Electronic structure and molecular orientation of well-ordered polyethylene oligomer (n-C44H90) on Cu(100) and Au(111) surfaces studied by UV photoemission and low energy electron diffraction

Abstract

Abstract The electronic structure and molecular orientation of tetratetracontane (n-C44H90) films on Cu(100) and Au(111) surfaces were investigated by angle-resolved UV photoemission spectroscopy (ARUPS) and low energy electron diffraction (LEED). The observed ARUPS spectra showed the drastic take-off angle dependence due to intramolecular band dispersion. A 2×1-like LEED pattern was observed for both substrates. From these results and theoretical simulation of ARUPS spectra based on independent-atomic center (IAC) approximation, we found that the C–C–C plane of the adsorbed TTC molecule is parallel to the substrate surface and its molecular axis is along a [110] direction for both substrates. We also measured the work function change by adsorption of TTC. The observed values were c.a. −0.3eV and −0.7eV for Cu(100) and Au(111) systems, respectively. Such decrease of the work function indicates the existence of a dipole layer at the interfaces in contrast to the traditional picture of energy level alignment at organic/metal interface assuming a common vacuum level at the interface. The dipole formation in such physisorbed systems can be explained by the polarization of the TTC molecule due to an image force.