Improved thin films of pentacene via pulsed laser deposition at elevated substrate temperatures

Thin films of pentacene were deposited by thermal evaporation and by pulsed laser deposition (PLD). Surface characterization using atomic force microscopy shows that PLD leads to a reduction in surface roughness, which can be reduced further using heated substrates. Observation of enhanced field-effect carrier mobilities in the PLD films, together with increased electrical conductivity and reduced activation energy for electrical conduction, is consistent with increased molecular ordering in the pentacene films and suggests a direct correlation between molecular ordering in the bulk and surface roughness.