Structural and Electrical Characterization of Discotic Liquid Crystalline Phthalocyanine for Application in Organic Devices

Abstract

This thesis focuses on characterization of the structural and electrical properties of 2, 3, 9, 10, 16, 17, 23, 24-Octa (2-hydroccinamyloxyethylsulfanyl) copper phthalocyanine and the effect of solvent on these properties. Film coherence, microstructure and electrical properties are all strongly dependent upon processing conditions.Recent advances in the design and organization of discotic materials for use in organic electronic devices have shown that the electronic properties depend on orientation, grain boundaries and defects in thin films. We have studied this specific liquid crystalline octasubstituted phthalocyanine, on modified substrates in several different solvent systems. Aggregation properties (solution and bulk) and the packing of this material (bulk) were found to depend on solvent system used. However, all the thin films prepared showed the typical columnar hexagonal packing of discotic materials. This material forms ohmic contact with gold and rectifying contacts with silver and aluminum contacts.