X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) has been used to study the electronic structures of indium tin oxide (ITO) surfaces treated by O+, Ar+, and NHx+ plasmas. The XPS data show that there is a significant change in core level energies (In 3d5/2 O 1s, and Sn 3d5/2), in donor concentration (Sn4+), in valence band maximums (VBM), and in work functions on ITO surfaces being treated by O+ and NHx+ plasmas, compared with that of virgin and Ar+ plasma treated surfaces. Based on these experimental data, a surface band-bending theory is proposed. The theory explains that when Fermi energy of the plasma-treated surface is shifted towards the middle of the band gap: core levels will shift their energies to lower binding energies, VBM will bend upward, and work function will increase, as observed.

Non-monotonic, asymmetrical electric field dependence of photoluminescence (PL) intensity is observed in a monolayer sample of tris-(8-hydroxyquinoline) aluminum (AlQ) doped N,N'-bis(3-methylphenyl)-N,N'-bis(phenyl)-benzidine (TPD). A possible model is proposed: the charge separation from the dissociated photoexcited excitons causes energy band bending in the organic films and improves the hole injection from the electrode, which brings about the extra fluorescence. This mechanism is further verified by a series of experiments using a series of samples, variously featuring symmetrical electrodes, block layers, and hosts with lower hole mobilities.