Effects of Fe cations in ruthenium-complex multilayers fabricated by a layer-by-layer method

Abstract

Molecular multilayers were fabricated using a Ru complex containing Fe cations on an indium tin oxide surface to control the properties of the Ru-complex multilayers such as the multilayer orientation and the electron transport. The Ru-complex multilayer films containing Fe cations were thicker than those containing Zr cations, which have been used previously. The electron transport properties of the multilayers containing Fe cations were evaluated. Solid-state sandwich cell measurements showed that the Ru-complex multilayer films containing Fe cations exhibited increased electron transport with a lower transport coefficient β of 0.01 Å⁻¹, whereas those that contain Zr cations have β ∼ 0.07 Å⁻¹. Thus, Fe cations are effective in obtaining thicker Ru-complex layers with increased electron transport abilities.