Electrical and optical properties of a polymer semiconductor interface

• Published in: Synthetic metals 1999-06, Vol.102 (1), p.877-878
• Main Authors: Halliday, D.P., Gray, J.W., Adams, P.N., Monkman, A.P.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Application fields; Applied sciences; Electroluminescence; Electronics; Exact sciences and technology; Interfaces; Light sources; Organic/inorganic interfaces; Polymer industry, paints, wood; Semiconductor electronics. Microelectronics. Optoelectronics. Solid state devices; Technology of polymers; Transport measurements
• ISSN: 0379-6779; 1879-3290
• DOI: 10.1016/S0379-6779(98)00840-6

We have fabricated a stable electrical interface between a range of n-type, p-type and undoped GaAs epitaxial layers and a film of conductive p-type polyaniline. The IV characteristics of this device show rectifying behaviour consistent with a potential barrier formed at the interface. We have used simple thermionic emission theory for a Schottky type barrier to model the results. This has shown no significant change in the barrier height as the fermi level moves through the semiconductor bandgap by changing from n-type to p-type substrates. We have measured the temperature dependence of the barrier height. Using n-type GaAs we can observe electroluminescence centred at 680 nm with a FWHM of 160 nm at a current density of 5 mA cm −2. Our data suggests that the interface characteristics are controlled by surface states on the GaAs layer.