4D scanning transmission electron microscopy (4D-STEM) reveals crystallization mechanisms of organic semiconductors on graphene

Research output: Contribution to journalResearch articleContributedpeer-review

Contributors

  • Zixuan Guo - , Pennsylvania State University (Author)
  • Colin Ophus - , Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (Author)
  • Karen C. Bustillo - , Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (Author)
  • Ryan Fair - , Pennsylvania State University (Author)
  • Stefan C.B. Mannsfeld - , Chair of Organic Devices (cfaed), Faculty of Physics (Author)
  • Alejandro L. Briseno - , United States Navy (Author)
  • Enrique D. Gomez - , Pennsylvania State University (Author)

Abstract

Organic semiconductor materials exhibit properties that enable use in various electrical devices, such as organic solar cells and field-effect transistors. It is challenging, however, to control molecular packing at organic–organic interfaces and also characterize the morphology at buried interlayers. Here, we demonstrate via vertical physical vapor transport the ability to grow single-crystalline bilayer organic semiconductors on graphene using two small molecules: zinc phthalocyanine (ZnPc), and 3, 4, 9, 10-perylenetetracarboxylic dianhydride (PTCDA). We employ 4D-scanning transmission electron diffraction (4D-STEM) to directly observe the orientation distribution of ZnPc and PTCDA crystallites on graphene, explaining the different growth mechanisms of organic molecules on graphene substrates, and we predict the morphology of the stacked ZnPc/PTCDA heterojunctions. Graphical abstract: [Figure not available: see fulltext.]

Details

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)47-54
Number of pages8
JournalMRS communications
Volume13
Issue number1
Publication statusPublished - Feb 2023
Peer-reviewedYes

Keywords

Research priority areas of TU Dresden

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Keywords

  • Crystallization, Morphology, Scanning transmission electron microscopy (STEM), Semiconducting

Library keywords