The surfaces and electrode interfaces of a polymer blend used in prototype solar cells have been characterized with photoelectron spectroscopy. The polymer blend in question is a 1 : 4 mixture of APFO-3 : PCBM. Based on surface analysis of the pristine film we can conclude that the surface of the blend is a 1 : 1 mixture of APFO-3 and PCBM. The electrode systems studied are the widely used Al and Al/LiF contacts. LiF prevents formation at the Al/organic interface of Al-organic complexes that destroy the -conjugation. In addition to this, there are two other beneficial, thickness dependent, effects. Decomposition of LiF occurs for thin enough layers in which the LiF species are in contact with both the organic film and the Al atoms, which creates a low workfunction contact. For thicker (multi)layers, the dipole formed at the LiF/organic interface is retained as no decomposition of the LiF occurs upon Al deposition.

The schematic visualization of the Alq3 moleculeon the Fe substrate with the optimized geometry at lowest total energy. When the Alq3 molecule is relaxed on the surface, only two of the wings are lying down on the Fe surface, and the third wing remains perpendicular to the surface, showing a strong hybridization occurance.

Thin films of V(TCNE)x were deposited in ultrahigh vacuum using a film growth technique based on in situ chemical vapor deposition of tetracyanoethylene, TCNE, and bis-benzene vanadium, V(C6H6)2. The in situ preparation method enabled, for the first time, experimental analysis of oxygen-free films. X-ray magnetic circular dichroism measurements recorded at the V L(2,3) edge confirmed room temperature magnetic ordering. A combination of conventional photoelectron spectroscopy (PES) and resonant photoemission (RPE) measured at the V L3 edge shows that the highest occupied electronic state is V(3d) derived. The rearrangements of the TCNE- related valence electronic states observed in PES and the evidence of V(3d) and TCNE- pi(pi*) orbital overlap contained in RPE spectra, indicate that strong, covalent type bonding occurs between the vanadium and the TCNE molecules.

The electronic structures of the 8-hydroxyquinoline-aluminum (Alq(3))/Al2O3/Co interfaces were studied by photoelectron spectroscopy. A strong interface dipole was observed, which leads to a reduction in the electron injection barrier. The x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy spectra further indicate that the Al2O3 buffer layer prevents the chemical interaction between Alq(3) molecules and Co atoms. X-ray magnetic circular dichroism results demonstrate that a Co layer deposited on an Al2O3 buffered Alq(3) layer shows better magnetic ordering in the interface region than directly deposited Co, which suggests a better performance of spin valves with such a buffer layer. This is consistent with the recent results from [Dediu , Phys. Rev. B 78, 115203 (2008)].

Original Publication:Yiqiang Zhan, Xianjie Liu, Elin Carlegrim, Fenghong Li, I Bergenti, P Graziosi, V Dediu and Mats Fahlman, The role of aluminum oxide buffer layer in organic spin-valves performance, 2009, APPLIED PHYSICS LETTERS, (94), 5, 053301.http://dx.doi.org/10.1063/1.3078274Copyright: American Institute of Physicshttp://www.aip.org/

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Ferromagnetic ordering at room temperature (RTFM) in MgO thin films deposited by RF magnetron sputtering under various atmospheric conditions and temperatures is reported. A saturation magnetization (M(S)) value as high as 1.58 emu g(-1) is (0.046 μB/unit cell) observed for a 170 nm film deposited at RT under an oxygen pressure of 1.3 × 10(-4) mbar. In contrast, films deposited at elevated temperature (under an identical oxygen pressure), or at higher oxygen pressures, as well as under a nitrogen atmosphere at RT show significantly suppressed magnetization. The ferromagnetic order in the MgO matrix is believed to be defect induced.

Herein, we report on a preparation method of vanadium tetracyanoethylene, V(TCNE)x, an organic-based semiconducting room temperature thin film magnet. Previously, this compound has been reported to be extremely air sensitive but this preparation method leads to V(TCNE)x, which can retain its magnetic ordering at least several weeks in air. The electronic structure has been studied by photoelectron spectroscopy and the magnetic properties by superconducting quantum interference device. The properties mentioned above, in combination with complete spin polarization, makes this air-stable V(TCNE)x a very promising material for spintronic devices.Original publication: Elin Carlegrim, Anna Kanciurzewska, Per Nordblad and Mats Fahlman, Air-stable organic-based semiconducting room temperature thin film magnet for spintronics applications, 2008, Applied Physics Letters, (92), 163308. http://dx.doi.org/10.1063/1.2916901. Copyright: American Institute of Physics, http://apl.aip.org/apl/top.js

Thin film iron-tetracyanoethylene Fe(TCNE) x , x ∼ 2, as determined by photoelectron spectroscopy, was grown in situ under ultra-high vacuum conditions using a recently developed physical vapor deposition-based technique for fabrication of oxygen-and precursor-free organicbased molecular magnets. Photoelectron spectroscopy results show no spurious trace elements in the films, and the iron is of Fe 2+ valency. The highest occupied molecular orbital of Fe(TCNE) x is located at ∼1.7 eV vs. Fermi level and is derived mainly from the TCNE − singly occupied molecular orbital according to photoelectron spectroscopy and resonant photoelectron spectroscopy results. The Fe(3d)derived states appear at higher binding energy, ∼4.5 eV, which is in contrast to V(TCNE) 2 where the highest occupied molecular orbital is mainly derived from V(3d) states. Fitting ligand field multiplet and charge transfer multiplet calculations to the Fe L-edge near edge X-ray absorption fine structure spectrum yields a high-spin Fe 2+ (3d 6 ) configuration with a crystal field parameter 10Dq ∼ 0.6 eV