Photoconduction of High-Density Polyethylene
Toshikatsu Tanaka, Yoshio Inuishi · Japanese Journal of Applied Physics · 1967
A photo-current was observed in high-density polyethylene when a 40 micron-thick sample was exposed to low-intensity white light from a tungsten lamp. A large photo-current was found when a sample had been pre-irradiated with high-energy electrons. Notable results are as follows; it is fairly sensitive to photons with a certain range of energy (about 1.2 eV), which might support that charge carriers are optically released from trap centers; it has approximately the same activation energy as the dark current; it might be related to space charge formation; and photo-current/light-intensity characteristics are divided into three regions of intensity. Tentative energy diagram is proposed for irradiated polyethylene on the assumption of band model. Apparent correlation is possible between double bonds and conductivity, which might be a key to investigate the electrical properties of polymers.