Coexistence of photoluminescence from two intrachain states in polythiophene films

Abstract

Time-resolved photoluminescence (PL) measurements on highly ordered and disordered films of a polythiophene (PT) derivative were compared. Although delocalization lengths of $\ensuremath{\pi}$ electrons and the strengths of interchain interaction are quite different between the two films, a biexponential decay and a change in spectral shape, from one with a large 0-0 transition to one with a large 0-1 transition, were commonly observed. Therefore, we conclude that PL spectra of PT consist of two components having different spectral shapes and different lifetimes, and that these components originate from intrachain odd- and even-parity states that are coupled by electron-phonon interaction. This model explains the greatly reduced fluorescence yield for the ordered film as well as the time-resolved PL measurements.