Nanoscale measurements of conducting domains and current-voltage characteristics of chemically deposited polyaniline films

Spatial variations in electric conductivity and evolutions of band structures of polyaniline (PANI) films have been studied by use of a so-called current-sensing atomic force microscope (CS-AFM) or atomic force microscope current image tunneling spectroscopy (AFM-CITS). PANI films were deposited chemically onto indium-tin oxide- (ITO-) glass substrates, and their thickness and doping levels were controlled by polymerization and acid-doping conditions. The conducting uniformity of the PANI films depends on their doping level and thickness. Conducting domains were observed in fully doped PANI film, even when the bias voltage was reduced to as small as 30 mV. High current flowing regions gradually disappeared when conducting PANI films were partially dedoped. The point-contact current-voltage (I-V) characteristics of conducting tip-polymer/ITO systems were investigated on PANI films with different thickness and degree of doping. Various types of I-V curves representing metallic, semiconducting, and insulating states were obtained depending on the aggregation of polymer chains and doping level of the polymer film. The band gap energies (estimated from the I-V or dI/dV-V curves) of emeraldine base (EB) (undoped polyaniline) films are all higher than 3.8 eV, and a wide distribution of the band gap energies (0-1.1 eV and 0.75-1.8 eV for fully and partially doped PANI thin films, respectively) was found in a single polymer film.