STRUCTURAL ANALYSIS OF COPPER PHTHALOCYANINE THIN FILMS FABRICATED BY PLASMA-ACTIVATED EVAPORATION

Abstract

Copper Phthalocyanine (CuPc) thin films were fabricated on the silicon wafers by plasma activated evaporation method and structural analysis were carried out with various spectroscopies. The CuPc films had dense and smooth morphology and they also showed good mechanical properties and chemical resistance. The main molecular structure of the CuPc, which is the conjugated aromatic heterocyclic ring structure, was maintained even in the plasma process. However, metal-ligand (Cu-N) bands were deformed by the plasma process and the structure became amorphous especially at higher process pressures. Oxygen impurities were incorporated in the film and carboxyl functional groups were formed at the peripheral benzene ring. The structure and morphology of the films were dependent on the process pressure but relatively irrespective of the RF power.