Abstract
Radiation-induced conduction in nickel polymethacrylate in the dose range 3 x 10(9) to 2-4 x 10(10) alpha-particles/cm2 has been studied. The induced current increases slowly with time until it attains a steady-state equilibrium value. The effects of temperature and dose upon the time dependence of the induced current have been investigated and it has been found that the relaxation time, tau, decreases drastically with temperature. Parameters like carrier mobility and number density have been determined for both unirradiated and irradiated samples and found to be two orders of magnitude greater for the former. The exponential increase in the induced current is explained by thermal detrapping from the deep traps. The trap depth is calculated to be 0.42 eV.