High-field conduction and breakdown strength in poly-p-xylylene thin film

It was shown experimentally that high-field currents in poly-p-xylylene (PPX) films prepared by vacuum pyrolysis(l) were enhanced by collision ionization. In poly-2-chloro-p-xylylene (PCPX) films containing a chlorine atom in a monomer unit of PPX, the high-field current and EL were suppressed in the low temperature region. Similar phenomena were observed on PFX films treated by RF plasma (plasma-treated PPX: P-PPX). These films showed a higher breakdown strength than PPX films. Chlorine atoms or defects intro duced by the plasma treatment were concluded to act as scattering centers and suppress the collision ionizations.