Real-time ellipsometric characterization of the initial growth stage of poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene):poly(styrene sulfonate) films by electrospray deposition using N,N-dimethylformamide solvent solution

Abstract The initial growth stage of poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene):poly(styrene sulfonate) (PEDOT:PSS) films by the electrospray deposition (ESD) method was investigated using 70% N , N -dimethylformamide (DMF) as a solvent solution through the real-time spectroscopic ellipsometric (SE) characterization. The uniaxial anisotropic optical property was prominent for the film growth on c-Si wafer, whereas the homogeneous growth occurred with random molecular orientation on indium-tin-oxide (ITO) coated glass. These findings probably originate from a preferential orientation of the polymer chains as obtained in the preparation process, sort of substrate, its morphology, and film thickness.