Multistep nucleation and growth mechanisms of organic crystals from amorphous solid states

Hongliang Chen, Mingliang Li, Zheyu Lu, Xiaoge Wang, Junsheng Yang, Zhe Wang, Fei Zhang, Chunhui Gu, Weining Zhang, Yujie Sun, Junliang Sun (), Wenguang Zhu () and Xuefeng Guo ()
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Hongliang Chen: Peking University
Mingliang Li: Peking University
Zheyu Lu: University of Science and Technology of China
Xiaoge Wang: Peking University
Junsheng Yang: Peking University
Zhe Wang: University of Science and Technology of China
Fei Zhang: Peking University
Chunhui Gu: Peking University
Weining Zhang: Peking University
Yujie Sun: Peking University
Junliang Sun: Peking University
Wenguang Zhu: University of Science and Technology of China
Xuefeng Guo: Peking University

Nature Communications, 2019, vol. 10, issue 1, 1-10

Abstract: Abstract Molecular self-assembly into crystallised films or wires on surfaces produces a big family of motifs exhibiting unique optoelectronic properties. However, little attention has been paid to the fundamental mechanism of molecular crystallisation. Here we report a biomimetic design of phosphonate engineered, amphiphilic organic semiconductors capable of self–assembly, which enables us to use real-time in-situ scanning probe microscopy to monitor the growth trajectories of such organic semiconducting films as they nucleate and crystallise from amorphous solid states. The single-crystal film grows through an evolutionary selection approach in a two-dimensional geometry, with five distinct steps: droplet flattening, film coalescence, spinodal decomposition, Ostwald ripening, and self-reorganised layer growth. These sophisticated processes afford ultralong high-density microwire arrays with high mobilities, thus promoting deep understanding of the mechanism as well as offering important insights into the design and development of functional high-performance organic optoelectronic materials and devices through molecular and crystal engineering.

Date: 2019
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DOI: 10.1038/s41467-019-11887-2

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