Electronic Properties of Organic Semiconductor/Electrode Interfaces: The Influence of Contact Contaminations on the Interface Energetic

ABSTRACT

During the last decades there has been considerable progress as regards the understanding of OSC/electrode interfaces. In this Review, we summarize recent work on the interface energetics influenced by the presence of electrode surface contamination due to the used ex-situ cleaning procedure prior the interface formation. Contact contaminations of the electrodes essentially affect the interface energetics in particular the interface parameters and therefore the performance of organic electronic devices. These new insights in the interface energetics at so-called realistic OSC/metal interfaces can help in the future to better design and optimize organic electronic devices such as OLEDs, OFETS, and OPVs. The reviewed investigations of the interface energeticss of interfaces relevant for organic spintronic devices, and in particular the effect of contamination layer induced changes in the energy level alignment of such interfaces lead to a significant progress in the understanding of the interfacial properties of organic spintronic relevant interfaces. They represent one step toward the description of spin transport in organic spintronic devices.