High pressure effects and electronic transport in a ladder type polymer

The electrical transport properties of the ladder polymer BBL in film forms were studied as a function of pressure. The sample resistance was monitored in two different configurations, perpendicular (transverse) and parallel (surface) configurations. The results reveal a significant difference in the pressure dependence of resistance between the two configurations. Photocurrent as a function of photon energy was measured to determine changes in the electronic structure in the pressurized and released samples. Results indicate an absence of shifts in the band edge but higher photocurrent efficiencies were observed for the films