A model for ion-irradiation induced hydrogen loss from organic materials

In the study of interfacial diffusion processes in polymer light-emitting diodes, the use of high-energy ion-scattering techniques can be of great value due to the possibility of quantitative elemental depth profiling. However, ion irradiation of polymers is known to cause various degradation effects, including the loss of hydrogen. Since the hydrogen loss determines the accuracy of depth profiling, it is an interesting subject for study in order to define experimental conditions in which the degradation is suppressed. The loss of hydrogen from porphyrins (organic solar cells) has been measured by means of elastic recoil detection analysis with 2, 4, and 7.6 MeV He+ beams. A theoretical model is proposed in which the hydrogen loss is described through the formation and recombination of free hydrogen radicals. A distinct difference is introduced between direct recombination processes and the diffusion of radicals out of the ion track. (C) 1997 American Institute of Physics.