Growth mode and self-organization of LuPc2on Si(001)-2×1vicinal surfaces: An optical investigation

We report an investigation of the initial growth and of the self-organization of lutetium biphthalocyanine LuPc2 on Si(001)-2 x 1 vicinal surfaces. Using surface-sensitive optical spectroscopies, namely, surface-difference-reflectance spectroscopy (SDRS) and reflectance-anisotropy spectroscopy (RAS), together with local-probe microscopies, we are able to propose a scenario for the growth mode up to about 20 nm. We demonstrate that the growth mode initially proceeds through the formation of a wetting layer, followed by the formation of clusters whose sizes increase while keeping a constant shape in which the molecules are inclined. Moreover, the LuPc2 molecules are self-organized along the s…

High Tolerance of Double-Decker Phthalocyanine Towards Molecular Oxygen

Grafting, self-organization and reactivity of double-decker rare-earth phthalocyanine

Unveiling the interplay of semiconducting organic molecules with their environment, such as inorganic materials or atmospheric gas, is the first step to designing hybrid devices with tailored optical, electronic or magnetic properties. The present article focuses on a double-decker lutetium phthalocyanine known as an intrinsic semiconducting molecule, holding a Lu ion in its center, sandwiched between two phthalocyanine rings. Carrying out experimental investigations by means of electron spectroscopies, X-ray diffraction and scanning probe microscopies together with advanced ab initio computations, allows us to unveil how this molecule interacts with weakly or highly reactive surfaces. Our…

New Quadratic Self-Assembly of Double-Decker Phthalocyanine on Gold(111) Surface : From Macroscopic to Microscopic Scale

Unveiling the self-organization mechanism of semiconducting organic molecules onto metallic surfaces is the first step to design hybrid devices in which the self-assembling is exploited to tailor magnetic properties. In this study, double-decker rare-earth phthalocyanines, namely, lutetium phthalocyanine (LuPc2), are deposited on Au(111) gold surface forming large-scale self-assemblies. Global and local experimental techniques, namely, grazing incidence X-ray diffraction and scanning tunneling microscopy, supplemented by density functional theory calculations with van der Waals corrections, give insight into the molecular structural arrangement of the thin film and the self organization at …

High Tolerance of Double-Decker Phthalocyanine toward Molecular Oxygen

Because organic electronics suffer from degradation-inducing oxidation processes, oxygen-tolerant organic molecules could solve this issue and be integrated to improve the stability of devices during operation. In this work, we investigate how lutetium double-decker phthalocyanine (LuPc2) reacts toward molecular oxygen and we report microscopic details of its interaction with LuPc2 film by combining X-ray photoemission spectroscopy, near-edge X-ray absorption fine structure spectroscopy, and density functional theory. Surprisingly, LuPc2 molecules are found to weakly physisorb below 120 K and appear rather inert to molecular oxygen at more elevated temperatures. We are able to draw a micros…

When the Grafting of Double Decker Phthalocyanines on Si(100)-2 × 1 Partly Affects the Molecular Electronic Structure

International audience; A combined X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), scanning tunneling microscopy (STM), and density functional theory (DFT) study has been performed to characterize the adsorbate interaction of lutetium biphthalocyanine (LuPc2) molecules on the Si(100)-2 × 1 surface. Large molecule–substrate adsorption energies are computed and are found to compete with the molecule–molecule interactions of the double decker molecules. A particularly good matching between STM images and computed ones confirms the deformation of the molecule upon the absorption process. The comparison between DFT calculations and XP spectra reveals that the electronic distribution in the two plateaus …