Rectifying effect of heterojunction fabricated in freestanding thin film of polyaniline containing azobenzene side-chain

An innovative heterojunction is fabricated between two sides of a freestanding thin film of HCl-doped polyaniline (PANI) derivative containing azobenzene side-chain, which is synthesized through an N-alkyl-substituted reaction. Of the film, the side with being irradiated by UV light during preparation is represented as `A side'; the other side without being irradiated is represented as `N side'. The electrical properties of the heterojunction are measured and the rectifying effect is observed in the current--voltage characteristic curves with the values of rectifying ratio (\gamma) being 20 at ±0.06 V at T= 77K and 4 at ±0.02V at T=300 K separately.