journal article·2020-11-20Open access

Exploring the Capabilities of Scanning Microwave Microscopy to Characterize Semiconducting Polymers

Olivier Douhéret, Didier Théron, David Moerman

Applied Sciences· Volume 10· Issue 22

Abstract

Standing at the meeting between solid state physics and optical spectroscopy, microwave characterization methods are efficient methods to probe electronic mechanisms and mesoscopic transport in semiconducting polymers. Scanning microwave microscopy, augmented with a Mach-Zehnder interferometer detection unit to allow for the probing of high impedance structures was applied on poly(3-hexylthiophene-2,5-diy) and exhibited high sensitivity while operating at the nanoscale. Provided a well-defined experiment protocol, S11 phase and amplitude signals are shown to lead simultaneously yet independently to probing the variations of the dielectric properties in the materials, i.e., conductive and capacitive properties, respectively, upon applied DC gate bias. Adjusting the operating microwave frequency can also serve to probe carrier trapping mechanisms.
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Research context

OpenAlex topics: Molecular Junctions and Nanostructures · Near-Field Optical Microscopy · Force Microscopy Techniques and Applications

SciVX discovery tags are terminology-based. OpenAlex topics are source-provided classifications.

Affiliations

Materia Nova R&D Center, Avenue Nicolas Copernic 3, B-7000 Mons, Belgium

University Lille, CNRS, Centrale Lille, University Polytechnique Hauts-de-France, UMR 8520-IEMN, F-59000 Lille, France

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