The influence of substrate temperature on the structure and morphology of sexiphenyl thin films on Au(111)

The layer growth of ultra-thin films of sexiphenyl on Au(111) has been studied as a function of substrate temperature under well-defined ultra-high-vacuum conditions. In situ X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy in combination with thermal desorption spectroscopy was applied to reveal the kinetics of layer growth and recrystallisation. Ex situ atomic force microscopy and X-ray diffraction were used to determine the film morphology and film structure. A continuous small-grain film is obtained at 93 K. The crystalline structure of the grains has been confirmed by X-ray diffraction. However, the grains are not preferentially oriented with respect to the substrate. Around room temperature, recrystallisation takes place and the molecules within the crystallites orient parallel to the substrate surface. Further small substrate temperature changes during growth lead to further changes of the film morphology and to reorientation of the crystallites. However, the molecules in the crystallites stay aligned parallel to the surface. At temperatures greater than 350 K, terraced islands of standing molecules are observed, in addition to needle-like islands with flat-lying molecules.