Molecular Orientation and Structural Transformations in Phthalic Anhydride Thin Films on MgO(100)/Ag(100)

Structural control of organic thin films on dielectric substrates is the key to tailoring the physical properties of hybrid materials, for example, for application in solar energy conversion, molecular electronics, or catalysis. In this work, we investigate the molecular orientation of phthalic anhy...

Ausführliche Beschreibung

Bibliographische Detailangaben
Veröffentlicht in:Langmuir : the ACS journal of surfaces and colloids. - 1992. - 31(2015), 28 vom: 21. Juli, Seite 7806-14
1. Verfasser: Mohr, Susanne (VerfasserIn)
Weitere Verfasser: Xu, Tao, Döpper, Tibor, Laurin, Mathias, Görling, Andreas, Libuda, Jörg
Format: Online-Aufsatz
Sprache:English
Veröffentlicht: 2015
Zugriff auf das übergeordnete Werk:Langmuir : the ACS journal of surfaces and colloids
Schlagworte:Journal Article
Beschreibung
Zusammenfassung:Structural control of organic thin films on dielectric substrates is the key to tailoring the physical properties of hybrid materials, for example, for application in solar energy conversion, molecular electronics, or catalysis. In this work, we investigate the molecular orientation of phthalic anhydride (PAA) films on atomically well-defined MgO(100) on Ag(100) using temperature-programmed infrared reflection absorption spectroscopy (TP-IRAS) in combination with density-functional theory (DFT). A robust procedure is presented to determine the orientation of the PAA molecules, which relies on the intensity ratios of vibrational bands only. We show that even at deposition temperatures of 110 K, the PAA multilayer grows with a specific molecular orientation; that is, the PAA molecular plane is preferentially aligned parallel with the MgO surface. No change of molecular orientation occurs up to a temperature of 145 K. Between 145 and 160 K, the film restructures adopting a nearly flat-lying molecular orientation. Between 170 and 205 K, the film undergoes a second structural transition to a crystalline phase. This transition is associated with a pronounced molecular reorientation. The molecules adopt a tilted orientation and, simultaneously, rotate around their C2 axes. The reorientation behavior suggests that the molecular orientation in the crystalline phase is controlled by the interaction with the MgO(100) substrate. At higher temperature, no further restructuring is observed until the PAA multilayer desorbs at temperatures above 230 K
Beschreibung:Date Completed 24.09.2015
Date Revised 21.07.2015
published: Print-Electronic
Citation Status PubMed-not-MEDLINE
ISSN:1520-5827
DOI:10.1021/acs.langmuir.5b01392