Molecules 2012, 17(9), 10119-10130; https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules170910119
Dry Etching of Copper Phthalocyanine Thin Films: Effects on Morphology and Surface Stoichiometry
1
Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB T6G 2V4, Canada
2
NRC-National Institute for Nanotechnology, Edmonton, AB T6G 2M9, Canada
*
Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Received: 16 July 2012 / Revised: 16 August 2012 / Accepted: 20 August 2012 / Published: 24 August 2012
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Tetrapyrroles, Porphyrins and Phthalocyanines)
Abstract
We investigate the evolution of copper phthalocyanine thin films as they are etched with argon plasma. Significant morphological changes occur as a result of the ion bombardment; a planar surface quickly becomes an array of nanopillars which are less than 20 nm in diameter. The changes in morphology are independent of plasma power, which controls the etch rate only. Analysis by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy shows that surface concentrations of copper and oxygen increase with etch time, while carbon and nitrogen are depleted. Despite these changes in surface stoichiometry, we observe no effect on the work function. The absorbance and X-ray diffraction spectra show no changes other than the peaks diminishing with etch time. These findings have important implications for organic photovoltaic devices which seek nanopillar thin films of metal phthalocyanine materials as an optimal structure. View Full-Text
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This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY 3.0).
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Van Dijken, J.G.; Brett, M.J. Dry Etching of Copper Phthalocyanine Thin Films: Effects on Morphology and Surface Stoichiometry. Molecules 2012, 17, 10119-10130.
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