Epitaxy of highly ordered organic semiconductor crystallite networks supported by hexagonal boron nitride

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Organisational units

External Organisational units

  • Institut für Mathematik und Wissenschaftliches Rechnen, Karl-Franzens-Universität Graz
  • University of Belgrade

Abstract

This study focuses on hexagonal boron nitride as an ultra-thin van der Waals dielectric substrate for the epitaxial growth of highly ordered crystalline networks of the organic semiconductor parahexaphenyl. Atomic force microscopy based morphology analysis combined with density functional theory simulations reveal their epitaxial relation. As a consequence, needle-like crystallites of parahexaphenyl grow with their long axes oriented five degrees off the hexagonal boron nitride zigzag directions. In addition, by tuning the deposition temperature and the thickness of hexagonal boron nitride, ordered networks of needle-like crystallites as long as several tens of micrometers can be obtained. A deeper understanding of the organic crystallites growth and ordering at ultra-thin van der Waals dielectric substrates will lead to grain boundary-free organic field effect devices, limited only by the intrinsic properties of the organic semiconductors.

Details

Original languageEnglish
Article number38519
Number of pages10
JournalScientific reports (London : Nature Publishing Group)
Volume6.2016
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 8 Dec 2016