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Krajňák T, Stará V, Procházka P, Planer J, Skála T, Blatnik M, Čechal J. Robust Dipolar Layers between Organic Semiconductors and Silver for Energy-Level Alignment. ACS APPLIED MATERIALS & INTERFACES 2024; 16:18099-18111. [PMID: 38551398 PMCID: PMC11009919 DOI: 10.1021/acsami.3c18697] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/13/2023] [Revised: 03/13/2024] [Accepted: 03/13/2024] [Indexed: 04/12/2024]
Abstract
The interface between a metal electrode and an organic semiconductor (OS) layer has a defining role in the properties of the resulting device. To obtain the desired performance, interlayers are introduced to modify the adhesion and growth of OS and enhance the efficiency of charge transport through the interface. However, the employed interlayers face common challenges, including a lack of electric dipoles to tune the mutual position of energy levels, being too thick for efficient electronic transport, or being prone to intermixing with subsequently deposited OS layers. Here, we show that monolayers of 1,3,5-tris(4-carboxyphenyl)benzene (BTB) with fully deprotonated carboxyl groups on silver substrates form a compact layer resistant to intermixing while capable of mediating energy-level alignment and showing a large insensitivity to substrate termination. Employing a combination of surface-sensitive techniques, i.e., low-energy electron microscopy and diffraction, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, and scanning tunneling microscopy, we have comprehensively characterized the compact layer and proven its robustness against mixing with the subsequently deposited organic semiconductor layer. Density functional theory calculations show that the robustness arises from a strong interaction of carboxylate groups with the Ag surface, and thus, the BTB in the first layer is energetically favored. Synchrotron radiation photoelectron spectroscopy shows that this layer displays considerable electrical dipoles that can be utilized for work function engineering and electronic alignment of molecular frontier orbitals with respect to the substrate Fermi level. Our work thus provides a widely applicable molecular interlayer and general insights necessary for engineering of charge injection layers for efficient organic electronics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tomáš Krajňák
- CEITEC—Central
European Institute of Technology, Brno University
of Technology, Purkyňova 123, 612 00 Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Veronika Stará
- CEITEC—Central
European Institute of Technology, Brno University
of Technology, Purkyňova 123, 612 00 Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Pavel Procházka
- CEITEC—Central
European Institute of Technology, Brno University
of Technology, Purkyňova 123, 612 00 Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Jakub Planer
- CEITEC—Central
European Institute of Technology, Brno University
of Technology, Purkyňova 123, 612 00 Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Tomáš Skála
- Department
of Surface and Plasma Science, Faculty of Mathematics and Physics, Charles University, V Holešovičkách 2, 180 00 Prague 8, Czech Republic
| | - Matthias Blatnik
- CEITEC—Central
European Institute of Technology, Brno University
of Technology, Purkyňova 123, 612 00 Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Jan Čechal
- CEITEC—Central
European Institute of Technology, Brno University
of Technology, Purkyňova 123, 612 00 Brno, Czech Republic
- Institute
of Physical Engineering, Brno University of Technology, Technická 2896/2, 616 69 Brno, Czech Republic
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Procházka P, Čechal J. ProLEED Studio: software for modeling low-energy electron diffraction patterns. J Appl Crystallogr 2024; 57:187-193. [PMID: 38322724 PMCID: PMC10840303 DOI: 10.1107/s1600576723010312] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/20/2023] [Accepted: 11/29/2023] [Indexed: 02/08/2024] Open
Abstract
Low-energy electron diffraction patterns contain precise information about the structure of the surface studied. However, retrieving the real space lattice periodicity from complex diffraction patterns is challenging, especially when the modeled patterns originate from superlattices with large unit cells composed of several symmetry-equivalent domains without a simple relation to the substrate. This work presents ProLEED Studio software, built to provide simple, intuitive and precise modeling of low-energy electron diffraction patterns. The interactive graphical user interface allows real-time modeling of experimental diffraction patterns, change of depicted diffraction spot intensities, visualization of different diffraction domains, and manipulation of any lattice points or diffraction spots. The visualization of unit cells, lattice vectors, grids and scale bars as well as the possibility of exporting ready-to-publish models in bitmap and vector formats significantly simplifies the modeling process and publishing of results.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pavel Procházka
- CEITEC – Central European Institute of Technology, Brno University of Technology, Brno, Purkyňova 123, 61200, Czechia
| | - Jan Čechal
- CEITEC – Central European Institute of Technology, Brno University of Technology, Brno, Purkyňova 123, 61200, Czechia
- Institute of Physical Engineering, Brno University of Technology, Brno, Technická 2896/2, 61669, Czechia
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Procházka P, Čechal J. Visualization of molecular stacking using low-energy electron microscopy. Ultramicroscopy 2023; 253:113799. [PMID: 37364403 DOI: 10.1016/j.ultramic.2023.113799] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/02/2022] [Revised: 05/24/2023] [Accepted: 06/19/2023] [Indexed: 06/28/2023]
Abstract
The design of metal-organic interfaces with atomic precision enables the fabrication of highly efficient devices with tailored functionality. The possibility of fast and reliable analysis of molecular stacking order at the interface is of crucial importance, as the interfacial stacking order of molecules directly influences the quality and functionality of fabricated organic-based devices. Dark-field (DF) imaging using Low-Energy Electron Microscopy (LEEM) allows the visualization of areas with a specific structure or symmetry. However, distinguishing layers with different stacking orders featuring the same diffraction patterns becomes more complicated. Here we show that the top layer shift in organic molecular bilayers induces measurable differences in spot intensities of respective diffraction patterns that can be visualized in DF images. Scanning Tunneling Microscopy (STM) imaging of molecular bilayers allowed us to measure the shift directly and compare it with the diffraction data. We also provide a conceptual diffraction model based on the electron path differences, which qualitatively explains the observed phenomenon.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pavel Procházka
- CEITEC - Central European Institute of Technology, Brno University of Technology, Purkyňova 123, 612 00 Brno, Czechia.
| | - Jan Čechal
- CEITEC - Central European Institute of Technology, Brno University of Technology, Purkyňova 123, 612 00 Brno, Czechia; Institute of Physical Engineering, Brno University of Technology, Technická 2896/2, 616 69 Brno, Czechia
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Jiménez-Martín A, Gallardo A, de la Torre B. Coverage-modulated halogen bond geometry transformation in supramolecular assemblies. NANOSCALE 2023; 15:16354-16361. [PMID: 37786923 DOI: 10.1039/d3nr03899h] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/04/2023]
Abstract
Halogen bonding (HB) has emerged as a promising route for designing supramolecular assemblies due to its directional nature and versatility in modifying interactions through the choice of halogens and molecular entities. Despite this, methods for tuning these interactions on surfaces, particularly in terms of directionality, are limited. In this study, we present a strategy for tuning the directionality of self-assembly processes in homomolecular organic compounds on inert metal surfaces. A variety of halogen-halogen geometries can promote highly-extended one-dimensional or two-dimensional self-assembly depending on the molecular coverage. Our results indicate that under lower molecular coverage conditions, robust one-dimensional (1D) structures promote the self-assembly of halogen-bonded molecules on Au(111). At certain coverage, a transformation from type-I to synthon halogen bonding is observed, leading to an extended hexagonal pattern of molecular assembly. The atomistic details of the structures are experimentally studied using high-resolution atomic force microscopy and supported by first-principle calculations. We employed DFT to evaluate the interplay between electrostatics and dispersion forces driving both type-I and synthon assemblies. The results reveal a halogen-bond geometry transformation induced by a subtle balance of molecule-molecule interaction. Finally, we investigate the capability of the halogen-bonded supramolecular assembly to periodically confine electronic quantum states and single atoms. Our findings demonstrate the versatility of sigma-bonding in regulating molecular assembly and provide new insights for tailoring functional molecular structures on an inert metal substrate.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alejandro Jiménez-Martín
- Regional Centre of Advanced Technologies and Materials, Czech Advanced Technology and Research Institute (CATRIN), Palacký University Olomouc, 78371 Olomouc, Czech Republic.
- Faculty of Nuclear Sciences and Physical Engineering, Czech Technical University, 11519 Prague, Czech Republic
- Institute of Physics, Czech Academy of Sciences, 16200 Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Aurelio Gallardo
- Institute of Physics, Czech Academy of Sciences, 16200 Prague, Czech Republic
- IMDEA Nanoscience, 28049 Madrid, Spain.
| | - Bruno de la Torre
- Regional Centre of Advanced Technologies and Materials, Czech Advanced Technology and Research Institute (CATRIN), Palacký University Olomouc, 78371 Olomouc, Czech Republic.
- Institute of Physics, Czech Academy of Sciences, 16200 Prague, Czech Republic
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Ye M, Kuo MJ, Lobo RF. Biphenyl dicarboxylates from ethene and bifuran dimethyl esters. MOLECULAR CATALYSIS 2023. [DOI: 10.1016/j.mcat.2023.112949] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/21/2023]
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Zahl P, Yakutovich AV, Ventura-Macías E, Carracedo-Cosme J, Romero-Muñiz C, Pou P, Sadowski JT, Hybertsen MS, Pérez R. Hydrogen bonded trimesic acid networks on Cu(111) reveal how basic chemical properties are imprinted in HR-AFM images. NANOSCALE 2021; 13:18473-18482. [PMID: 34580697 DOI: 10.1039/d1nr04471k] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
High resolution non-contact atomic force microscopy measurements characterize assemblies of trimesic acid molecules on Cu(111) and the link group interactions, providing the first fingerprints utilizing CO-based probes for this widely studied paradigm for hydrogen bond driven molecular self assembly. The enhanced submolecular resolution offered by this technique uniquely reveals key aspects of the competing interactions. Accurate comparison between full-density-based modeled images and experiment allows to identify key structural elements in the assembly in terms of the electron-withdrawing character of the carboxylic groups, interactions of those groups with Cu atoms in the surface, and the valence electron density in the intermolecular region of the hydrogen bonds. This study of trimesic acid assemblies on Cu(111) combining high resolution atomic force microscopy measurements with theory and simulation forges clear connections between fundamental chemical properties of molecules and key features imprinted in force images with submolecular resolution.
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Affiliation(s)
- Percy Zahl
- Center for Functional Nanomaterials, Brookhaven National Laboratory, Upton, NY 11973-5000, USA.
| | - Aliaksandr V Yakutovich
- Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Science and Technology (Empa), nanotech@surfaces laboratory, CH-8600 Dübendorf, Switzerland
| | - Emiliano Ventura-Macías
- Departamento de Física Teórica de la Materia Condensada, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, E-28049 Madrid, Spain
| | - Jaime Carracedo-Cosme
- Departamento de Física Teórica de la Materia Condensada, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, E-28049 Madrid, Spain
- Quasar Science Resources S.L., Camino de las Ceudas 2, E-28232 Las Rozas, Madrid, Spain
| | - Carlos Romero-Muñiz
- Departamento de Física Teórica de la Materia Condensada, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, E-28049 Madrid, Spain
- Department of Physical, Chemical and Natural Systems, Universidad Pablo de Olavide, Ctra. Utrera Km. 1, E-41013, Seville, Spain
| | - Pablo Pou
- Departamento de Física Teórica de la Materia Condensada, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, E-28049 Madrid, Spain
- Condensed Matter Physics Center (IFIMAC), Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, E-28049 Madrid, Spain.
| | - Jerzy T Sadowski
- Center for Functional Nanomaterials, Brookhaven National Laboratory, Upton, NY 11973-5000, USA.
| | - Mark S Hybertsen
- Center for Functional Nanomaterials, Brookhaven National Laboratory, Upton, NY 11973-5000, USA.
| | - Rubén Pérez
- Departamento de Física Teórica de la Materia Condensada, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, E-28049 Madrid, Spain
- Condensed Matter Physics Center (IFIMAC), Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, E-28049 Madrid, Spain.
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