ACS OMEGA, vol.1, no.2, pp.1-13, 2024 (SCI-Expanded)
This study investigates the beta irradiation’s impact on the electrical features of interfacial
nanostructures composed of Polyvinyl Alcohol (PVA) doped with graphene. The integration of
graphene, a two-dimensional carbon allotrope renowned for its exceptional electrical conductivity, into
PVA nanostructures holds significant promise for advanced electronic applications. Beta irradiation,
as a controlled method of introducing radiation, offers a unique avenue to modulate the properties of
these nanostructures. Therefore, this study examines Au/3% Graphene(Gr)-doped PVA/n-type Si
structure with and without beta (β) radiation. The effect of beta radiation on the electrical properties of
the Au/3% Graphene(Gr)-doped PVA/n-type Si structure has been researched by utilizing the currentvoltage (I–V) data. The studied structures were exposed to a 90Sr β-ray source at room temperature to
show the effect of the beta radiation. The series resistance (Rs), shunt resistance (Rsh), ideality factor
(n), barrier height (ΦB0), and saturation current (Io) were computed by using the I–V data after 90 Sr βray irradiation (0 kGy, 6kGy, 18kGy) and before using the thermionic emission (TE), Norde, and
Cheung methods. The barrier height, ideality factor, and series resistance were calculated by using the
I-V data as follows: 0.888eV, 3.21, and 5.25 kΩ for 0 kGy; 0.782 eV, 5.30, and 3.47 kΩ for 6 kGy;
0.782eV, 5.46, and 2.63 kΩ for 18kGy. The barrier height, ideality factor, and series resistance were
also calculated by using the Cheng Methods, and the following results were found respectively: 7.22,
0.74, and 3.97 kΩ (Cheng I), and 3.22 kΩ (Cheng II) for 0 kGy; 5.14, 0.813, and 2.72 kΩ (Cheng I),
and 2.14 kΩ (Cheng II) for 6 kGy; 6.78, 0.721, and 1.96 kΩ (Cheng I), 1.64 kΩ (Cheng II) for 18
kGy. The barrier height and series resistance were defined as 0.905 and 16.12 kΩ for 0 kGy, 0.859 and
5.31 kΩ for 6 kGy, and 0.792 and 2.49 kΩ for 18 kGy, respectively. Interface states density (Nss) as a
function of Ec-Ess, was also attained by taking into account the voltage dependence of n, ΦB, and Rs
.
Experimental results revealed that the values of n and Nss increased with the increase in the β-ray
radiation dose. On the other hand, the saturation current (Io), ΦB0, and Rs
values decreased with the
increase in the β-ray radiation dose. The obtained results indicate a nuanced interplay between β
irradiation dose and the nanostructure's overall electrical properties. Insights gained from this study
contribute to the understanding of radiation-induced effects on graphene-doped polymer
nanostructures, providing valuable information for optimizing their performance in the electronic
applications