Oxidation of LiF –Coated Metal Surfaces: Multilayer Cathode Structures as Used for Organic Optoelectronics

X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy was used to study the growth of oxides on the surface of Al and Mg films with and without a thin LiF coating under ambient conditions. At thicknesses typically used in optoelectronic device cathodes, LiF does not completely cover the surface, likely forming islands on the metal surface. On Al, 10Å LiF (61% coverage) is sufficient to significantly decrease oxidation. The passivation of Al surfaces is enhanced due …