Photoluminescence quenching in a polymer thin-film field-effect luministor

• DOI: 10.1063/1.351010
• Publication Date: 2002-07-26T13:45:26Z
• Authors: P. Dyreklev; O. Inganäs; J. Paloheimo; H. Stubb
• Keywords: 02 engineering and technology; 0210 nano-technology; 01 natural sciences; 0104 chemical sciences

We report the observation of photoluminescence quenching in thin films of poly(3-hexylthiophene) and Langmuir–Blodgett films of poly(3-hexylthiophene)/arachidic acid by the injection of positive charges in the polymer. Charge injection was made in a polymer field effect transistor, used in what we name the luministor mode. The quenching is discussed in terms of polarons/bipolarons acting as recombination centra for the excitons, suppressing the photoluminescence. The inverse phenomenon, luminescence enhancement by depletion of charges, has also been achieved.