Structure and Dynamics in Surfaces of Polymers and Organic Electronic Materials

Detailed surface characteristics of polymer films have been investigated by atomistic molecular dynamics simulations and NEXAFS spectroscopy experiments. The geometric confinement of the surfaces and the necessity to minimize the surface energy lead to the significant molecular organization and orientation in polymer surfaces, with their properties strongly depending upon the atomistic monomer structures. As compared with polymers, oligomeric electronic materials are much more readily aligned by employing various surface anchoring forces, rendering them highly attractive as polarized-light emitting materials and active semiconducting materials in thin film transistors.