(696e) Effects of Processing on Poly(Phenylene Vinylene)

Polymeric semiconductors are under investigation for radiation sensors at Sandia National Laboratories. The wide band gaps, high resistivities, low dielectric constants, and high dielectric strengths of conjugated polymers suggest these materials may be suitable for solid-state particle counting detectors. A range of solution cast materials have been evaluated for this application, including poly(p-phenylene vinylene)s, or PPVs, which will be the focus of this talk. To evaluate this possibility, films were prepared by solution casting and mechanical stretching methods to control the film properties. Films were tested using interdigital electrodes on glass and thin film transistors (TFTs) by drop casting from solution and lamination of solid films. Films were prepared under various conditions and analyzed for conductivity and photoconductivity. Future work will analyze the feasibility of single particle detection and analyze various geometries and processing methods for optimization. The effects of traps and methods for reduction of trapping effects will be analyzed.