Supersonic molecular beam growth of thin films of organic materials: A novel approach to controlling the structure, morphology, and functional properties

Thin films of semiconducting molecular materials can be grown with a seeded supersonic molecular beam epitaxy (SuMBE), which provides unprecedented control over structural, morphological, and, therefore, functional properties. This novel technique of deposition takes full advantage of its ability to regulate the initial state of the molecular precursors in the beams and, in particular, the kinetic energy, to control the morphology, structure, and functional properties of growing films. This article reviews the state of the art of SuMBE, discussing the basic aspects of the technique and the major achievements so far. The major results obtained with respect to growth on dielectrics and metal substrates of films of oligothiophenes and pentacene and with respect to the codeposition of phthalocyanines and fullerenes are discussed and compared with the state of the art of more conventional organic molecular beam deposition. The potential impact of SuMBE in the field of pi-conjugated materials and devices is also examined. (C) 2003 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.