Ion Implantation of Conducting Ladder and Rigid-Rod Polymers

Abstract

We report optical, thermal, and transport studies on Kr+ implanted ladder (BBL) and rigid-rod ( PBO and PBZT) polymers, with an ion energy of 200 keV and dosage of 4 × 1016 / cm2. Both pristine and ion implanted polymers were studied using X-ray photo-electron spectroscopy (XPS), optical spectroscopy (IR and UV-Vis), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), and temperature dependent DC conductivity (σ(T)). The XPS and IR results show a reduction in the heteroatoms and increase in the relative carbon content. After ion implantation, each polymer had a similar electronic structure, showing broad band metallic behavior. TGA data shows that each implanted polymer retains its thermal stability. σ(T) of the implanted polymers has the weakest temperature dependence of any conducting polymer reported, in accord with a disordered metal.