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HAXPES of protected ITO surfaces at the buried P3HT/ITO interface
Author(s) -
Brumbach Michael T.,
Woicik Joseph C.
Publication year - 2012
Publication title -
surface and interface analysis
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.52
H-Index - 90
eISSN - 1096-9918
pISSN - 0142-2421
DOI - 10.1002/sia.5072
Subject(s) - indium tin oxide , x ray photoelectron spectroscopy , indium , materials science , oxide , adsorption , layer (electronics) , surface energy , optoelectronics , analytical chemistry (journal) , nanotechnology , chemical engineering , chemistry , organic chemistry , composite material , engineering , metallurgy
The characterization of buried interfaces is difficult and often has to be performed by a post‐processing method where the interface is exposed. Hard energy X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy offers the ability to tune the X‐ray energy and thereby change the information depth. In this work, an inorganic/organic interface was evaluated, namely the poly(3‐hexylthiophene) (P3HT) interface with indium tin oxide (ITO), with relevance to organic photovoltaic devices. P3HT/ITO buried interfaces were examined using three X‐ray energies where the ITO surface was prepared under different pretreatment conditions. The P3HT film protected the ITO surface from adventitious adsorbents and allowed for sensitivity to the buried ITO surface. Robust peak fitting parameters were obtained to model the O 1 s and In 3d lineshapes. The deconvolution of these lineshapes allowed for the clear identification of a surface layer on the ITO which is oxidized to a greater extent than the underlying bulk ITO. The surface oxide layer, composed of indium oxide and indium hydroxide, is deficient of oxygen vacancies and would therefore be expected to act as an insulating barrier on the ITO surface. Peak fitting conditions allowed for an estimation of the relative thicknesses of this insulating layer. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.