Influence of iodine on the electrical properties of magnesium phthalocyanines thin film devices

Abstract

Abstract The influence of iodine on the electrical properties of sandwich structures of magnesium phthalocyanine (Mg Pc) thin films with gold and aluminium electrodes has been investigated. The various electrical properties and different electrical parameters of the iodine-doped Mg Pc thin film devices have been estimated and compared with the values of normal Mg Pc devices from the analysis of the current-voltage characteristics. Generally samples showed an asymmetric conductivity both under forward and reverse bias. From our study we found that iodine doped Mg Pc films showed an enhanced electrical conductivity of nearly ten times that of typical Mg Pc. At low voltages the films showed an ohmic conduction with a hole concentration of P0 = 6.34 × 1018 m−3 and hole mobility μ = 9.16 × 10−5 m 2 V−1 s−1, whereas at higher voltage levels the conduction is dominated by space charged limited conduction (SCLC) with a discrete trapping level of 1.33 × 1022 m−3 at 0.63 eV above the valance band edge. The ratio of the free charges to trapped charges (trapping factor) for the doped samples was found to be 1.07 × 10−7. Furthermore the reverse conduction mechanisms have also been investigated. From the current limitations in the reverse condition a strong rectifying behaviour was evident which was attributed to Poole-Frankel emission with a field-lowering coefficient of value 2.24 × 10−5 eV m1/2 V−1/2.