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We performed a spectroscopic study on the m-MTDATA (donor) and PPT (acceptor) molecular vertical heterostructure. The electronic properties of the donor/acceptor interface have been comprehensively characterized by synchrotron radiation-based photoelectron spectroscopy and near-edge x-ray absorption fine structure. The spectroscopic results reveal the existence of new hybridization states in the original molecular energy gap, likely attributed to the interaction between the donor and the acceptor molecules at the interface. Such hybridized states can have a significant impact on the charge transport in organic electronic devices based on donor-acceptor molecules and can explain the increased efficiency of device using such molecules.

The research on new materials is a primary driving force for progress in human society. One of the most significant research topic nowadays is the development of new functional materials for technological applications, like perovskite implemented in solar cells, and graphene as a representative for the new 2D materials family. It is then crucial to fully understand the functionality of such materials from a fundamental point of view, as a complementary and useful guide to develop/design new devices of improved performance and energy efficiency. In the thesis, comprehensive characterizations of molecular building blocks used in i) novel energy conversion devices (CoPc, TPA, DPTA and m-MTDATA), and ii) in 2D materials (biphenylene and melamine) have been performed by PhotoElectron Spectroscopy (PES), and Near Edge X-ray Absorption Fine Structure (NEXAFS) spectroscopy carried out at synchrotron radiation facilities, representing effective, powerful light source dedicated to the front-line materials research of great value in both science and industry. PES and NEXAFS spectroscopy, in combination with Density Functional Theory (DFT) calculations have provided a deep understanding of the electronic structure of the investigated systems in relation to their functionality. The investigations always included the combination and comparison between experimental and theoretical results. The studied molecules were characterized as free and adsorbed on surfaces, from the simple building blocks to more complex molecular systems. The characterizations allowed us to identify the electronic structure modifications due to substitutions (Paper III), increasing complexity of the molecules (Paper V), molecule-substrate interactions (Paper I, II, IV, V) and intra-molecular H-bonding interactions (Paper VI).