Growth and characterizations of tin-doped nickel-phthalocyanine thin film prepared by thermal co-evaporation as a novel nanomaterial

The aim of this research is to control specific properties of nickel-phthalocyanine (NiPc) thin film by doping with tin (Sn). The hybrid thin films, Sn-doped NiPc, were fabricated by thermal co-evaporation as a function of Sn concentration. The quantity of Sn in NiPc matrix was controlled via the different deposition rate between Sn and NiPc. The specific properties of the hybrid films, e.g. morphology, optical absorption, chemical bonding as well as electrical characteristics of the devices used such hybrid material as an active layer were characterized by combinations of microscopic and spectroscopic techniques. The experimental results evidently present the modification of thin film properties by adding Sn into NiPc matrix, i.e. the change of morphology from granules to fibers, the increase of beta-phase formation in the films as well as the enhancement of electrical properties resulting from the increase of both charge carrier mobility and carrier concentration in the hybrid material. Moreover, the internal formation of the Sn-doped NiPc reveals that Sn dopants are embedded in the NiPc matrix as Sn metal clusters coated with derivative metal oxide of Sn (SnOx). This research demonstrates that the doping metal-phthalocyanine with metal is an alternative approach to control the specific properties that possibly suit for organic electronic applications.