Studies on the Optical Properties and Surface Morphology of Nickel Phthalocyanine Thin Films

Thin films of Nickel Phthalocyanine (NiPc) are fabricated at a base pressure of 10-5 m.bar using Hind-Hivac thermal evaporation plant. The films are deposited on to glass substrates at various temperatures 318, 363, 408 and 458K. The optical absorption spectra of these thin films are measured. Present studies reveal that the optical band gap energies of NiPc thin films are highly dependent on the substrate temperatures. The structure and surface morphology of the films deposited on glass substrates of temperatures 303, 363 and 458K are studied using X-ray diffractograms and Scanning Electron Micrographs (SEM), show that there is a change in the crystallinity and surface morphology due to change in the substrate temperatures. Full width at half maximum (FWHM) intensity of the diffraction peaks is also found reduced with increasing substrate temperatures. Scanning electron micrographs show that these crystals are fiber like at high substrate temperatures. The optical band gap increases with increase in substrate temperature and is then reduced with fiber-like grains at 408K. The band gap increases again at 458K with full of fiber like grains. Trap energy levels are also observed for these films