L. Smilowitz et al., TIME-RESOLVED PHOTOLUMINESCENCE FROM POLY[2-METHOXY, 5-(2'-ETHYL-HEXYLOXY)-P-PHENYLENE-VINYLENE] - SOLUTIONS, GELS, FILMS, AND BLENDS, The Journal of chemical physics, 98(8), 1993, pp. 6504-6509
We present the results of time-resolved luminescence studies of poly[2
-methoxy, 5-(2'-ethyl-hexyloxy)-p-phenylene-vinylene] (MEH-PPV), as a
pure film, in solution, in a gel formed by a network of ultrahigh mole
cular weight polyethylene (UHMW-PE), and in a blend with UHMW-PE. The
luminescence has a characteristic lifetime of 200-300 ps at room tempe
rature, increasing to 500-700 ps when the materials are cooled to 80 K
; the decay time is approximately the same for all the physical forms
of the material (solution, film, gel, blend). The relatively short lif
etimes, compared to intrinsic values calculated from absorption and em
ission spectra, and the observed temperature dependence indicate that
the luminescence decay is quenched by nonradiative processes. The time
decay of the photoluminescence deviates from a single exponential for
most forms of the MEH-PPV. Best fits to stretched exponential and dou
ble exponential expressions are presented. Steady state photoluminesce
nce spectra and integrated luminescence vs pump intensity data are pre
sented in order to establish which of the possible mechanisms are most
important.