Absorption and desorption currents in polystyrene doped with DR1

Isothermal polarization and depolarization currents in polystyrene doped with DR1 chromophore molecules have been measured and analyzed in order to study the electrical relaxation of the poled order in this guest-host system. It has been shown that the superposition principle is applicable to the polymer system under study at temperatures lower than the glass transition temperature indicating that the doped polystyrene can be considered electrically as a linear system with a negligible electric conductivity. It has been found that the response function is not the exponential one and characterized by a broad distribution of relaxation times. By comparing isothermal absorption and desorption currents, the practical information was obtained on the best poling conditions for getting high and stable residual polarization.