Observation of persistent photoconductivity in conducting polyaniline thin films

Conducting polyaniline thin films have been deposited by a laser-based vaporization technique. The films have been characterized by infrared spectroscopy, UV-Vis spectroscopy, four-point conductivity measurements, thermogravimetric analysis, and fluorescence measurements. In addition, the films have been characterized with respect to their photoconductive response to 532-nm laser light. It is found that the films exhibit persistent photoconductivity and it is proposed that defect base sequences may be responsible for the charge localization that results in such a photoconductive response.