title: Operational mechanism of conjugated polyelectrolytes.
abstract: Conjugated polyelectrolytes (CPEs) are versatile materials used in a range of organic optoelectronic applications. Because of their ionic/electronic nature, characterizing these materials is nontrivial, and their operational mechanism is not fully understood. In this work we use a methodology that combines constant-voltage-driven current-density transient measurements with fast current vs voltage scans to allow decoupling of ionic and electronic phenomena. This technique is applied to diodes prepared with cationic CPEs having different charge-compensating anions. Our results indicate that the operational mechanism of these devices is governed by electrochemical doping of the CPE. On the basis of the notion that the saturated depletion layer for the anions consists of the same π-conjugated backbone material, we discern how the extent and speed of formation of the doped region depend on the anion structure. Apart from addressing fundamental transport questions, this work provides a tool for future characterization of different CPEs and other similar systems.
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry, Department of Materials, and Center for Polymers and Organic Solids, University of California , Santa Barbara, California 93106, United States.
authors.forename: Daniel
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Tordera
authors.forename: Martijn
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kuik
authors.forename: Zachary D
authors.initials: ZD
authors.lastname: Rengert
authors.forename: Enrico
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Bandiello
authors.forename: Henk J
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Bolink
authors.forename: Guillermo C
authors.initials: GC
authors.lastname: Bazan
authors.forename: Thuc-Quyen
authors.initials: TQ
authors.lastname: Nguyen