Studies on phase transformation and molecular orientation in nanostructured zinc phthalocyanine thin films annealed at different temperatures

Studies on the electronic and optical properties of thin films of organometallic compounds such as phthalocyanine are very important for the development of devices based on these compounds. The nucleation and grain growth mechanism play an important role for the final electronic as well as optoelectronic properties of the organic and organometallic thin films. The present article deals with the change in the film morphology, grain orientation of nanocrystallites and optical properties of zinc phthalocyanines (ZnPc) thin films as a function of the post deposition annealing temperature. The effect of annealing temperature on the optical and structural property of vacuum evaporated ZnPc thin films deposited at room temperature (30 °C) on quartz glass and Si(100) substrates has been investigated. The thin films have been characterized by the UV–vis optical absorption spectra, X-ray diffraction (XRD), atomic force microscopy (AFM), field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. From the studies of UV–vis absorption spectra and XRD data, a metastable α to β-phase transformation has been observed when the thin films were annealed at a temperature greater than about 250 °C. The FESEM images have shown the particlelike structure at room temperature and the structure became rodlike when the films were annealed at high temperatures. TEM image of ZnPc film dissolved in ethanol has shown spectacular rod-shaped crystallites. High resolution transmission electron microscopy image of a single nanorod has shown beautiful "honey-comb" like structure. Particle size and root mean square roughness were calculated from AFM images. The changes in band gap energy with increase in annealing temperature have been evaluated. - Highlights: ► Morphology and orientation of grains in zinc phthalocyanine (ZnPc) thin films. ► Studies on ZnPc thin films annealed at different temperatures. ► Optical spectra and Davydov splitting studied at different annealing temperatures. ► Rod-shaped crystallites and "honey-comb" like structure in single nanorod in solution.