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Growth dynamics of pentacene thin films
F J Meyer zu Heringdorf1, M C Reuter, R M Tromp
1IBM T.J. Watson Research Center, Yorktown Heights, New York 10598, USA. meyerzh@us.ibm.com
Nature
|August 3, 2001
Summary
Researchers developed large-grain pentacene thin films for organic optoelectronics. This breakthrough advances the development of practical, high-performance organic electronic devices by mimicking inorganic crystal growth principles.
Area of Science:
- Organic electronics
- Materials science
- Thin-film deposition
Background:
- Single-crystal organic optoelectronic devices show promise but practical applications require cost-effective organic films on diverse substrates.
- Current organic thin films lack the favorable physical properties of single crystals, and their growth principles are poorly understood.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the in situ evolution of pentacene thin films.
- To understand and control the growth and crystallization of organic thin films for device applications.
Main Methods:
- Utilized in situ photoelectron emission microscopy for real-time imaging of pentacene thin film evolution.
- Employed careful substrate preparation and surface energy control to influence film growth.
Main Results:
- Achieved single-crystal grain sizes in pentacene thin films approaching 0.1 mm, a 20-100 fold increase over previous achievements.
- Grown films were large enough to fully encompass a complete organic electronic device.
- Observed that organic thin-film growth closely resembles epitaxial growth in inorganic materials.
Conclusions:
- Strategies for inorganic epitaxial growth can guide the optimization of molecular thin-film devices.
- The ability to grow large-grain single-crystal organic films is crucial for advancing practical organic optoelectronics.
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