title: Time-resolved luminescence in conducting polymer/antidot nanocomposites.
abstract: We report modification of the structure and properties of conjugated polymers through controlled embedding wide-gap nanocrystals (antidots) within the polymer matrix. Investigations were carried out by means of stationary and time-resolved photoluminescence. Antidots strongly modify the luminescence spectrum of poly(p-phenylene vinylene) but have almost no influence on the spectrum of poly(2-(6-cyano-6'-methylheptyloxy)-1, 4-phenylene. We explain this observation with respect to the different chain structure and electron density distribution in these two materials. The temporal evolution of luminescence spectra in polymer/antidot composites contains a series of characteristic times. The shortest of these (0.35-0.6 ns) are independent of antidot material and characterize processes in the polymer matrix. Larger times considerably exceeding 1 ns are composition-sensitive and attributable to carrier capture by nanocrystals. The qualitative character of the modification of luminescence spectra associated with the inclusion of antidots depends strongly on the characteristics of the polymer matrices and more weakly on the antidot material. This suggests that the predominant effect of the nanocrystals relates to the modification of the matrix near the polymer-inorganic interface.
authors.affiliation: Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of Toronto, 10 King's College Road, Toronto, Ontario M5S 3G4, Canada.
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Bakueva
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Musikhin
authors.forename: E H
authors.initials: EH
authors.lastname: Sargent
mesh_terms: D000537:Aluminum Oxide / Q000737:chemistry; D000965:Antimony / Q000737:chemistry; D003460:Crystallization / Q000379:methods*; D049449:Luminescence; D046911:Macromolecular Substances; D008422:Materials Testing / Q000379:methods; D036103:Nanotechnology / Q000379:methods*; D010087:Oxides / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000528:radiation effects; D011108:Polymers / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000528:radiation effects; D011145:Polyvinyls / Q000737:chemistry / Q000528:radiation effects; D013050:Spectrometry, Fluorescence / Q000379:methods; D013057:Spectrum Analysis; D017971:Tin Compounds / Q000737:chemistry; D015019:Yttrium / Q000737:chemistry; D015034:Zinc Oxide / Q000737:chemistry
chemical_list: D046911:Macromolecular Substances; D010087:Oxides; D011108:Polymers; D011145:Polyvinyls; D017971:Tin Compounds; C470024:poly(4-phenylenevinylene); C091696:antimony oxide; D015019:Yttrium; D000965:Antimony; C045358:stannic oxide; D000537:Aluminum Oxide; D015034:Zinc Oxide; C091417:yttria