Electroluminescence and photoluminescence of conjugated polymer films prepared by plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition of naphthalene

TL;DR

This study explores how plasma power influences the chemical structure and optical properties of conjugated polymer films made by PECVD of naphthalene, impacting their electroluminescent and photoluminescent behaviors.

Contribution

It demonstrates the fabrication of conjugated polymer films with tunable optical properties via plasma power control using PECVD, linking structure to emission characteristics.

Findings

Higher plasma power leads to more cross-linked polymer structures.

Optical emissions shift with changes in plasma power and structure.

Broadband electroluminescence observed at 535-550 nm.

Abstract

Polymer light-emitting devices were fabricated utilizing plasma polymerized thin films as emissive layers. These conjugated polymer films were prepared by RF Plasma Enhanced Chemical Vapor Deposition (PECVD) using naphthalene as monomer. The effect of different applied powers on the chemical structure and optical properties of the conjugated polymers was investigated. The fabricated devices with structure of ITO/PEDOT:PSS/ plasma polymerized Naphthalene/Alq3/Al showed broadband Electroluminescence (EL) emission peaks with center at 535-550 nm. Using different structural and optical tests, connection between polymers chemical structure and optical properties under different plasma powers has been studied. Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) and Raman spectroscopies confirmed that a conjugated polymer film with a 3-D cross-linked network was developed. By increasing the power, products tended to form as highly cross-linked polymer films. Photoluminescence (PL) spectra of plasma polymers showed different excimerc emissions, resulted from crosslinked architecture. Further analysis showed an interesting change in dominance of excimeric emissions by increasing the power. In fact, as the plasma power increased, the optical properties showed two different domains; up to 200 w, EL, PL and UV-Vis spectra red-shifted and broadened significantly. At higher powers, a reverse behavior was observed. Also, the relation between the film structure and plasma species was investigated using Optical Emission Spectroscopy (OES).