High-Resolution Kelvin Probe Force Microscopy Imaging of Interface Dipoles and Photogenerated Charges in Organic Donor–Acceptor Photovoltaic Blends

We present noncontact atomic force microscopy and Kelvin probe force microscopy studies of nanophase segregated photovoltaic blends based on an oligothiophene–fluorenone oligomer and [6,6]-phenyl C70 butyric acid methyl ester. We carried out a complete analysis of the influence of the tip–surface interaction regime on the topographic, in-dark contact potential and surface photovoltage contrasts. It is demonstrated that an optimal lateral resolution is achieved for all channels below the onset of a contrast in the damping images. With the support of electrostatic simulations, it is shown that in-dark contact potential difference contrasts above subsurface acceptor clusters are consistent with an uneven distribution of permanent charges at the donor–acceptor interfaces. A remarkable dependence of the surface photovoltage magnitude with respect to the tip–surface distance is evidenced and attributed to a local enhancement of the electromagnetic field at the tip apex