Electrodeposited Zinc Oxide/Phthalocyanine Films – An Inorganic/Organic Hybrid System with Highly Variable Composition

Hybrid films of zinc oxide (ZnO) and tetrasulfonated nickel phthalocyanine (TSPcNi) have been electrodeposited by cathodic electrodeposition from aqueous O₂‐saturated solutions of ZnCl₂ and TSPcNi. The TSPcNi content of the films can be varied in a wide range by variation of dye concentration in the electrodeposition bath – from single TSPcNi molecules embedded in compact crystalline ZnO to films based on an amorphous TSPcNi framework. With increasing dye content the colour of the films changes from green, indicating the presence of the TSPcNi monomers, to blue, caused by TSPcNi aggregates. At the same time, changes in the electrical and photoelectrical properties of the films are observed, enabling the tuning of these properties in view of optoelectronic applications.