We have studied the photoconductivity of atactic polystyrene at room temperature under both positive and negative polarity (of the unilluminated electrode). There is a maximum in the response under 5.2-eV uv illumination. If this illumination is sufficiently intense, the total current may have positive polarity even with negative voltage polarity. This is due to the fact that the photocurrent is always positive, due to the diffusion of holes. This may be understood in terms of the Onsager model of geminate generation and recombination. The microscopic phenomena underlying the behavior are discussed as is the applicability of the Onsager model to other polymers.
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Crine et al. (1980) studied this question.