Evaluation of the energy distribution of trap states in polymer films

This paper reports on the results of an investigation of polymer thin films by the methods of thermally stimulated currents and current-voltage characteristics. It has been found using these methods that, in the band gap of the poly(diphenylene phthalide) films, there are three groups of electron traps with maxima in the density of states at energies of 0.50, 1.06, and 2.40 eV with respect to the bottom of the conduction band. These results correlate well with the data obtained in our investigation of the fluorescence excitation spectra.     

Effect of uniaxial compression on traps of excitons and charge carriers in poly(9-vinylcarbazole) films

The effect of uniaxial pressure (1 × 10⁸ Pa) on the photoluminescence spectra and thermally stimulated luminescence curves of poly(9-vinylcarbazole) has been investigated in the temperature range of 5–295 K. The thermally stimulated luminescence curve of crystalline carbazole has been measured for comparison. The high-temperature wings of the thermally stimulated luminescence curves are approximated by a Gaussian function, the half-width of which characterizes the disorder of energy states of deep structural traps. It is concluded that the pressure inhibits conformational changes of polymer chains of poly(9-vinylcarbazole), which leads to the formation of sandwich-like excimers as well as to an ordering of the spatial arrangement of the side carbazolyl groups. As a result, the concentration of “excimer-forming” centers increases, whereas the degree of disorder of energy states of deep structural traps of charge carriers is reduced by almost half and remains unchanged after the depressurization.     

Estimation of the parameters of charge carriers in polymers in the vicinity of the threshold of thermally stimulated switching

The temperature dependences of the parameters of charge carriers in thin films of an electroactive poly(diphenylenephthalide) polymer are investigated in the range preceding the thermally stimulated electronic switching (110–400 K). The thermally stimulated current spectra and current-voltage characteristics are measured in the same temperature range. The parameters of charge carriers are estimated in the framework of the model of injection currents limited by the space charge. It is revealed that the charge carrier mobility decreases with an increase in the temperature in the range from 110 to 400 K. A correlation between the temperature behavior of the current-voltage characteristics and the thermally stimulated current spectra is established. The possible contribution of the Pool-Frenkel effect is considered, and the inference is made that the electric field plays an important role in the thermally stimulated electronic switching.     

A method for correlating charge traps of polypropylene to its morphology

A method for differentiating charge traps in amorphous parts from those in crystalline parts of crystalline polymers was proposed and applied it to polypropylene (PP) charge traps. The proposed method is combined use of two techniques: organic solvent vapor-induced charge decay (OSVICD) and partial neutralization (PN), slight recharging with the counter corona charges. From thermally stimulated current (TSC) spectra of OSVICD- and PN-treated PP, the shallow and deep charge traps were correlated to the trap sites existing in the amorphous and crystalline regions of PP, respectively. From TSC spectra of PN-treated PP, it was found that in the surface region the ratio of charges existed in the deep traps to those in the shallow ones was about 87% while in the bulk region it was 48%. This fact is consistent with crystalline-rich surface nature of the sample films, which was revealed by the usual transmission and ATR infrared spectroscopic analyses.     

A new interactive thermoluminescence mixed-order glow curve deconvolution function

An interactive mixed-order thermoluminescence (TL) glow curve deconvolution function is presented for the first time in which the retrapping of thermally stimulated charge carriers in deep traps during the heating stage is taken into account. Considering this transition in the set of differential equations by describing the TL process and by solving them, an analytical function for TL intensity was obtained. This equation reduces to the known deconvolution function for the mixed-order model in the limiting case of saturation of deep trapping (DT) states. In intermediate cases, where the DT states are partially occupied, the proposed function acts as a real interactive model which allows the thermally stimulated electrons to be retrapped to deep electron traps. Applicability of the proposed model in a real TL system is also presented and discussed.     

Hole traps in GaSe:Co single crystals

In order to clarigy the nature of the cobalt related hole traps (CRHT) in GaSe single crystals, GaSe:Co single crystals were grown by the Bridgman method and the optical absorption spectra, the photoconductivity spectra and the thermally stimulated current (TSC) were investigated. The energy levels of the CRHT in GaSe:Co single crystals were located at 0.18, 0.28, 0.38, 0.49 and 0.57 eV above the valence band. The optical absorption peaks and the photoconductivity peaks corresponding to the CRHT were observed in the wavelength range from 650 to 950 nm and these peaks are respectively attributed to the carrier transitions from the CRHT to the indirect conduction band of GaSe:Co single crystals.     

Theory of modified thermally stimulated current and direct determination of trap level distribution

In order to investigate the trap level distribution in polymer films, a new method is proposed based on modified thermally stimulated current (TSC) theory and numerical calculation of the TSC measurement. In this method, a new function is defined to weight the contribution of every trap level to the external current. The demarcation energy is used to study the trap emptying process. The modified TSC theory shows that only the electrons with trap levels very close to the demarcation energy can significantly contribute to the external circuit at any instant temperature. Based on this method, the trap level distribution of the DuPont original polyimide film 100HN and nanocomposite polyimide film 100CR are investigated as an application example. The effectiveness of the method is confirmed by the experiments. The experimental results show that the trap level density in the 100CR PI films is about six times larger than that in the 100HN PI films through the investigated trap level ranges 06–1.3 eV. The increased traps in 100CR should be introduced by nanofillers, probably come from the interfaces formed between nanofillers and the polymer matrix.     

Influence of the electrode material in a metal-polymer-metal structure on the temperature dependence of the thermally stimulated current

The dependences of the thermally stimulated current in metal-polymer-metal structures with electrodes prepared from different materials are investigated. Poly(diphenylenephthalide) films are used as a polymer. The possible contribution of the injection component to the thermally stimulated current spectrum is considered. The injection conditions are changed by replacing the electrode material. It is established that the change in the material does not lead to a change in a qualitative behavior of the temperature dependence of the current. However, the use of copper as the electrode material gives rise to an additional injection component in the thermally stimulated current spectrum and (under specific conditions) electronic switching of the sample from an insulating state to a highly conducting state. The charge is injected into deep localized electronic states that lie near the middle of the band gap of the polymer. Original Russian Text ? A.N. Lachinov, A.V. Moshelev, A.F. Ponomarev, 2009, published in Fizika Tverdogo Tela, 2009, Vol. 51, No. 3, pp. 590–595.     

聚丙烯孔洞铁电驻极体膜的电极化及其电荷动态特性

根据栅控恒压电晕充电组合反极性电晕补偿充电法的实验结果计算出铁电驻极体的极化强度.结果说明，伴随着薄膜内孔洞气体的Paschen击穿，该铁电体的极化强度随栅压增加而显著上升.利用上述充电方法和热刺激放电(TSD)谱的分析讨论了这类空间电荷型宏观电偶极子，及与其补偿的空间电荷热退极化的电荷动态特性；阐明了这两类俘获电荷的能阱分布，即构成宏观电偶极子的位于孔洞上下介质层内的等值异号空间电荷分别被俘获在深、浅两种能值陷阱内，而位于薄膜表面层的注入空间电荷则被俘获在中等能值陷阱中. 关键词： 反极性电晕补偿充电法 铁电驻极体 充电电流 热刺激放电     

On luminescence stimulated from deep traps using thermally-assisted time-resolved optical stimulation in α-Al2O3:C

We report a study of charge transfer mechanisms of electrons stimulated optically from very deep traps, also known as donor traps, in α-Al₂O₃:C. The investigations were carried out using thermally-assisted time-resolved optical stimulation, thermoluminescence and by way of residual thermoluminescence from the main electron trap. When the charges are optically stimulated from the deep traps, they are redistributed via the conduction band to the main electron trap and the shallow trap from where they are optically or thermally released for recombination at luminescence centres. The luminescence is strongly quenched at high measurement temperature as evident by very short luminescence lifetimes at these temperatures. The main peak due to residual thermoluminescence is located at a higher temperature than the conventional main peak.     

Features of the kinetics of electrical damage of polymers

The kinetics of electrical damage (breakdown) of polymer films 20–50 μm thick in a constant-sign field of 0.5–0.6 GV/m at 77–300 K has been studied. At elevated temperatures (250–300 K), the exponential temperature dependence of the durability and the above-barrier thermal-fluctuation mechanism of electron emission from traps, i.e., space charge accumulation leading to breakdown, take place. At low temperatures (77–200 K), there are separate local decreases in the durability (minima) at the athermal durability level. The identity of the temperatures of durability minima and measured thermoluminescence maxima of polymers was found. A conclusion is made about the mechanism of thermally stimulated tunneling (subbarrier emission) of electrons from traps.     

Effect of the method and degree of pulverization on the photoluminescence of ZnS crystals

The effect of the pulverization method and the degree of dispersion on the photoluminescence spectrum, the temperature dependence of luminescence, the thermostimulated luminescence, the kinetics of light storage, and the law of afterglow of the crystal phosphor ZnS:Ga is investigated. Analysis of all the results obtained shows that the pulverization method is most substantially manifested in thermoluminescence in the form of additional peaks of thermally stimulated luminescence (TSL) due to the appearance during pulverization of groups of traps with a depth of 0.22–0.24 eV. The origin of these traps is discussed. It is shown that a process associated with the generation of dislocations during pulverization is most effective in the formation of electron traps.Translated from Izvestiya Vysshikh Uchebnykh Zavedenii, Fizika, No. 5, pp. 10–14, May, 1984.     

Features of hydrogen accumulation in metals during saturation in plasma, electrolyte, and hydrogen under pressure

Features of the temperature spectra of thermally stimulated gas evolution are investigated to determine features of the incorporation of hydrogen into titanium, palladium, and steel of 12Kh12M1BFR grade (metals substantially different with regard to hydrogen solubility) from media of various aggregate states. The conclusions are drawn with regard to the order of filling of high-temperature and low-temperature traps in dependence on the metal and method of saturation.     

The Chain Segment Motion and Traps in γ‐Irradiation Crystalline Nylon 1010

The chain segment motion, charge trapping and detrapping in γ‐irradiated nylon 1010 films (doses in the range 0–2,000 kGy were used) have been investigated by means of thermally stimulated depolarization current (TSDC). There are three current peaks (named α, ρ₁ and ρ₂, respectively) in the TSDC spectra, corrected by spontaneous current, above room temperature. By analyzing the characteristic parameters of the three peaks, it is found that the chain segment motion in the amorphous regions becomes more difficult at low irradiation dose (<100 kGy) and then becomes easier with further increasing irradiation dose. The stability of the traps at the crystalline‐amorphous interfaces increases at low irradiation dose (<500 kGy) and then decreases with further increasing irradiation dose; the irradiation promotes the creation of traps and the stability of traps in the crystalline regions.     

Electret properties and chemical modification of cellular polypropylene films

The electret properties of virginal cellular polypropylene (PP) films and chemically modified cellular PP films by extraction from CH₂Cl₂ solution, oxidation in a mixture solution of H₂SO₄, CrO₃ and H₂O and fluorination in a hydrofluoric acid (HF) solution, were systematically studied by measuring the open-circuit thermally stimulated discharge (TSD) current spectra, charge TSD spectra and isothermal charge decay. The results point out that there are more deep traps than shallow traps in the surface region while the contrary case occurs in the bulk region. The thermal stability of charge storage of the chemically modified cellular PP film is significantly improved in comparison with that of the virginal one. Light irradiation or reacting at elevated temperature has remarkable promotion effect on the reaction of HF with the extracted and oxidized film. Moreover, a method for investigating the dynamic changes of mean charge depth relative to its initial value during heating was proposed.     

Photoinduced oxygen-vacancy related centers in PbWO 4 : Electron spin resonance and thermally stimulated luminescence study

Using electron spin resonance (ESR) and thermally stimulated luminescence (TSL) three different electron traps based on regular W sites perturbed by oxygen vacancies have been identified in PbWO 4 . Analysis of ESR spectra parameters ( g -factor values and principal axes orientations) has shown that revealed centers are (WO 3 ) m vacancy containing complex anions associated with a defect in Pb sublattice: (WO 3 ) m m A Pb complexes. One of the centers (W 1 ) is thermally stable up to 350-370 v K, while the other two (W 2 and W 3 ) only to 270-290 v K. Above these temperatures trapped electrons become free and recombine with localized holes, giving rise to TSL glow peaks at T\approx 323\,\hbox{K} and 365\,\hbox{K} . Using the initial rise method the 323\,\hbox{K} TSL peak-shape was fitted allowing the first order recombination kinetic that gives trap parameters E = 0.88\,\hbox{eV} and s\simeq 5\ast 10^{12}1/\hbox{s} .     

Thermally stimulated depolarization of human blood

Thermally stimulated current spectra of human blood preparations are investigated. The electret effect in blood is interpreted using the fundamental concepts of the electret state of matter and electrical polarization of biopolymers. It is speculated that the electret effect in blood is related to the biological cycles in the organism and associated biochemical processes. It is noted that the method of thermally stimulated current is appropriate for express diagnostics of biological objects.     

The role of deep traps in luminescence of anion-defective α-Al2O3: C crystals

This paper presents the results of a study of deep traps responsible for thermally stimulated luminescence in single crystals of the anion-defective corundum α-Al₂O₃: C observed at temperatures of about 703, 778, 830, and 903 K. The effect of the filling of these traps by carriers of both signs on the sensitivity to radiation of the main thermoluminescence peak at 450 K, optically stimulated luminescence, and phototransferred thermoluminescence has been investigated. The results obtained are treated in terms of a model involving interactive competition of traps of different depth.     

低密度聚乙烯热压成型过程中的空间电荷

借助开路热刺激放电(TSD)电流及原位实时电荷TSD和电荷等温衰减测量，研究了低密度聚乙烯(LDPE)在热压成型过程中所产生的空间电荷特性.结果表明具有良好室温稳定性的成型电荷被束缚在两类陷阱能级中：浅阱和深阱，其陷阱中心深度分别约为0.92eV和1.31eV.初步的分析进一步表明了它们应该分别位于试样的表层和体内，为近表面陷阱和体陷阱. 关键词： 低密度聚乙烯(LDPE) 热压成型 空间电荷 热刺激放电(TSD)     

砷化镓中深能级陷阱的测量

对N型砷化镓外延材料进行了瞬态电容和热激电容测量。在液相外延材料中一般检测不到电子陷阱的存在,但是在气相外延材料中,通常都能找到导带下0.82和0.43eV两个电子陷阱,它们的电子俘获截面分别为2.0×10^-13和1.5×10^-15cm²。 关键词：