Ion implantation of polymers for electrical conductivity enhancement (Invited Paper)

Ions in the mass range from H to Xe have been used at energies from a few keV to more than a GeV to cause atomic rearrangement and consequent formation of conducting grains of carbonized material in several polymers. Generally, the conductivity increases dramatically - by several orders of magnitude - until finally demonstrating a saturation effect with further ion dose. These results indicate that the ion specie, the rate of energy deposition due to electronic processes, and the original structure of the polymer influence the final conductivity of the implanted material. The temperature dependence of the conductivity, in most cases, and frequency dependence in our case indicate a hopping mechanism for the conductivity in a one dimensional mode although precise details of the conducting mechanism are still in question.