Unoccupied electronic structure of phthalocyanine films

The unoccupied molecular orbitals of metal-free phthalocyanine (H2PC), nickel-phthalocyanine (NiPC), and copper-phthalocyanine (CuPC) adsorbed on single crystal surfaces have been studied by inverse photoemission spectroscopy (IPES) and near-edge x-ray absorption spectroscopy (NEXAFS). The features observed in the experimental data are assigned by reference to molecular orbital calculations. Carbon and nitrogen 1s NEXAFS measurements of NiPC adsorbed on Cu(110) surface indicates that the phthalocyanine molecular planes are parallel to the surface. X-ray absorption data recorded at the Ni LIII and LII edges show that the unoccupied Ni 3d level is located in the plane of the phthalocyanine rings.