We report the site-specific probing of charge-transfer dynamics in a prototype system for organic photovoltaics (OPV) by picosecond time-resolved X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. A layered system consisting of approximately two monolayers of C$_{60}
$ deposited on top of a thin film of Copper-Phthalocyanine (CuPC) is excited by an optical pump pulse and the induced electronic dynamics are probed with 590 eV X-ray pulses. Charge transfer from the electron donor (CuPC) to the acceptor (C$_{60}$) and subsequent charge carrier dynamics are monitored by recording the time-dependent C 1$s$ core level photoemission spectrum of the system. The arrival of electrons in the C$_{60}$ layer is readily observed as a completely reversible, transient shift of the C$_{60}$ associated C 1$s$ core level, while the C 1$s$ level of the CuPC remains unchanged. The capability to probe charge transfer and recombination dynamics in OPV assemblies directly in the time domain and from the perspective of well-defined domains is expected to open additional pathways to better understand and optimize the performance of this emerging technology.
Phthalocyanines in combination with C$_{60}$ are benchmark materials for organic solar cells. Here we have studied the morphology and electronic properties of co-deposited mixtures (blends) of these materials forming a bulk heterojunction as a functi
on of the concentration of the two constituents. For a concentration of 1:1 of CuPc:C$_{60}$ a phase separation into about 100 nm size domains is observed, which results in electronic properties similar to layered systems. For low C$_{60}$ concentrations (10:1 CuPc:C$_{60}$) the morphology, as indicated by Low-Energy Electron Microscopy (LEEM) images, suggests a growth mode characterized by (amorphous) domains of CuPC, whereby the domain boundaries are decorated with C$_{60}$. Despite of these markedly different growth modes, the electronic properties of the heterojunction films are essentially unchanged.
