Energy transfer by singlet and triplet excitons in carbazole-containing polymers

Quantum yields of pyrene fluorescence and bis[2-(2′-benzothienyl)-pyridinato-N,C^3′](acetylacetonate)iridium [Btp₂Ir(acac)] phosphorescence upon excitation via a matrix of poly-N-epoxypropylcarbazole (PEPC) or poly-N-epoxypropyl-3,6-dibromocarbazole (DBrPEPC), respectively, were found to be lower than those for the compounds directly excited in a polystyrene (PS) matrix. It was established that the energy in PEPC was transferred to an acceptor by both singlet excitons (by migration and long-range dipole–dipole interaction) and triplet excitons (through migration and short-range exchange electron interaction); however, only by triplet excitons in DBrPEPC, which did not show any fluorescence. The energy-transfer efficiency in PEPC by singlet excitons was higher than by triplet excitons. The observed effects were explained by the fact that energy transfer to the acceptor competed with such processes as localization of the excitons in the “tail” energy states, dissociation of singlet excitons into geminal electron–hole pairs (EHP), and capture of triplet excitons by polymer oxidation products.