Fabrication of Polymer Light Emitting Diodes by Layer-by-Layer Complexation Technique

Multilayer films were fabricated employing a new layer-by-layer complexation technique by alternatively dipping substrates in solutions of macromolecular ligands and Eu3+ ions. A luminescent poly[2-(3-thienyl)ethanol hydroxycarbonyl-methyl urethane] (H-PURET) was prepared by hydrolysis of thiophene polymer, poly[2-(3-thienyl)ethanol butoxycarbonyl-methyl urethane] (PURET), which was developed in our laboratory. H-PURET was used as macromolecular ligands. The multilayer deposition was monitored using UV-visible spectroscopy. As the number of bilayers increases, the absorption due to the polymer increases. The multilayer films were characterized by infrared and fluorescence spectroscopic techniques. Electroluminescence brightness easily obtained from the multilayer film of conjugated polymer-Eu3+ complex was measured to be about 40nW.