Electric field induced negative capacitance in semiconducting polymer

Abstract

Electric field dependent capacitance and dielectric loss in poly(3-hexylthiophene) are measured by precision capacitance bridge. Carrier mobility and density are estimated from fits to current–voltage and capacitance data. The capacitance varies largely at lower frequency, and it decreases at higher electric fields. The negative capacitance at low frequency and high field is due to the negative phase angle between the dipole field and the ac signal. The intrinsic carrier density is calculated from fits to the Mott–Schottky equation, and this is consistent with I–V data analysis. At higher frequency, the carriers do not follow the ac signal and their density drops; and the flatband potential increases mainly due to the build-in potentials within ordered and amorphous regions in the sample.