Space-charge modified transients in polyimide

Abstract

A simple quantitative model for the metal-PI-metal system was used to calculate space-charge modified conduction transients in PI (polyimide). Experimental data from PI samples containing controlled ion content are compared with numerically computed current-time transients. The calculated transients model the gross trends observed in experimental data. The effect of mobile ions is to change the shape of the current transient, but the steady current is not strongly dependent on ionic concentration. It is concluded that a detailed analysis of the formation of space-charge during electrical measurements is critical to the understanding of transient phenomena in insulating polymers.<>