Electron conduction in fe‐doped polystyrene films

Abstract

AbstractThe DC electrical conductivity of pure and Fe3+‐doped polystyrene films has been studied at various bias field strengths in the temperature range 304–392K. Doped films showed increased conductivity compared with undoped films up to 0.5% dopant concentration; beyond this concentration there was a decrease in the conductivity. The increase in conductivity for lower doping concentrations (0.25% and 0.5%) is attributed to the formation of charge transfer complexes. The decrease in the electrical conductivity and the increase in the activation energy at more than 0.5% dopant concentration is due to the formation of molecular aggregates. For undoped films the activation energies in the low temperature region were found to be higher than those at higher temperatures. Also, with increasing bias field strength, the activation energies showed a decrease at all temperatures studied. It is suggested, on the basis of the magnitudes of the activation energies, that electronic conduction is the dominant charge transport mechanism both at low and high temperatures.