TY - JOUR
T1 - Annealing Behavior with Thickness Hindered Nucleation in Small-Molecule Organic Semiconductor Thin Films
AU - Rozbořil, Jakub
AU - Broch, Katharina
AU - Resel, Roland
AU - Caha, Ondřej
AU - Münz, Filip
AU - Mikulík, Petr
AU - Anthony, John E.
AU - Sirringhaus, Henning
AU - Novák, Jiří
PY - 2019/6/7
Y1 - 2019/6/7
N2 - We introduce a comprehensive overview of spontaneous and thermal induced structure changes in thin films of the high performance small-molecular organic semiconductor 5,11-bis(triethyl silylethynyl) anthradithiophene (TES-ADT). Most importantly, we find that nucleation of the TES-ADT high temperature β phase can be induced only for films thicker than a critical thickness, while it is hindered for thinner films. The described limited crystal phase nucleation, the circumstances of which are unique in the realm of small-molecule organic semiconductors, is explained in terms of a two step nucleation mechanism while taking into account the anisotropic surface energy of crystal grains. Furthermore, we identify changes in the optical absorption spectra observed during aging of as deposited films with a spontaneous transformation from the amorphous phase to the α2 phase via the α1 phase of TES-ADT. The transformation takes place on the time scale of several days. Finally, we determine temperature dependence of lattice parameters of the α1 and α2 phases and the lattice parameters of the β phase. Thermal expansion of the α1 phase is found to be much lower than that of the α2 phase.
AB - We introduce a comprehensive overview of spontaneous and thermal induced structure changes in thin films of the high performance small-molecular organic semiconductor 5,11-bis(triethyl silylethynyl) anthradithiophene (TES-ADT). Most importantly, we find that nucleation of the TES-ADT high temperature β phase can be induced only for films thicker than a critical thickness, while it is hindered for thinner films. The described limited crystal phase nucleation, the circumstances of which are unique in the realm of small-molecule organic semiconductors, is explained in terms of a two step nucleation mechanism while taking into account the anisotropic surface energy of crystal grains. Furthermore, we identify changes in the optical absorption spectra observed during aging of as deposited films with a spontaneous transformation from the amorphous phase to the α2 phase via the α1 phase of TES-ADT. The transformation takes place on the time scale of several days. Finally, we determine temperature dependence of lattice parameters of the α1 and α2 phases and the lattice parameters of the β phase. Thermal expansion of the α1 phase is found to be much lower than that of the α2 phase.
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85069892597&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1021/acs.cgd.9b00213
DO - 10.1021/acs.cgd.9b00213
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:85069892597
SN - 1528-7483
VL - 19
SP - 3777
EP - 3784
JO - Crystal Growth & Design
JF - Crystal Growth & Design
IS - 7
ER -