Phthalocyanine molecules have been the subject of a large number of investigations due to their versatile applications in the area of gas-sensing devices, photovoltaic materials, light emitting diodes, solar and fuel cells and molecular magnets. Double decker rare-earth phthalocyanines are very promising molecules for molecular magnet applications or gas sensors. For such molecules, the role of the rare-earth ion is not elucidated yet due to a lack of fundamental experimental research supplemented by reliable theoretical models. Indeed, because rare-earth production is expensive and trusted by Asian countries, it is crucial for Europe to understand their role and to develop theoretical model that are able to reproduce their unique properties in order to find alternative systems to replace them in a more economic and strategic way.
In this project, we are interested in understanding how this class of molecules reacts when exposed to different atmospheric gases. Indeed, organic molecules are subject to evolve under atmospheric gas loosing their electronic properties. We focus here in the fundamental understanding of the reactivity of self-organized phthalocyanine molecules on surfaces by means of ambient or near-ambient pressure experimental techniques such as optical spectroscopies, local probe spectroscopies (STM, AFM) and electron spectroscopies.
This project is supported by THINFACE European Training Project Collaborations : Uppsala university, Technical University of Graz, Université de Bourgogne References 1. I. Bidermane et al., J. Chem. Phys. 138, 234701 (2013) 2. S. Boudet et al., Phys. Rev. B 86, 115413 (2012) 3. S. Boudet et al.,submitted to J. Phys. Chem. C 5. I. Bidermane et al, in manuscript