Preparation of a hole transport layer tethered to ITO surface via a self-assembled monolayer with reactive terminal group

Characteristics of a junction between a polymer thin film and an indium-tin oxide (ITO) substrate was controlled by forming covalent chemical bonds at the interface through self-assembled monolayers (SAMs) with reactive terminal groups. For this purpose, SAMs with vinyl, epoxide, and benzophenone terminal groups were formed on ITO substrates, on which a vinyl derivative of a hole transport molecule was vapor-deposited, and then annealed in vacuum. This procedure produced a polymer layer strongly attached to the substrate surface. It was also found that the charge injection from the ITO electrode to the polymer layer can be improved by chemically tethering the interface via the SAMs.