RESUMO
The fundamentals of the energy level alignment at anode and cathode electrodes in organic electronics are described. We focus on two different models that treat weakly interacting organic/metal (and organic/organic) interfaces: the induced density of interfacial states model and the so-called integer charge transfer model. The two models are compared and evaluated, mainly using photoelectron spectroscopy data of the energy level alignment of conjugated polymers and molecules at various organic/metal and organic/organic interfaces. We show that two different alignment regimes are generally observed: (i) vacuum level alignment, which corresponds to the lack of vacuum level offsets (Schottky-Mott limit) and hence the lack of charge transfer across the interface, and (ii) Fermi level pinning where the resulting work function of an organic/metal and organic/organic bilayer is independent of the substrate work function and an interface dipole is formed due to charge transfer across the interface. We argue that the experimental results are best described by the integer charge transfer model which predicts the vacuum level alignment when the substrate work function is above the positive charge transfer level and below the negative charge transfer level of the conjugated material. The model further predicts Fermi level pinning to the positive (negative) charge transfer level when the substrate work function is below (above) the positive (negative) charge transfer level. The nature of the integer charge transfer levels depend on the materials system: for conjugated large molecules and polymers, the integer charge transfer states are polarons or bipolarons; for small molecules' highest occupied and lowest unoccupied molecular orbitals and for crystalline systems, the relevant levels are the valence and conduction band edges. Finally, limits and further improvements to the integer charge transfer model are discussed as well as the impact on device design.
RESUMO
In organic-based (opto)electronic devices, charge injection into conjugated materials is governed to a large extent by the metal-organic interface dipole. Controlling the injection of charges requires a better understanding of the fundamental origin of the interface dipole. In this context, photoelectron spectroscopies and density functional theory calculations are used to investigate the interaction between para-phenylenediamine (PPDA), an electron donor, and a polycrystalline nickel surface. The interface dipole formed upon chemisorption of one PPDA monolayer strongly modifies the work function of the nickel surface from 5.10 to 3.55 eV. The work function decrease of 1.55 eV is explained by the electron-donor character of PPDA and the modification of the electronic density at the metal surface. PPDA monolayers are composed of tilted molecules interacting via the nitrogen lone-pair and PPDA molecules chemisorbed parallel to the surface via their pi-electron density. Annealing the monolayer leads to dehydrogenation of PPDA activated by the nickel surface, as found for other amines.
RESUMO
High-resolution x-ray photoelectron emission (XPS) and near-edge x-ray absorption fine structure (NEXAFS) spectra of naphthalene are analyzed in terms of the initial state chemical shifts and the vibrational fine structure of the excitations. Carbon atoms located at peripheral sites experience only a small chemical shift and exhibit rather similar charge-vibrational coupling, while the atoms in the bridging positions differ substantially. In the XPS spectra, C-H stretching modes provide important contributions to the overall shape of the spectrum. In contrast, the NEXAFS spectrum contains only vibrational progressions from particular C-C stretching modes. The accuracy of ab initio calculations of absolute electronic transition energies is discussed in the context of minute chemical shifts, the vibrational fine structure, and the state multiplicity.
