Small-molecule organic photovoltaic (OPV) cells with a heterostructure of indium tin oxide (ITO)/copper phthalocyanine (CuPc)/C-60/Ag were fabricated by physical vapor deposition at different source temperatures T-sou and substrate temperatures T-sub. The physical properties of these as-deposited organic thin films including surface morphology, structural information, and electrical and optical properties were measured (in layer-by-layer sequence) by atomic force microscopy, X-ray diffraction, current-voltage characteristics, and electronic absorption spectra. At first, the effects of different deposition conditions (Tsou and Tsub) on growth rate and film thickness of these organic thin films were examined. Then, the interface properties of ITO/CuPc and CuPc/C-60 were studied with respect to T-sub. Short-circuit current density J(sc) and open-circuit voltage V c for this ITO/CuPc/C-60/Ag heterostructure under illumination were performed, and the spectral response of J(sc) was analyzed. Finally, the Tub-dependence of the physical properties of the as-deposited organic films and of the performance of the as-fabricated OPV cells were discussed. (c) 2007 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.