Initial growth of conducting island-like structure on insulating polymer substrate

Using ultrasharp conductive tip atomic force microscopy (c-AFM), we have measured the current voltage (I-V) characteristics of titanium ions implanted into polystyrene thin film spin coated onto silicon substrate. The surface morphology and the electric current between the tip and sample have been obtained simultaneously on the nanometer scale. Initial island-like growths structures were observed and are comparable with implantation time while surface energy and thermodynamics theory allowing the initial stages of film growth to be explained. Our conductivity measurements showed that there are conducting channels, forming of conducting island-like structures surrounded by the pool of insulator polystyrene. The conducting channel or island-like structures on polymer substrate can be a good candidate for the future of nano-plastic-electronics devices.