ELECTRICAL CONDUCTION OF POLYETHYLENE TEREPHTHALATE FILMS - ACTIVATION ENERGY OF THE CURRENT.

Electrical conduction was measured at temperatures above the glass transition temperature using Au, Al and In as electrode materials. Differences in activation energies were observed between different electrode materials in current measured immediately after disappearance of the current due to reorientation of dipoles. A feature in the activation energy vs. applied field curve was observed when heat treatment of the film was done first and the electrode evaporated on the film after washing off materials which made the film opaque. This is explained by assuming a surface barrier, in addition to the Schottky barrier, through which electrons enter the film by tunneling.