Suppression of secondary PL emission by indirect photoexcitation

A blend of a newly synthesized polyfluorene(PDHBF) and polyvinylcarbazole(PVK) exhibits a photoluminescence(PL) emission spectrum of PDHBF without an increase in the PL intensity on photoexcitation at 340 nm, the UV-visible absorption maximum of PVK, despite of a substantial spectrum overlap. However, the indirect photoexcitation of the blend suppresses the secondary emission of the PL with the maximum at 520 nm. The chromophores generating the secondary emission are formed when the chromophores are photoexcited above the critical energy level of an excited state. The chromophores formed by the energy transfer have energy lower than the critical energy and fail to form the excimers. A low temperature PL study of the blend in a cryogenic chamber proves that the energy transfer in the system takes place mainly between the excimers of PVK generated by the partially eclipsed dimeric states of two carbazole units and the fluorophores of PDHBF.     

PVK与新型D-π-A分子掺杂体系的能量转移及发光性质

通过对PVK与4种新型D-π-A分子(分别简写为CKD, TKD, PKD, NKD)掺杂体系的吸收光谱、激发光谱和光致发光光谱的研究, 分析了掺杂体系的光致发光特性和能量转移现象. 制备了结构为ITO/PEDOT/PVK∶D-π-A ω/Alq3/Al的电致发光器件, 研究了掺杂体系的电致发光性能. 研究结果表明, 通过改变D-π-A分子中不同给电子能力的电子给体, 可以调控其带隙, 进而实现对D-π-A分子发光峰位的调节; 给电子基团空间立构效应越高, 其荧光量子效率越高. 在掺杂体系的光致发光和电致发光中, PVK与D-π-A分子之间都发生了有效的能量转移, 通过调节PVK与D-π-A分子的比例, 可以调节掺杂体系的发光性能. 当TKD在PVK中的掺杂质量分数为6％时, 电致发光器件发光亮度为729.1 cd/m2时, 发光效率达到1.75 cd/A.     

Intrachain photoluminescence dynamics of MEH-PPV in the solid state

The photoluminescence (PL) dynamics of poly[2-methoxy-5-(2'-ethyl-hexyloxy)-1,4-phenylene vinylene] (MEH-PPV) blended in host polymer (polypropylene, PP) matrix as well as that in the neat film has been studied. The concentration of MEH-PPV in the PP blend is designed to be fairly low (0.01 wt %) in order to observe the intrinsic intrachain PL property of MEH-PPV in the solid state. The steady-state 0-0 PL band of the blend sample shows a blue-shift of 0.12 eV with respect to that of the neat film of MEH-PPV. The PL-excitation (PLE) spectra of the blend sample exhibit definite vibronic structure, and hence we can determine the magnitude of the Stokes shift as 0.06 eV. The blend sample shows a single-exponential PL decay at 4 K with a time constant of 850 ps. We emphasize that this single-exponential-type PL decay is an intrinsic property of the intrachain PL species. Time-resolved PL measurements confirm dynamical red-shift of the PL band in the neat film, whereas this trend is not found in the case of the PP blend. These observations indicate that the energy transfer between finite segments, which can cause exciton migration, is much less efficient within the isolated MEH-PPV polymer chain compared to the case of the interchain transfer. The time-resolved measurements further demonstrate that the Stokes shift identified in the blend sample takes place at the early stage within 50 ps following photoexcitation. We attribute this Stokes shift to the rapid increase of the planarity of the MEH-PPV chain caused by the torsion of some constituent phenyl rings following photoexcitation. Finally, based on an argument on the different magnitudes of Stokes shift between the blend sample and the neat film, we conclude that the PL of MEH-PPV in the neat film predominantly occurs at the site of interchain excitations via the interchain migration of excitons.     

Photoluminescence and Electroluminescence Properties of 2,5-Bis[2,2′-bis(5-phenyl)-1,3,4-oxadiazole] Thiophene(T-OXD)and T-OXD/Poly(9-vinylcarbazole) Blends

The photoluminescence(PL) and the electroluminescence(EL) properties of a novel organic compound, 2,5-bis(2,2′-bis(5-phenyl)-1,3,4-oxadiazole(T-OXD), were studied in chloroform and in a solid thin film. The PL and the EL properties of T-OXD/poly(9-vinylcarbazole)(PVK) blends were also studied, which contained various contents of T-OXD. The PL maximum emission peaks of T-OXD/PVK blends show gradual bathochromtic-shift with the increase of the T-OXD content. The EL spectra of T-OXD/PVK devices are similar to their PL spectra, and all the EL maximum emission peaks show bathochromtic-shift compared with the corresponding PL spectra, which is ascribed to the formation of electroplex. The turn-on voltages for ITO/T-OXD:PVK/Al devices decreased from 13.5 V of the device cotaining 0.1% T-OXD(mass fraction) to 5 V of the device containing 5% T-OXD, which suggests that T-OXD improves the energy level match between T-OXD and PVK and enhances the emission efficiency. The experimental results indicate that T-OXD can be used as a good electron transporting material.     

MOLECULAR DESIGN OF LIGHT EMITTING POLYMERS

Fluorene-based alternating and statistical copolymers were synthesized by employing reaction methods of Wittig,Heck and Suzuki. The copolymers were classified into three groups with the photoluminescence (PL) emission maxima at420, 475 and 500 nm, respectively. Statistical copolymers with two chromophores having PL emission maxima at 420 and475 nm emitted light with the emission maximum at 475 nm on photoexcitation at 365 nm and improved the quantumefficiency by the energy transfer. However, the intramolecular energy transfer was inefficient compared to the intermolecularenergy transfer when the two chromophores were apart from each other in the range of the Forster critical distance. Fluorene-pyridinedivinylene alternating copolymer was synthesized by the Wittig reaction and found to have physical, electronic andelectrochemical properties of the individual units intact. The double-layered light emitting diode (LED) with the statisticalcopolymer as an emitting layer and the pyridine-containing copolymer as an electron transporting-hole blocking layer, whichwere sandwiched between ITO and Al, displayed a quantum efficiency of 0.1%.     

Influence of carbazol-9-yl substitution in polysilanes on charge carrier trapping and recombination

A series of poly{[3-(carbazol-9-yl)propyl]silane-co-methylphenylsilane}s were investigated by optical absorption, photoluminescence and thermoluminescence measurements. It was found that the optical absorption bands of the carbazolyl side groups superimpose on those of the Si backbones in the ultraviolet range. This feature reduces photodegradability of Si-Si bonds during UV irradiation. The TL spectra recorded in the 15 - 325 K temperature range after photoexcitation at 15 K show that the carbazolyl side groups act as trapping sites in polysilanes. Increasing density of carbazolyl groups results in increasing population of deeper (ca. 150 meV) traps. Spectral analyses of the thermoluminescence at different temperatures are discussed and compared with analogous results for poly(9-vinylcarbazole) (PVK). It is concluded that the monomeric mechanism of luminescence dominates at low temperatures while the excimeric mechanism prevails at higher temperatures, similarly to PVK.     

Competition between the charge transfer state and the singlet states of donor or acceptor limiting the efficiency in polymer:fullerene solar cells

We study the appearance and energy of the charge transfer (CT) state using measurements of electroluminescence (EL) and photoluminescence (PL) in blend films of high-performance polymers with fullerene acceptors. EL spectroscopy provides a direct probe of the energy of the interfacial states without the need to rely on the LUMO and HOMO energies as estimated in pristine materials. For each polymer, we use different fullerenes with varying LUMO levels as electron acceptors, in order to vary the energy of the CT state relative to the blend with [6,6]-phenyl C61-butyric acid methyl ester (PCBM). As the energy of the CT state emission approaches the absorption onset of the blend component with the smaller optical bandgap, E(opt,min) ≡ min{E(opt,donor); E(opt,acceptor)}, we observe a transition in the EL spectrum from CT emission to singlet emission from the component with the smaller bandgap. The appearance of component singlet emission coincides with reduced photocurrent and fill factor. We conclude that the open circuit voltage V(OC) is limited by the smaller bandgap of the two blend components. From the losses of the studied materials, we derive an empirical limit for the open circuit voltage: V(OC) ? E(opt,min)/e - (0.66 ± 0.08)eV.     

Luminescence properties of epoxy resins modified with a carbazole derivative

Luminescence properties of a new material - epoxy resin with added 9-(2,3-epoxypropyl)carbazole (REPK) were studied. Absorption and photoluminescence (PL) spectra of REPK are compared with those of poly(N-vinylcarbazole) (PVK). PL in REPK is shifted to shorter wavelengths. Its intensity is higher than in PVK. REPK emits light in the range from 330 nm to 470 nm. PL spectrum of REPK could be well deconvoluted for four emission bands.     

Electroplex emission from a blend of poly(N-vinylcarbazole) and 2,9-dimethyl-4,7-diphenyl-1, 10-phenanthroline

The PL and EL spectra of poly(N-vinylcarbazole) (PVK) : 2,9-dimethyl-4,7-diphenyl-1, 10-phenanthroline (BCP) (1:1 w/w) film were found completely different. The PL spectrum is a single peak at 415 nm that originates from excitons emission from PVK, and the tail of the spectrum is suggested to be excimer emission from BCP molecules. However, a new emission at 595 nm was found in the EL spectra of devices ITO/PEDOT:PSS(50 nm)/PVK:BCP(1:1)(100 nm)/Al. After aggregate, exciplex and product of electrochemical reaction were ruled out, the new emission was proposed to be electroplex emission that occurred between PVK and BCP molecules. Under high voltage, only electroplex emission can be observed in the EL spectra.     

A π‐stacked and conjugated hybrid based on poly(N‐vinylcarbazole) postfunctionalized with terfluorene for stable deep‐blue hole‐transporting materials

The combination of π‐stacked with π‐conjugated building blocks offers an essential strategy to construct multifunctional organic semiconductors (MOSs) with the unique optoelectrical properties. Covalent hybrids can efficiently avoid the intrinsic phase‐separation defects in corresponding blend system. In this contribution, poly(vinylcarbazole) tethered with terfluorene, PVK‐TF, as a double‐channeled π‐stacked and π‐conjugated hybrid (SCH), has been constructed via Friedal‐Crafts click postmodification (FCCP). The chemical structure and optoelectrical property were determined by GPC, UV–vis, PL, TGA, DSC, and CV. Its PL spectra in the annealing thin film at N₂ atmosphere without low‐energy emission bands centered at the 530 nm indicates that no π‐stacks between carbazole and TF or among TFs dominate the whole condensed phase, which is in agreement with the intrachain T‐shaped π‐pitched motifs in molecular modeling simulation due to steric hindrance effect in complicated diarylfluorenes (CDAFs). A supporting prototype stable deep‐blue PLED was successfully obtained with an Internationale de l'Eclairage (CIE) coordinates of (0.20, 0.10) and a width at half maximum (FWHM) of about 60 nm at high current density of 100 mA/cm² (35 V). Deep‐blue PVK‐TF is a promising MOS for hole‐transporting and host materials. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 47: 5221–5229, 2009     

Photoluminescent properties of poly(p‐phenylene vinylene thiophene‐co‐siloxane)

A new p‐phenylene–vinylene–thiophene‐based siloxane block copolymer has been synthesized. The copolymer consists of alternating rigid and flexible blocks. The rigid blocks are composed of phenylene–vinylene–thiophene‐based units, and the flexible blocks are derived from 1,3‐dialkyldisiloxane units. The former component acts as the chromophore, and allows fine tuning of band gap for blue‐light emission, while the latter imparts good solubility of the copolymer in organic solvents, and thus, should enhance processibility of the resulting copolymer. The thermal properties of the copolymer have been characterized by thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). The photoluminescence (PL) of the copolymer in solution and in cast film has been studied. The effects of concentration on the PL intensity of the new copolymer in polymer blends with poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) and poly(vinyl carbazole) (PVK) have also been described. Efficient energy transfer from PVK to the new block copolymer in the blended film was observed. © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci A: Polym Chem 38: 1450–1456, 2000     

Time- and polarization-resolved optical spectroscopy of colloidal CdSe nanocrystal quantum dots in high magnetic fields

In an effort to elucidate the spin (rather than charge) degrees of freedom in colloidal semiconductor nanocrystal quantum dots, we report on a series of static and time-resolved photoluminescence measurements of colloidal CdSe quantum dots in ultrahigh magnetic fields up to 45 T. At low temperatures (1.5-40 K), the steady-state photoluminescence (PL) develops a high degree of circular polarization with applied magnetic field, indicating the presence of spin-polarized excitons. Time-resolved PL studies reveal a marked decrease in radiative exciton lifetime with increasing magnetic field and temperature. Except for an initial burst of unpolarized PL immediately following photoexcitation, high-field time-resolved PL measurements reveal a constant degree of circular polarization throughout the entire exciton lifetime, even in the presence of pronounced exciton transfer via F?rster energy transfer processes.     

Electrospun Supramolecular Hybrid Microfibers from Conjugated Polymers: Color Transformation and Conductivity Evolution

A type of novel electrospun supramolecular hybrid microfibers comprising poly(9-(4-(octyloxy)-phenyl)-2,7-fluoren-9-ol)(PPFOH) and poly(N-vinylcarbazole)(PVK) are successfully prepared for intriguing multi-color emission properties. The supramolecular tunable PPFOH aggregation in PVK matrix endows the complex with a smart energy transfer behavior to obtain the multi-color emissions. In stark contrast to PVK fibers, the emission color of PPFOH/PVK fibers with an efficient dispersion of PPFOH fluorophores at a proper dope ratio can be tuned in a wide spectrum of blue(0.1%), sky blue(0.5%), nearly white(1%), cyan(2%), green(5%) and yellow(10%). Besides, conductive behaviors of the microfiber were demonstrated in accompany with the increment of the doping ratio of PPFOH to PVK. Successful fabrication of polymer lightemitting diode(PLED) based on the blended electrospun fiber provided a further evidence of its excellent electrical property for potential applications in optoelectronic devices.     

Luminescence and energy transfer in poly(N-vinylcarbazole) blends doped by a highly anisometric Eu(III) complex

Highly fluorescent blends based on PVK (poly(N-vinylcarbazole)) doped by a new greatly anisometric Eu(III) mesogenic complex were described. The structure of the ligands in the complex was selected in such a way that its absorption maximum was close to the emission maximum of the polymer. The full-energy transfer conditions in the conjugated polymer–lanthanide complex blends were revealed. Improving luminescence efficiency of the blend occurs due to an increase in the threshold concentration of the emitting ions to prevent self-quenching phenomena. The resulting relative luminescence quantum yield of the blend increases more than twice in comparison with the individual complex. The optimized blends may be promising for application as red emitters for OLED, etc.     

Nonlinear optical properties of polyvinylcarbazole composites with graphene

The study has focused on polyvinylcarbazole (PVK) composites with graphene. It has been shown that there is a noticeable nonadditive shoulder on the long-wavelength edge of the optical absorption of PVK in these samples, which can be attributed to the formation of a charge-transfer complex between PVK as a donor and graphene as an acceptor. The formation of the complex causes a significant nonlinear optical effect in the PVK/graphene composite. The revealed increase in both the nonlinearity coefficient with increasing laser intensity and the cross section with increasing incident energy density is due to the formation of the graphene^?· radical anion, an additional species contributing to nonlinear absorption, with an increase in the radiation energy density. Nonlinear optical properties of PVK composites with graphene isolated from a solution in tetrachloroethane after 1.5-h centrifugation (sample 1) have been considered. It has been suggested that a significant decrease in optical transmission of laser radiation by the composite T _OA = 0.4 at an energy density at focus of 502 J/cm² is due to the formation of the PVK/graphene charge-transfer complex responsible for the nonadditive shoulder on the long-wavelength optical absorption edge of PVK. During photoexcitation of graphene in the PVK/graphene composites at a laser wavelength of 1064 nm, mobile holes are generated in PVK, indicating the formation of graphene^?· radical anions as a result of charge transfer from PVK to photoexcited graphene. The observed increase in both β with an increase in the laser radiation intensity and the cross section (σ_exc — σ₀) with an increase in the incident energy density may be due to either the contribution of nonlinear transitions (S ₀ → S ₂, S ₀ → S ₁ → S ₂, T ₁ → T ₂) or the formation of the additional species, the graphene-· radical anions, participating in nonlinear absorption by increasing the energy density at the focus (F _foc, J/cm²).     

Excitonic Chemiluminescence in Si and CdSe Nanocrystals Induced by their Interaction with Ozone

The results of a systematic study of spectral and kinetic patterns of ozone‐adsorption‐induced luminescence (AL) in nanostructured Si and, for the first time, in colloidal CdSe/ZnS quantum dots (QDs) are reported and compared with photoluminescence (PL) of the same structures. The common excitonic nature of light emission under ozone chemisorption and photoexcitation is confirmed by excellent coincidence of AL and PL emission bands. This coincidence is maintained during correlated quenching of AL and PL emission caused by nonradiative defects generated under ozone adsorption. A possible mechanism for energy conversion is proposed in the framework of an exothermic oxidation reaction of core materials caused by ozone. The significant role of the quantum confinement effect differentiates the observed phenomenon from well‐known chemiluminescence in molecular systems. This research establishes a physicochemical basis for the development of a gas sensor with high selectivity to ozone. Also, our findings may be useful for testing core–shell colloidal QDs with ozone.     

CARRIER PHOTOGENERATION IN POLY（N-VINYL-CARBAZOLE）-BASED PHOTOCONDUCTIVE THIN-FILM DEVICES

In this paper, photoexcitation processes in the bilayer devices based on inorganic materials and poly（N-vinylcarbazole） （PVK） were investigated. In order to clarify the roles of inorganic materials in photoconductive properties of bilayer devices, TiO2 and ZnS were chosen to combine with PVK. A model for generation of photocurrent （Iph） in single layer device of PVK was obtained. It is deduced that the recombination rate constant （Pcomb） and the ionization rate constant （y） ofexcitons should be considered as the most important factors for Iph. For inorganic materials （TiO2 or ZnS）/PVK bilayer devices, in reverse bias of-4 V, the photocurrent of 115 mA/cm^2 in the TiO2/PVK device was observed, but the photocurrent in the ZnS/PVK device was only 10 mA/cma under the illumination light of 340 nm and the light intensity of 14.2 mW/cm^2. The weaker photocurrent is attributed to the absorption of ZnS within UV region and the energy offset at the interface between PVK and ZnS, which impedes the transport of charge carriers.     

Synthesis and tunable emission of novel polyfluorene co-polymers with 1,8-naphthalimide pendant groups and application in a single layer-single component white emitting device

New luminescent polymers containing two individual emission species-poly(fluorene-alt-phenylene) as a blue host and variable amounts of 1,8-naphthalimide as red dopant have been designed and synthesized. Optical studies (optical absorption (OA) and steady-state photoluminescence emission (PL)) in diluted solutions and thin solid films reveal that the emission spectrum can be tuned by varying the content of 1,8-naphthalimide moieties. Although no significant interaction can be observed between both moieties in the ground state, after photoexcitation an efficient energy transfer takes place from the PFP backbone to the red chromophore, indeed, by adjusting the polymer/naphthalimide ratio it is possible to obtain single polymers which emit white light to the human eye in solid state. Energy transfer is more effective in the co-polymers than in physical mixtures of the two chromophores. We prepared single-layer electroluminescent simple devices with structure: ITO/poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene)/poly(4-styrenesulfonate) (PEDOT:PSS)/active layer/Ba/Al. With this single layer-single component device structure, white light with Commission Internationale de l’Eclairage (CIE) color coordinates (0.3, 0.42) is obtained for the electroluminescence (EL) emission with an efficiency of 22.62 Cd/A.     

High quantum yield photoluminescence of new polyamides containing oligo‐PPV amino derivatives and related oligomers

The synthesis and the chemical physical characterization of new photoluminescent (PL) chromophores and polymers are reported. Chromophores (oligo‐PPV symmetric derivatives ending with amino groups) are strong blue emitters with a PL quantum yield of ～70% in dioxane solution. They have been used to prepare polyamides by reaction with aliphatic acyl dichlorides in which emitting and non emitting units are alternated. PL properties of the synthesized polyamides have been evaluated in solution and reveal a strong blue emission (PL quantum yield ～60%), To increase the solubility of these systems, oligomers have been purposely prepared and then characterized. They show a peculiar white emission when excited in DMF solution; to get insight into this interesting behavior, asymmetric monoacetylated chromophores have been prepared as model compounds for the chromophoric end groups of the polyamide chains. The emission spectra of these compounds reveal a broad excimeric yellow emission which is responsible, along with the blue emission of the inner chromophoric units, of the overall white emission of the oligomers. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 47: 2677–2689, 2009     

Poly(N‐vinylcarbazole) chemically modified graphene oxide

A new soluble donor‐acceptor type poly(N‐vinylcarbazole)‐covalently functionalized graphene oxide (GO‐PVK) has been synthesized by reaction of DDAT (S‐1‐dodecyl‐S′‐(α,α′‐dimethyl‐α″‐aceticacid)trithiocarbonate)‐PVK with GO‐toluene‐2,4‐diisocynate. The incorporation of sufficient amount of PVK chains makes the modified GO nanosheets readily dispersible in organic solvents. The resulting material exhibits an enhanced solubility of 10 mg/mL in organic solvents. Covalent grafting of PVK onto the edge and surface of GO nanosheets did not change the carbazole absorption in the ultraviolet region, but substantially reduced the absorption intensity of GO in the visible region. The intensity of the emission band of GO‐PVK at 437 nm was a little bit quenched when compared with that of DDAT‐PVK, suggesting intramolecular quenching from PVK to GO. Such intramolecular quenching process may involve energy or electron transfer between the excited singlet states of the PVK moiety and the GO moiety. The HOMO/LUMO values and the energy bandgap of GO‐PVK experimentally estimated by the onset of the redox potentials are ?5.60, ?3.58, and 2.02 eV, respectively. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 48: 2642–2649, 2010