Dielectric relaxation and ac conductivity behaviour of polyvinyl alcohol–HgSe quantum dot hybrid films

Abstract

Here we report a comparative study on the dielectric relaxation and ac conductivity behaviour of pure polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) and PVA–mercury selenide (HgSe) quantum dot hybrid films in the temperature range 298 K ⩽ T ⩽ 420 K and in the frequency range 100 Hz ⩽ f ⩽ 1 MHz. The prepared nanocomposite exhibits a larger dielectric constant as compared to the pure PVA. The real and imaginary parts of the dielectric constants were found to fit appreciably with the modified Cole–Cole equation, from which temperature-dependent values of the relaxation times, free charge carrier conductivity and space charge carrier conductivity were calculated. The relaxation time decreases with the quantum dot's inclusion in the PVA matrix and with an increase in temperature, whereas free charge carrier conductivity and space charge carrier conductivity increases with an increase in temperature. An increase in ac conductivity for the nanocomposites has also been observed, while the charge transport mechanism was found to follow the correlated barrier hopping model in both cases. An easy-path model with a suitable electrical equivalent circuit has been employed to analyse the temperature-dependent impedance spectra. The imaginary part of the complex electric modulus spectra exhibit an asymmetric nature and a non-Debye type of behaviour, which has been elucidated considering a generalized susceptibility function. The electric modulus spectra of the nanocomposite demonstrate a smaller amplitude and broader width, as compared to the pure PVA sample.