Using high resolution electron energy loss spectroscopy, we have examined the vibrational and electronic information of Zinc phthalocyanine (ZnPc) and tetrafluoro tetracyanoquinodimethane (F4-TCNQ) on Au (1 1 1). The changes in the vibrational loss features reveal distinct changes in growth modes at different film thickness as well as occurrence of charge transfer between adsorbate and substrate. Up to a thickness of 10 monolayers, ZnPc film grows with its molecular plane parallel to the substrate. After the introduction of small quantities of F4-TCNQ on ZnPc film, evidence of p-doping can be seen from the red shift of C N stretching in F4-TCNQ. (C) 2008 Elsevier B. V. All rights reserved.