Organic blend films based on metal phthalocyanines deposited by MAPLE on rigid and flexible substrates for optoelectronic applications

Organic layers based on metal phthalocyanines (MPc acting as donor) and a perylene diimide derivative compound (PDI acting as acceptor) were deposited by Matrix Assisted Pulsed Laser Evaporation (MAPLE) on rigid and flexible substrates. Hence, blend films based on magnesium phthalocyanine (MgPc), copper phthalocyanine (CuPc), cobalt phthalocyanine (CoPc) or iron phthalocyanine (FePc) and N, N-bis-(1-dodecyl)perylene-3,4,9,10 tetracarboxylic diimide (AMC14) were obtained on indium tin oxide/glass (ITO/glass) and indium tin oxide/polyethylene terephthalate (ITO/PET) substrates. Although the investigated MPcs present low solubility in organic solvents, MAPLE technique enables their deposition as blend films. The organic layers reveal a globular morphology specific to the MAPLE process. The roughness of the blend films is related to the MPc molecular packing arrangement, the optical assessment disclosing the presence of MPc in the stable β-form. The transmission spectra display the optical signature of both MPc and AMC14 components, their complementary absorption bands assuring the light harvesting over a wide part of the UV-Vis spectral range. The current-voltage characteristics recorded under illumination reveal the best electrical parameters for the structures based on FePc: AMC14 layer prepared on ITO/glass (VOC=0.22 V, JSC=2 × 10− 7 A/cm2) and on CuPc: AMC14 layer obtained on ITO/PET (VOC=0.27 V, JSC=1.3 × 10− 7 A/cm2). Thus, the properties of MAPLE-deposited MPc: AMC14 blend films on both rigid and flexible substrates endorse them as viable choice for applications in optoelectronic devices.