Electrical properties of gold-polymer composite films

Electrical conductivity measurements in the range 50-300 K have been carried out on gold-fluorocarbon-polymer composite films. Such measurements have been performed on samples with different percentages in volume of gold, before and after thermal annealing up to 450 K. The experimental temperature dependence of conductivity, in the range 50-300 K, follows the exponential law sigma=sigma (0) exp[-(T-0/T)(gamma)], where T-0 and gamma are constants. Best fit analyses carried out on experimental conductivity data, before and after thermal annealing, give values of gamma that can be related to the gold content of the film and to the size of grains embedded in the polymeric matrix. Such results suggest that grain redistribution can take place after thermal annealing and that the grains tend to coalesce. Dependence of conductivity on temperature during heating and cooling processes is also discussed. (C) 2001 American Institute of Physics.