Exploring the limits of real-time studies of growth of molecular and hybrid systems

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Growth of molecular and hybrid metal/molecular thin films is a complex non-equilibrium process involving inter alia ad-species nucleation, surface and inter-layer diffusion, and possibly molecular reorientation. These factors often result in the appearance of transient structures and pronounced changes of the electronic properties. In this project, we will follow the growth of organic semiconductor (phenacene) thin films and the formation of hybrid organic-metal structures using real-time X-ray scattering in combination with complementary techniques. We will study the emergence of the thin film structure with the highest achievable time and q-resolution, while capturing at the same time large sections of q-space and thus being as comprehensive as possible, by combining diffuse and specular X-ray scattering experiments, state-of-the-art instrumentation, and advanced data analysis employing phenomenological and atomistic models. Particular focus will be on the analysis of the time evolution of the diffuse scattering. Exploiting recent improvements of synchrotron radiation and area detector technology, the results of this project will shed light on the fundamental processes of thin film growth and its complex dynamics, and thereby explore the experimental limits for rapid in situ growth studies.