Persistent Internal Polarization of Insulators induced by Electron Bombardment

Abstract

EARLIER investigations of the effect known as persistent internal polarization of insulators have been concerned principally with optical excitation of carriers which travel through the insulator under the influence of an applied electric bias field and afterwards become trapped^1,2. Polarization phenomena have been reported in investigations of electron bombardment induced conductivity in insulators, although no detailed investigation has been published³. Investigations of persistent internal polarization induced by pulses of electron bombardment are being carried out in these Laboratories. Measurements have been made on targets consisting of a layer of insulator 0.3–1.0µ thick, produced by vacuum evaporation, sandwiched between aluminium contacts 0.1µ thick.