Fluorescence Quantum Yield of Aromatic Hydrocarbon Crystals

Abstract

We measured the fluorescence quantum yield (Φ f ) of several aromatic hydrocarbon crystals: p -terphenyl, trans -stilbene, anthracene, pyrene, and α-perylene. The Φ f is reduced by chemical impurities, structural defects, and reabsorption of fluorescence. To minimize the effect of chemical impurities and structural defects, we evaluated the Φ f of highly purified single crystals. We also measured the Φ f of powder samples prepared by the mechanical milling of single crystals to assess the effect of reabsorption and structural defects induced by milling. We estimated the lower limit values of the Φ f to be 0.80 for p -terphenyl, >0.65 for trans -stilbene, >0.64 for anthracene, 0.68 for pyrene, and 0.31 for α-perylene.