Transient and thermally stimulated depolarization currents in pure and iodine doped polyvinyl formal (PVF) films

Abstract

Transient currents, measured with pure and iodine doped polyvinyl formal (PVF) films as a function of poling field (15–100 kV/cm) and temperature (30–95°C), have been found to follow Curie-von Schweidler law characterized with two slopes in short and long time regions. The isochronals (i.e. current/temperature plots at constant times) have been found to give rise to a peak located at 75°C. The order of current has been found to increase with increase in poling field, temperature and iodine mixing. The comparative studies of the isochronals with the thermally stimulated discharge current (TSDC) indicated the strong resemblance between the two studies. It is suggested that both the dipolar orientation due to molecular mechanism of motions with the side chains and space charge due to trapping of injected charge carriers in energetically distributed traps may be responsible for the observed currents. The dependence of current and activation energy on iodine mixing is explained on the basis of a charge transfer type of interaction.