Adsorption, Initial Growth and Desorption of Organic Molecules:

Thin organic films have attracted considerable interest in the recent past due to their promising features in optical, electro-optical and electronic devices. However, there is still a lack of knowledge concerning the kinetics of layer formation, in particular in the monolayer and nascent multilayer regime.

In this research project we deal with the layer formation of oligo-phenylenes on gold surfaces.  The following questions will be addressed:

•  How large is the sticking coefficient for the organic molecules
•  Will the films grow in form of islands or in form of layer-by-layer
•  What is the reaction order of desorption (evaporation)
•  How does the growth mode depend on the surface temperature
•  What is the influence of co-adsorbates (residual gas impurities) on the growth
•  Is there a distinctly different monomolecular first layer (wetting layer)

Quaterphenyl

Quaterphenyl on Gold

This project is part of a cluster project, entitled: „Highly ordered organic epilayers; Fundamentals and applications“

Cooperating partners:

H. Sitter, Uni Linz; D. Meissner, Uni Linz; R. Resel, TU Graz; M. Ramsey, Uni Graz

Recent publications:

O. Stranik, S. Müllegger, E. Zojer, A. Winkler, submitted to Surface Sci., Dec. 2002
„Adsorption, initial growth and desorption kinetics of p-quaterphenyl on/from gold surfaces“

O. Stranik, S. Müllegger, E. Zojer, I. Salzmann, R. Resel, A. Winkler, Proc. Surface Sci. Symp. La Plagne, France, March 2003
„Adsorption, growth kinetics and structure of thin quaterphenyl films on gold surfaces“