Electric characterization of LDPE films with TSC and dielectric spectroscopy

This contribution discusses thermally stimulated current (TSC) measurements on low density polyethylene (LDPE) in the form of thin films and virtually without additives. The TSC responses are divided into different parts attributed to capacitive currents, currents due to release of trapped carriers, and normal conduction currents. The three contributions dominate at low, intermediate, and high temperatures, respectively. Dielectric spectroscopy measurements at different temperatures indicate the relevance of the capacitive currents for the measurement of thermally stimulated polarization currents (TSPC). The separation of the conduction current, by subtracting reference curves from the total current, allowed the investigation of trap and conduction properties for different experimental parameters (e.g., excitation levels, fields, heating rates).