Observation of persistent photoconductivity at room temperature in ferrocene-doped poly(methyl methacrylate) thin films containing chloroform molecules

Persistent photoconductivity has been observed at room temperature (300 K) in solution cast ferrocene-doped poly(methyl methacrylate) thin films, prepared from chloroform and the mixture of solvents chloroform and benzene, the maximum photoinduced current. The buildup time and decay time of persistent photocurrent increases with the increasing amount of chloroform present in the film as well as the duration of photoexcitation. The buildup and decay kinetics have been studied. Our results indicate that the photooxidation of ferrocene in the presence of chloroform in the film leads to a photocurrent persistent for a longer period at room temperature. (C) 2002 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.