Maximum probing depth of low-energy photoelectrons in an amorphous organic semiconductor film

Highlights: • Photoelectron attenuation lengths (AL) through amorphous organic films were examined. • In the energy range below 9 eV, AL fluctuates unlike a prediction by universal curve. • AL of photoelectron yield spectroscopy (PYS) measurements was found to be ∼3.6 nm. • PYS signals still survived through an 18 nm-thick film despite such a moderate AL. • This indicates buried interfaces in practical organic devices can be accessed by PYS. - Abstract: The attenuation length (AL) of low energy photoelectrons inside a thin film of a π-conjugated organic semiconductor material, 2,2′,2″-(1,3,5-benzinetriyl)-tris(1-phenyl-1-H-benzimidazole), was investigated using ultraviolet photoelectron spectroscopy (UPS) and photoelectron yield spectroscopy (PYS) to discuss their probing depth in amorphous organic thin films. The present UPS results indicated that the AL is 2–3 nm in the electron energy range of 6.3–8.3 eV with respect to the Fermi level, while the PYS measurements which collected the excited electrons in a range of 4.5–6 eV exhibited a longer AL of 3.6 nm. Despite this still short AL in comparison to a typical thickness range of electronic devices that are a few tens of nm-thick, the photoemission signal penetrating through further thicker (18 nm) organic film was successfully detected by PYS. This fact suggests that the electronic structures of "buried interfaces" inside practical organic devices are accessible using this rather simple measurement technique