Impact of interface geometric structure on organic–metal interface energetics and subsequent films electronic structure

Abstract

We present the electronic structure of various pentacene thin films grown on Au(1 1 1), Cu(1 1 1), Cu(1 0 0), and Cu(1 1 0) surfaces studied by angle-resolved ultraviolet photoemission spectroscopy using synchrotron radiation. A systematic variation of the metal surface such as the substrate metal and its surface symmetry allows a comprehensive discussion on the correlation between the electronic structure and the interface geometric structure. In the monolayer regime, we observed the evidence of the formation of the organic–metal interface state depending on the metal surface, i.e., the interface geometric structure. This evidence is explained by the different organic–metal and intermolecular interactions, which originate from the hybridization of the molecular orbitals with the metal wavefunction. These interface geometric and electronic phenomena can be a seed for the subsequent film growth and resultant films electronic structure.