Exploring the universality of the alternating conductivity of disordered materials using the Gaussian distribution of activation energies

Citation:

JD Couto, MC Santos, and RF Bianchi. 2019. “Exploring the universality of the alternating conductivity of disordered materials using the Gaussian distribution of activation energies.” Materials Research Express, 6, 4, Pp. 046302.

Abstract:

This paper presents a new approach for the analysis of AC conductivity, =  + , in disordered solids which brings together the quasi-universal frequency-dependent conductivity and the idea of a Gaussian distributions of probable activation energy barriers for hopping carriers. An explicit expression for AC conductivity was obtained using a complex dielectric response function and a continuous time random walk treatment applied to a lattice obeying the Kubo’s fluctuation-dissipation theorem. This expression provides an insight into the universality of the form and (k is the dielectric constant), as well into the effect of the Gaussian disorder on exponent s. We discuss the similarities and differences with the Random Free Energy Barrier model equivalent to the long-used box model, and it brings support to an extending expression proposed by J C Dyre and one of the authors. The applicability of the model to experimental observations on poly[(2-methoxy-5-hexyloxy)-p-phenylenevinylene] reveals the dielectric constant, mean energy and variance of the Gaussian distribution for hopping carriers in this disordered conjugated polymer.