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X-ray microscopic investigation of molecular orientation in a hole carrier thin film for organic solar cells

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Abstract

As dipyranylidenes are excellent hole carriers, applications in organic solar cells or organic light emitting diode are envisaged. In the present study, we investigate the morphology of 2,2′,6,6′-tetraphenyl-4,4′-dipyranylidene (DIPO-Ph4) deposited under vacuum on a silicon nitride (Si3N4) substrate, a paradigmatic system for the study of molecular crystal/inorganic substrate interfaces. Samples with various coating ratios and different thermal treatments were prepared. The films were characterized by atomic force microscopy and scanning transmission X-ray microscopy to gain insight into material growth. The results show a change in orientation at a molecular level depending upon the evaporation conditions. We are now able to tailor an organic layer with a specific molecular orientation and a specific electronic behavior.

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Acknowledgements

Q. A. thanks the LABEX MiChem for funding his PhD grant. The authors express their thanks to PolLux beamline (PSI) for their technical support and to HERMES team (SOLEIL) for the great help during the experiments.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Laboratoire de Chimie Physique Matière et Rayonnement (LCPMR), UMR 7614, Sorbonne Universités, UPMC Univ Paris 06, Paris, F-75005, France

    Quentin Arnoux & François Rochet

  2. Institut Parisien de Chimie Moléculaire (IPCM), UMR 8232, Sorbonne Universités, UPMC Univ Paris 06, Paris, F-75005, France

    Quentin Arnoux & Ludovic Tortech

  3. Laboratoire d’Innovation en Chimie des Surfaces et Nanosciences (LICSEN), NIMBE, UMR 3685, CEA Saclay, Gif-sur-Yvette, F-91191, France

    Quentin Arnoux & Ludovic Tortech

  4. Paul Scherrer Institute, Villigen Psi, 5232, Switzerland

    Benjamin Watts

  5. Synchrotron SOLEIL, L’Orme des Merisiers, Saint-Aubin, BP 48, Gif-sur-Yvette, F-91192, France

    Sufal Swaraj & François Rochet

Authors
  1. Quentin Arnoux
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  2. Benjamin Watts
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  3. Sufal Swaraj
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  4. François Rochet
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  5. Ludovic Tortech
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Correspondence to Quentin Arnoux or Ludovic Tortech.

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Arnoux, Q., Watts, B., Swaraj, S. et al. X-ray microscopic investigation of molecular orientation in a hole carrier thin film for organic solar cells. Nano Res. 11, 2771–2782 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12274-017-1907-6

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12274-017-1907-6

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