The lifetimes of electrons at the interface between 3,4,9,10-perylene-tetracarboxylic acid dianhydride (PTCDA) and Ag(111) have been studied by means of time- and angle-resolved two-photon photoemission. We observe a dispersing unoccupied state 0.6 eV above the Fermi level with an effective electron mass of 0.39m{e} at the Gamma[over ] point. The short lifetime of 54 fs is indicative of a large penetration of the wave function into the metal. Supported by model calculations this interface state is interpreted as predominantly arising from an upshift of the occupied Shockley surface state of the clean metal due to the interaction with the PTCDA overlayer.

The electronic structure of the prototype metal/organic contact 3,4,9,10-perylene-tetracarboxylic acid dianhydride (PTCDA) on a Ag(111)-surface has been investigated using time- and angle-resolved two-photon photoelectron spectroscopy (2PPE). Our analysis addresses particularly the nature of the interface state (IS) emerging at the interface due to the substrate-adsorbate interaction [C. H. Schwalb, S. Sachs, M. Marks et al., Phys. Rev. Lett. 101, 146801 (2008)]. Its free-electron-like dispersion and a possible backfolding at the surface Brillouin zone boundaries are discussed. Time-resolved pump-probe experiments reveal the inelastic electron lifetime along the dispersion parabola and show its decrease for increasing parallel momentum. The temperature dependence of the peak linewidth indicates a coupling of the IS to molecular vibrations. Moreover, additional aspects are addressed, such as the determination of the electron attenuation length of photoelectrons for low kinetic energy originating from the IS and the work function change of the sample upon PTCDA adsorption with very high energy resolution.

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We present an investigation of the electronic structure and excited state dynamics of optically excited 3,4,9,10-perylene-tetracarboxylic acid dianhydride (PTCDA) thin films adsorbed on Ag(111) using two-photon photoemission spectroscopy (2PPE). 2PPE allows us to study both occupied and unoccupied electronic states, and we are able to identify signals from the highest occupied and the two lowest unoccupied electronic states of the PTCDA thin film in the 2PPE spectra. The energies for occupied states are identical to values from ultraviolet photoelectron spectroscopy. Compared to results from inverse photoelectron spectroscopy (IPES), the 2PPE signals from the two lowest unoccupied electronic states, LUMO and LUMO+1, are found at 0.8 eV and 1.0 eV lower energies, respectively. We attribute this deviation to the different final states probed in 2PPE and IPES and the attractive interaction of the photoexcited electron and the remaining hole. Furthermore, we present a time-resolved investigation of the excited state dynamics of the PTCDA film in the femtosecond time regime. We observe a significantly shorter inelastic excited state lifetime compared to findings from time-resolved photoluminescence spectroscopy of PTCDA single crystals which could originate from excitation quenching by the metal substrate.

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