Role of the substrate thickness for the structural properties of organic-organic heterostructures

F₁₆CuPc deposited on pentacene is characterized by the coexistence of two different configurations: F₁₆CuPc is found in the standing up phase (“s-configuration”) on top of pentacene terraces and in a lying down phase (“l-configuration”) at pentacene step edges. By combining AFM and grazing incidence X-ray diffraction we show that the ratio between F₁₆CuPc in l- and s-configurations increases with thickness of the pentacene substrate film, demonstrating the role of the pentacene steps as nucleation centers for the F₁₆CuPc l-configuration. Experiments performed with ultra-thin pentacene thicknesses disclose that the F₁₆CuPc l-configuration does not grow on top of the first and second pentacene layers, pointing to the action of long-range interactions with the substrate.