Tailoring the energy level alignment at the Co/Alq{sub 3} interface by controlled cobalt oxidation

Journal Article · Mon Dec 16 00:00:00 EST 2013 · Applied Physics Letters

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1063/1.4850527· OSTI ID:22217761

Haag, Norman; Steil, Sabine; Großmann, Nicolas; Fetzer, Roman; Cinchetti, Mirko; Aeschlimann, Martin ^[1]

---

1. Department of Physics and Research Center OPTIMAS, University of Kaiserslautern, Erwin-Schroedinger-Strasse 46, 67663 Kaiserslautern (Germany)

We have studied the influence of oxygen exposure at the prototypical interface between cobalt and the organic semiconductor tris(8-hydroxyquinoline)aluminum (III) (Alq{sub 3}) by photoemission spectroscopy. We find that oxidation of the cobalt leads to a gradual suppression of hybrid interface states, to a progressive change in the work function and to a continuous energetic shift of the molecular orbitals towards higher binding energies. Based on these observations, we propose controlled oxidation of the ferromagnetic electrode as an easy and effective possibility to tune the performance of organic spintronics devices.

• OSTI ID: 22217761
• Journal Information: Applied Physics Letters, Vol. 103, Issue 25; Other Information: (c) 2013 AIP Publishing LLC; Country of input: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA); ISSN 0003-6951
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE
75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS
SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND SUPERFLUIDITY
37 INORGANIC
ORGANIC
PHYSICAL AND ANALYTICAL CHEMISTRY
ALUMINIUM
BINDING ENERGY
COBALT
ELECTRODES
ENERGY LEVELS
FERROMAGNETIC MATERIALS
INTERFACES
ORGANIC SEMICONDUCTORS
OXIDATION
OXINE
PERFORMANCE
PHOTOELECTRON SPECTROSCOPY
PHOTOEMISSION
ULTRAVIOLET RADIATION
WORK FUNCTIONS