Structural and morphological characterisation of ruthenium phthalocyanine films by energy dispersive X-ray diffraction and atomic force microscopy

Ruthenium phthalocyanine (RuPc)(2), deposited as a film by vacuum sublimation onto a variety of substrates, was structurally and morphologically investigated by energy dispersive X-ray diffraction (EDXD) and atomic force microscopy (AFM) techniques. The attempt to apply the EDXD technique to amorphous films was successful and the reported results show the preservation of the Ru-Ru bond between two phthalocyanines units while transferring from the bulk to the film. The unidimensional arrangement of the dimeric phthalocyanine units in the film was observed to a larger extent than in the bulk; indeed 10 dimers were superimposed along the stacking direction (parallel to the Ru-Ru bonds), while six units were found in the bulk material, the higher order being also supported by conductivity measurements. The amorphous nature of the film, anomalous in respect of the generally microcrystalline films of other metal phthalocyanines, was not changed by annealing the films at 170-200 degreesC for more than 10 h. Reproducible and uniform deposition is identified by both EDXD and AFM data. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.