial Growth of Oriented n-Alkane Thin Films on Graphite

A complex orientational morphology is observed when n-alkane thin films are vapor deposited on highly oriented pyrolytic graphite surfaces. Substrate temperature can be used to tune the orientation and morphology of n-alkane thin films. The molecular orientation changes from lateral to normal to the surface when the substrate temperature is raised sufficiently. Under specific substrate temperature conditions, the n-alkane molecules are aligned in the plane of the sample surface, in directions reflecting the 6-fold symmetry of the graphite substrate. A series of different morphologies, from uniform thin films to oriented bars, are observed as a function of chain length and substrate temperature. The systematic evolution of these oriented morphologies is mapped as a function of deposition conditions, and the kinetic and thermodynamic factors that govern the formation of different in-plane and normal domains are considered.     

Influence of the Deposition Parameters on the Characteristics of Aerosol-Gel Deposited Thin Films

The aerosol-gel process is a thin film deposition process based on the sol-gel polymerisation of a liquid film deposited from an ultrasonically sprayed aerosol. This process offers an attractive alternative for the deposition of sol-gel thin films. The effects of the aerosol deposition route on the film characteristics have been investigated with regard to sol-gel chemistry. TEOS solutions have been studied by viscosimetry and FTIR spectroscopy using an ATR device. Silica xerogel coatings have been studied by transmission FTIR and optical microscopy. Film morphology and uniformity depend closely on the aerosol deposition conditions. The film growth is controlled by a droplet coalescence surface phenomenon.     

Nanoscale Assembly of Paramagnetic Organic Radicals on Au(111) Single Crystals

The successful thin‐film deposition of a pyrene‐substituted nitronyl nitroxide radical under controlled conditions has been demonstrated. The electronic properties, chemical environment at the interface, and morphology of the thin films have been investigated by a multitechnique approach. Spectroscopic and morphological analyses indicate a Stranski–Krastanov growth mode and weak physisorption of molecules onto the metallic surface. Electron spin resonance (ESR) spectroscopy shows that evaporation processes and deposition do not affect the paramagnetic character of the molecules. Useful concepts for the engineering of new, purely organic‐based magnets, which may open the way to fruitful exploitation of organic molecular‐beam deposition for assembly on solid surfaces in view of future technological applications, are presented.     

Dynamics of TIP5P and TIP4P/ice potentials

The dynamics of a thin film of ice Ih deposited on MgO (001) is studied through molecular dynamics simulations performed with two new potential models of ice. This system is chosen because it is possible to compare the results of the simulations to incoherent neutron quasielastic scattering experiments performed few years ago and to previous molecular dynamics simulations using the TIP4P potential model. The present simulations are performed to determine the evolution of the translational and orientational order parameters of the ice film upon temperature increase in the 250-280 K range. They are also used to calculate the translational and orientational diffusion coefficients of the water molecules in the supported film as a function of the temperature. When using the TIP5P potential, the present results show a better agreement with experimental data than those calculated with the TIP4P potential, especially regarding the temperature above which significant changes are obtained in the dynamics of the water film. Similar conclusions are obtained when using the TIP4P/ice potential, although this latter potential clearly underestimates the translational diffusion coefficients.     

Kinetics of surface pyrolysis of a silane–germane gas mixture under conditions of epitaxial film deposition of Si<Subscript>1–<Emphasis Type="Italic">x</Emphasis></Subscript>Ge<Subscript><Emphasis Type="Italic">x</Emphasis></Subscript> solid solutions

Specific features of the pyrolysis of hydride molecules on the surface of a Si_1–x Ge _x film under conditions of epitaxial film deposition of a mixture of silicon and germanium hydrides have been studied. Temperature dependences of the kinetic coefficients responsible for the rate of hydrogen desorption from the Si_1–x Ge _x film surface and the rate of dissociation of gas molecule radicals adsorbed by the surface of the growing film have been obtained for the first time, using the developed kinetic models of surface pyrolysis and the results of engineering experiments in the temperature range 450–800°C. A correlation between the dissociation frequencies of silane and germane molecules, as well as a correlation of the dissociation frequencies with other kinetic parameters of the system were revealed.