Temperature and the Interfacial Buffer Layer Effects on the Nanostructure in the Copper (II) Phthalocyanine: Fullerene Bulk Heterojunction

The effects of the interfacial buffer layer and temperature on the organic bulk heterojunction (BHJ) nanostructures of copper phthalocyanine (CuPc) and fullerene (C60) systems were investigated using real time in-situ x-ray scattering. In the CuPc:C60 BHJ structures, standing-on configured ${\gamma}$-CuPc phase was formed by co-deposition of CuPc and C60. Once formed ${\gamma}$-phase was thermally stable during the annealing upon $180^{\circ}C$. Meanwhile, the insertion of CuI buffer layer prior to deposition of the CuPc:C60 BHJ layer induced lying-down configured CuPc crystals in the BHJ layer. The lying CuPc peak intensity and the lattice parameter were increased by the thermal annealing. This increment of the intensity seemed to be related to the strain at the interface between CuPc:C60 and CuI, which was proportional to the enhancement of the power conversion efficiency of the device.