Abstract:
This dissertation examines the interfacial interactions between cobalt phthalocyanines and molybdenum disulfide (MoS2), focusing on their potential for tailoring optoelectronic properties in advanced semiconductor devices. Motivated by the versatility of transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDCs) in applications such as field-effect transistors, photovoltaics, and flexible electronics, this study explores how molecular functionalization impacts electronic structures and interfacial dynamics.
The research utilizes advanced spectroscopic techniques such as photoelectron spectroscopy (PES), X-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS), and angle-resolved photoelectron spectroscopy (ARPES). These methods reveal that CoPc and its perfluorinated derivative, hexadecafluoro cobalt phthalocyanine (CoPcF16), exhibit distinct interfacial behaviors. CoPc induces significant n-type doping in MoS2, characterized by band bending and a surface dipole shift, whereas CoPcF16 promotes p-type doping through a bandgap state near the valence band maximum. Additionally, the molecular orientation of cobalt phthalocyanines on MoS2 substrates diverges based on the numbers of substrate layers: on monolayers of MoS2 the phthalocyanines show a tilted orientation, contrasting with flat-lying configurations on bulk (multiple layers) MoS2 substrates.
These findings offer insights into the design of organic-inorganic heterostructures, advancing the understanding of doping mechanisms and molecular orientation effects for organic-inorganic heterostructures. The work also contributes to the European “Coupled Organic Inorganic Nanostructures for Fast, Light-induced Data Processing” (COINFLIP) project, funded by the European Research Council, which seeks to develop ultra-fast optical switches and novel material architectures, positioning these results as foundational for next-generation optoelectronic applications.