Molecular p-doping induced dielectric constant increase of polythiophene films determined by impedance spectroscopy

The dielectric constant (εr) is a fundamental material parameter that governs charge transfer processes in organic semiconductors, yet its value is often assumed rather than measured. Here, we use impedance spectroscopy to determine εr in regioregular poly(3-hexylthiophen-2,5-diyl) (P3HT) thin films p-doped with the molecular dopants hexafluoro-tetracyanonaphthoquinodimethane and 2,3,5,6-tetrafluoro-7,7,8,8-tetracyanoquinodimethane (F4TCNQ). We fit the impedance spectra using a single RC circuit model to determine the frequency-dependent capacitance and extract εr. The value of the dielectric constant increases by around two-thirds from 2.9 ± 0.1 (undoped polymer) to 4.9 ± 0.6 on the addition of one F4TCNQ molecule per 500 P3HT monomer units. In contrast, the addition of the weak dopant 7,7,8,8-tetracyanoquinodimethane (TCNQ), which does not undergo ground state charge transfer with P3HT, has no effect on the dielectric constant. Our results support the hypothesis that molecular doping has a considerable impact on the materials dielectric constant via polarizable host-dopant complexes.