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Title: Triphenylene‐Derived Electron Acceptors and Donors on Ag(111): Formation of Intermolecular Charge‐Transfer Complexes with Common Unoccupied Molecular States

Journal Article · · Small
ORCiD logo [1];  [2];  [3];  [4];  [5];  [6];  [6];  [6];  [3];  [5];  [2]
  1. Zernike Institute for Advanced Materials University of Groningen Nijenborgh 4 9747 AG Groningen Netherlands, Max Planck Institute for Solid State Research Heisenbergstrasse 1 D‐70569 Stuttgart Germany
  2. Zernike Institute for Advanced Materials University of Groningen Nijenborgh 4 9747 AG Groningen Netherlands
  3. Max Planck Institute for Solid State Research Heisenbergstrasse 1 D‐70569 Stuttgart Germany
  4. Department of Chemistry and Pharmacy University of Erlangen‐Nürnberg Nikolaus‐Fiebiger‐Strasse 10 D‐91058 Erlangen Germany
  5. Organisch‐Chemisches Institut &, Centre for Advanced Materials Ruprecht‐Karls‐Universität Heidelberg Im Neuenheimer Feld 270 &, 225 69120 Heidelberg Germany
  6. Department of Physics University of Central Florida Orlando FL 32816 USA

Abstract Over the past years, ultrathin films consisting of electron donating and accepting molecules have attracted increasing attention due to their potential usage in optoelectronic devices. Key parameters for understanding and tuning their performance are intermolecular and molecule–substrate interactions. Here, the formation of a monolayer thick blend of triphenylene‐based organic donor and acceptor molecules from 2,3,6,7,10,11‐hexamethoxytriphenylene (HAT) and 1,4,5,8,9,12‐hexaazatriphenylenehexacarbonitrile (HATCN), respectively, on a silver (111) surface is reported. Scanning tunneling microscopy and spectroscopy, valence and core level photoelectron spectroscopy, as well as low‐energy electron diffraction measurements are used, complemented by density functional theory calculations, to investigate both the electronic and structural properties of the homomolecular as well as the intermixed layers. The donor molecules are weakly interacting with the Ag(111) surface, while the acceptor molecules show a strong interaction with the substrate leading to charge transfer and substantial buckling of the top silver layer and of the adsorbates. Upon mixing acceptor and donor molecules, strong hybridization occurs between the two different molecules leading to the emergence of a common unoccupied molecular orbital located at both the donor and acceptor molecules. The donor acceptor blend studied here is, therefore, a compelling candidate for organic electronics based on self‐assembled charge‐transfer complexes.

Sponsoring Organization:
USDOE
Grant/Contract Number:
DE‐FG02‐11ER16243
OSTI ID:
1671139
Alternate ID(s):
OSTI ID: 1671140
Journal Information:
Small, Journal Name: Small Vol. 15 Journal Issue: 33; ISSN 1613-6810
Publisher:
Wiley Blackwell (John Wiley & Sons)Copyright Statement
Country of Publication:
Germany
Language:
English

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