DEFECT QUENCHING OF CONJUGATED POLYMER LUMINESCENCE

Transient photoluminescence measurements in poly(p-phenylene vinylene) illustrate that exciton diffusion to quenching centers explains the n onexponential decay dynamics. The structure of these defects is studie d by vibrational spectroscopy and the reason they act as quenchers is explained. In their absence, we observe nearly exponential photolumine scence decay with lifetime >1 ns. The new picture of photoexcitations which emerges and its implications for polymer electroluminescent devi ces are discussed.