Journal article
Work function and energy level alignment tuning at Ti3C2Tx MXene surfaces and interfaces using (metal-)organic donor/acceptor molecules
Physical review materials, v 7(4)
12 Apr 2023
Abstract
Two-dimensional MXenes, with Ti(3)C(2)Tx being the most prominent member, show properties that make them promising for a manifold of applications, including electrodes in light-emitting diodes, solar cells, and field-effect transistors based on organic semiconductors. In these cases, the work function of MXenes plays an important role in the energy level alignment to the subsequently deposited organic layer, as it determines the electron and hole injection barriers. Therefore, methods for controlling the Ti(3)C(2)Tx work function should be developed. We demonstrate that, by using thin layers of (metal-)organic donor/acceptor molecules, the work function of Ti(3)C(2)Tx can be tuned over a range of >3 eV. This enables tuning the energy level alignment to a subsequently deposited organic semiconductor, all the way from intrinsic Fermi level pinning at the highest occupied molecular energy level (minimal hole injection barrier) to pinning at the lowest unoccupied level (minimal electron injection barrier). Furthermore, it is shown that a predominantly oxygen-terminated surface does not lead to an extraordinary high work function, in contrast to theoretical predictions. The proposed strategy may greatly expand the use of MXenes in conjunction with organic hole and electron transport layers in optoelectronic devices.
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Details
- Title
- Work function and energy level alignment tuning at Ti3C2Tx MXene surfaces and interfaces using (metal-)organic donor/acceptor molecules
- Creators
- Thorsten Schultz - Helmholtz-Zentrum Berlin für Materialien und EnergiePeer Baermann - Helmholtz-Zentrum BerlinElena Longhi - Georgia Institute of TechnologyRahul Meena - Université Libre de BruxellesYves Geerts - Université Libre de BruxellesYury Gogotsi - Drexel UniversityStephen Barlow - Georgia Institute of TechnologySeth R. Marder - Georgia Institute of TechnologyTristan Petit - Helmholtz-Zentrum Berlin für Materialien und EnergieNorbert Koch - Helmholtz-Zentrum Berlin für Materialien und Energie
- Publication Details
- Physical review materials, v 7(4)
- Publisher
- Amer Physical Soc
- Number of pages
- 9
- Grant note
- 182087777-SFB951 / National Science Foun-dation; National Science Foundation (NSF) 947852 / European Research Council (ERC) under the European Union's Horizon 2020 Research and Innovation Programme; European Research Council (ERC) 811284 / European Union's Horizon 2020 Research and Innovation Programme under the Marie Sklodowska-Curie Grant; European Commission; European Commission Joint Research Centre DMR-2041050 / Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft DFG, German Research Foundation; German Research Foundation (DFG) DMR-1807797/2216857 / National Science Foundation; National Science Foundation (NSF)
- Resource Type
- Journal article
- Language
- English
- Academic Unit
- Materials Science and Engineering
- Web of Science ID
- WOS:000972029900004
- Scopus ID
- 2-s2.0-85153513745
- Other Identifier
- 991020548567004721
InCites Highlights
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- Collaboration types
- Domestic collaboration
- International collaboration
- Web of Science research areas
- Materials Science, Multidisciplinary