Optical and electrical properties of some electron and proton irradiated polymers

Ion beam treatment studies have been carried out to investigate the potenti al for improvements in conductivity properties of the polymers Polytetraflu roethylene (PTFE), Polyimide (PI), Polyethyleneterepthalate (PET) and Polyp ropylene (PP), after 2 MeV electron and 62 MeV proton irradiation. The shif t in optical absorption edges as observed by UV-VIS spectra of the irradiat ed polymers has been correlated to the optical band-gap using Tauc's expres sion. A decrease in the optical band-gap has been observed in irradiated PP and PTFE, but no considerable change was found for the optical band-gaps o f PET and PI. Further AC conductivity measurements confirmed an increase in conductivity in electron irradiated PP. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.