The Electrical Conductivity and Dielectric Response of Cupric Acetylacetonate Thin Films

Abstract

The dielectric behavior and the dark electrical conductivity of cupric acetylacetonate, Cu(acac)2, thin film were studied under the influence of temperature in the range of 303–373 K and in the frequency range 42 Hz–5 MHz. The frequency and temperature dependence of dielectric constant and dielectric loss values was explained in terms of dielectric polarization theory. The dynamic response of AC conductivity toward the frequency variation follows Jonscher’s power law. Three distinct regions with different conduction mechanisms are obtained. The correlated barrier hopping (CBH) model is adapted to fit the conduction mechanism in the low and high-frequency regions. Both complex electric modulus and impedance formalisms are employed to interpret the dielectric characteristics of the Cu(acac)2. It is observed that the non-Debye relaxation mechanism is the most predominant in Cu(acac)2. The most probable relaxation time exhibits a temperature dependent behavior that obeys the Arrhenius relation with 0.54 eV activation energy.