The vibrational signature of the aluminum/polythiophene Interface

An understanding and control of metal-polymer interfaces is important for the development of conjugated polymer-based light-emitting diodes. For example, do interactions at the interface modify the geometric structure and electronic properties of the conjugated system? This question is addressed here by a combined theoretical and experimental approach that has allowed the vibrational properties--which are intimately related to molecular structure and bonding--of interfaces between aluminum and oligothiophenes to be determined.