Electronic structure at the perylene-tetracarboxylic acid dianhydride/Ag(111) interface studied with two-photon photoelectron spectroscopy

The electronic structure of the prototype metal/organic contact 3,4,9,10-perylene-tetracarboxylic acid dianhydride (PTCDA) on a Ag(111)-surface has been investigated using time-and angle-resolved two-photon photoelectron spectroscopy (2PPE). Our analysis addresses particularly the nature of the interface state (IS) emerging at the interface due to the substrate-adsorbate interaction [C. H. Schwalb, S. Sachs, M. Marks et al., Phys. Rev. Lett. 101, 146801 (2008)]. Its free-electron-like dispersion and a possible backfolding at the surface Brillouin zone boundaries are discussed. Time-resolved pump-probe experiments reveal the inelastic electron lifetime along the dispersion parabola and show its decrease for increasing parallel momentum. The temperature dependence of the peak linewidth indicates a coupling of the IS to molecular vibrations. Moreover, additional aspects are addressed, such as the determination of the electron attenuation length of photoelectrons for low kinetic energy originating from the IS and the work function change of the sample upon PTCDA adsorption with very high energy resolution. (C) 2009 American Institute of Physics. [doi: 10.1063/1.3243851]