Temperature Dependent Thermal Conductivity and Thermal Interface Resistance of Pentacene Thin Films with Varying Morphology

Temperature dependent thermal conductivities and thermal interface resistances of pentacene (Pn) thin films deposited on silicon substrates and self-assembled monolayer-modified [octadecyltrichlorosilane (OTS) and (3-aminopropyl)triethoxysilane (APTES)] silicon substrates were measured using frequency domain thermoreflectance. Atomic force microscopy images were used to derive an effective film thickness for thermal transport that accounts for surface roughness. Data taken over a temperature range of 77-300 K for various morphologies and film thicknesses show that the thermal conductivity increases with increasing Pn grain size. The sum of the substrate-Pn and Pn-gold thermal interface resistances was isolated from the intrinsic thermal resistance of the Pn films and found to be independent of surface chemistry. Corresponding Kapitza lengths of approximately 150 nm are larger than the physical thicknesses of typical Pn thin films and indicate that the interfaces play a dominant role in the total thermal resistance. This study has implications for increasing the performance and effective thermal management of small molecule electronic and energy conversion devices.