# Investigating the thin film growth of [Ni(Hvanox)2] by microscopic and spectroscopic techniques

## TL;DR

Researchers studied how to grow thin films of a nickel complex using evaporation and analyzed their structure with various techniques.

## Contribution

The study demonstrates the preparation and characterization of [Ni(Hvanox)2] thin films with controlled thickness and nanocrystalline morphology.

## Key findings

- Thin films of [Ni(Hvanox)2] with thicknesses from 16 to 336 nm were successfully prepared using organic molecule evaporation.
- The films exhibited a rough surface with elongated, rod-like nanocrystals and a seeding layer.
- XPS, TEM, and XRD confirmed the elemental composition and atomic structure of the thin films.

## Abstract

We have investigated [Ni(Hvanox)2] (H2vanox = o-vanillinoxime), a square-planar Ni(ii) complex, for the preparation of thin films using organic molecule evaporation. Low pressure experiments to prepare thin films were conducted at temperatures between 120–150 °C and thin films of increasing thicknesses [Ni(Hvanox)2] (16–336 nm) have been prepared on various substrates and been analyzed by microscopic and spectroscopic methods. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM), atomic force microscopy (AFM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) were used to reveal a rough surface morphology which exhibits a dense arrangement of elongated, rod and needle-like nanocrystals with random orientations. It also enabled us to follow the growth of the thin films by increasing thickness revealing the formation of a seeding layer. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS and 3D ED), TEM and X-ray diffraction (XRD) were utilized to confirm the atomic structure and the elemental composition of the thin films.

Thin films with thicknesses ranging from 16 to 336 nm of [Ni(Hvanox)2] were prepared via organic molecule evaporation and analyzed using SEM, AFM, TEM, XPS, and XRD, revealing rough surfaces with nanocrystals, including an initial seeding layer.