Dielectric properties and temperature-dependent effective polarization mechanisms of schottky structures with DLC interfacial layers

In this thesis, the temperature and applied voltage-dependent dielectric properties of diamond-like carbon (DLC) interfacial layered Schottky structures were investigated through effective polarization mechanisms. The present study utilised the capacitance (C) and conductance (G/ω) measurements obtained at temperatures ranging from 80 K to 410 K and voltage ranges spanning from -4 V to +5 V. The impedance spectroscopy (ISM) method was applied to calculate fundamental dielectric parameters, including the dielectric constant (ε'), dielectric loss (ε''), loss tangent (tan(δ)), AC conductivity (σac), and complex electric modulus (M*). The thesis study concluded that the shifts in dielectric behaviour in the temperature regions termed low temperature (LT), moderate temperature (MT) and high temperature (HT) are caused by temperature and voltage induced changes in the mechanisms of polarization. It has been determined that, at DS, dipole polarization and trapping effects are the predominant contributors. At MT, Maxwell-Wagner polarization becomes increasingly dominant. At HT, space charge polarization assumes a dominant role in conjunction with Maxwell-Wagner effects. The findings indicate that the dielectric response of DLC layered Schottky structures is strongly dependent on temperature and applied voltage, and that different polarization mechanisms are activated in different temperature regions.