The effect of the central metal atom on the structural phase transition of indium doped metal phthalocyanine

Abstract

We investigate the effect of central metal atom on the phthalocyanine(Pc) molecular crystals as intercalated with indium. As dopant, indium has physical interaction with some atom in the ring of Pc molecule and there is charge transfer between indium atom and Pc ring atom. Since In-doped Pc is a hole doping which increase positive charge carriers and the HOMO of ZnPc, CuPc, NiPc and MgPc are localized on the phthalocyanine ring, then, the central metal atom e.g. Zn, Cu, Ni and Mg are not directly involved with the charge transfer between indium dopant and their Pc molecule. The structural phase transition from α phase to β phase of ZnPc upon doping with indium is another evidence for the existing of charge transfer between dopant atom and matrix Pc molecule. A comparative experiment of optical absorption spectrum of each metal Pc reveals that the central metal atom will affect the forming of crystal structure whether will be α phase or β phase as intercalated with indium. © (2013) Trans Tech Publications, Switzerland.