J. Ghijsen

Conjugated organic molecules on metal versus polymer electrodes: Demonstration of a key energy level alignment mechanism

Ultraviolet photoemission spectroscopy is used to determine the energy level alignment at interfaces between three electroactive conjugated organic molecular materials, i.e., N,N′-bis-(1-naphthyl)-N,N′-diphenyl1-1,1-biphenyl1-4,4′-diamine; para-sexiphenyl; pentacene, and two high work function electrode materials, i.e., gold and poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene)/poly(styrenesulfonate). Although both electrode surfaces have a similar work function (∼5 eV), the hole injection barrier and the interfacial dipole barrier are found to be significantly smaller for all the interfaces formed on the polymer as compared to the metal. This important and very general result is linked to one of the basic mechanisms that control molecular level alignment at interfaces with metals, i.e., the reduction of the electronic surface dipole contribution to the metal work function by adsorbed molecules.

The Hiroshima Synchrotron Radiation Center (HSRC)

The history of HSRC is briefly sketched, going back to the early HiSOR project. The present status of this 0.7 GeV compact storage ring is described and an outline of the future of the facility is given in the context of western Japan.

Charge transfer and electronic doping in nitrogen-doped graphene.

Understanding the modification of the graphene’s electronic structure upon doping is crucial for enlarging its potential applications. We present a study of nitrogen-doped graphene samples on SiC(000) combining angle-resolved photoelectron spectroscopy, scanning tunneling microscopy and spectroscopy and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). The comparison between tunneling and angle-resolved photoelectron spectra reveals the spatial inhomogeneity of the Dirac energy shift and that a phonon correction has to be applied to the tunneling measurements. XPS data demonstrate the dependence of the N 1s binding energy of graphitic nitrogen on the nitrogen concentration. The measure of the Dirac energy for different nitrogen concentrations reveals that the ratio usually computed between the excess charge brought by the dopants and the dopants’ concentration depends on the latter. This is supported by a tight-binding model considering different values for the potentials on the nitrogen site and on its first neighbors.

The Role of Oxygen at the Interface between Titanium and Carbon Nanotubes

We study the interface between carbon nanotubes (CNTs) and surface-deposited titanium using electron microscopy and photoemission spectroscopy, supported by density functional calculations. Charge transfer from the Ti atoms to the nanotube and carbide formation is observed at the interface which indicates strong interaction. Nevertheless, the presence of oxygen between the Ti and the CNTs significantly weakens the Ti-CNT interaction. Ti atoms at the surface will preferentially bond to oxygenated sites. Potential sources of oxygen impurities are examined, namely oxygen from any residual atmosphere and pre-existing oxygen impurities on the nanotube surface, which we enhance through oxygen plasma surface pre-treatment. Variation in literature data concerning Ohmic contacts between Ti and carbon nanotubes is explained via sample pre-treatment and differing vacuum levels, and we suggest improved treatment routes for reliable Schottky barrier-free Ti-nanotube contact formation.

Adsorption of oxygen on the magnesium (0001) surface studied by XPS

Abstract Adsorption of oxygen on a clean (0001) magnesium surface was studied at 293 and 390K by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). The results are enlightened by separate LEED/ AES/ELS measurements and a comparison with similar XPS and UPS analysis on evaporated polycrystalline Mg films. After the appearance of Mg-O type bonding related to the oxide layer growth, one observed also embedded oxygen.

Effect of oxygen rf-plasma on electronic properties of CNTs

Multi-wall carbon nanotubes (CNTs) were modified by an oxygen radio frequency plasma treatment, the appropriate duration of which was determined from post-treatment high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM) images. A comparison of HRTEM results from gold-decorated pristine and plasma treated CNTs showed that the plasma treatment improves the uniformity of the distribution of surface defects. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy confirms that oxygen atoms attach to the surface of CNTs. Changes in the C 1s photoemission signal point towards a loss of delocalization of valence electrons, confirmed by the modifications of valence band spectra, and consistent with currently accepted theory.

Study of the Interface between Rhodium and Carbon Nanotubes

X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy at 3.5 keV photon energy, in combination with high-resolution transmission electron microscopy, is used to follow the formation of the interface between rhodium and carbon nanotubes. Rh nucleates at defect sites, whether initially present or induced by oxygen-plasma treatment. More uniform Rh cluster dispersion is observed on plasma-treated CNTs. Experimental results are compared to DFT calculations of small Rh clusters on pristine and defective graphene. While Rh interacts as strongly with the carbon as Ti, it is less sensitive to the presence of oxygen, suggesting it as a good candidate for nanotube contacts.

Localization and hybridization of 5f states in the metallic and ionic bond as investigated by photoelectron spectroscopy

Localization versus itineracy and the degree of hybridization of 5 f states with orbitals of the actinide atom (especially 6 d) as well as with those of the ligand in compounds are central questions for the understanding of bonding in actinide solids. Photoelectron spectroscopy provides answers to these questions. In narrow band solids, like the actinides, the interpretation of results requires the use of band calculations in the itinerant picture, as well as models of final state emission in the atomic picture.

Functionalization of MWCNTs with atomic nitrogen.

In this study of the changes induced by exposing MWCNTs to a nitrogen plasma, it was found by HRTEM that the atomic nitrogen exposure does not significantly etch the surface of the carbon nanotube (CNT). Nevertheless, the atomic nitrogen generated by a microwave plasma effectively grafts amine, nitrile, amide, and oxime groups onto the CNT surface, as observed by XPS, altering the density of valence electronic states, as seen in UPS.

Copper/oxide interface formation : a vibrational and electronic investigation by electron spectroscopies

Abstract In this study, we deposited copper on a MgO(100) surface at room temperature (using a Knudsen cell) and studied the interface formation using electron spectroscopy. The evolution of the AES peak intensities showed that copper grows on MgO(100) in the Stranski-Krastanov mode. In HREELS experiments, the intensity and the position of the energy loss corresponding to the MgO surface optical phonon at 80.7 meV, both decrease with increasing Cu coverage. These results agree with theoretical spectra simulated from the dielectric theory by considering a Cu2O overlayer on a semi-infinite MgO crystal substrate at the beginning of the growth. From the HREELS data, both the formation of a homogeneous Cu metallic overlayer or a CuO overlayer on MgO can be ruled out. The synchrotron-radiation (SR) photoemission measurements were performed in the vicinity of the Cu3p3d resonance. The positions of the Cu resonance peaks as a function of Cu coverage on MgO show that at low coverage the difference in energy between the main Cu 3d peak and the resonance peak is close to that found in Cu2O and at higher coverage close to metallic copper indicating the formation of an interacting phase at the beginning followed by the growth of metallic copper.