Abstract
In a conjugated polymer, the mobility of charge carriers is not a well-defined coefficient of a particular material as it is in an inorganic crystalline semiconductor but depends on the time domain of detection. On a time-scale of typically 100 fs, the on-chain mobility is ultra-high and controlled by the electronic band width of the polymer chain. When a carrier hits a chain imperfection, subsequent mesoscopic on-chain motion is retarded and controlled by intrachain disorder to which the chain environment contributes. Macroscopic transport commences after a time when interchain carrier jumps become rate limiting. It is routinely probed by time-of-flight experiments and can be rationalized in terms of random walk within a rough energy landscape. Experimental signatures of the various modes of transport are discussed.
Original language | English (US) |
---|---|
Pages (from-to) | 1473-1487 |
Number of pages | 15 |
Journal | Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society A: Mathematical, Physical and Engineering Sciences |
Volume | 365 |
Issue number | 1855 |
DOIs | |
State | Published - Jun 15 2007 |
Externally published | Yes |
Keywords
- Conjugated polymers
- Hopping transport
- Time-resolved photoconductivity
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- General Mathematics
- General Engineering
- General Physics and Astronomy