Electron Spin Resonance Spectra of Photogenerated Polarons in Poly(Paraphenylene Vinylene)

Abstract

Light-induced ESR (LESR) measurements have been performed on undoped poly(parapheny- lene vinylene) (PPV) down to 4 K. The ESR signal increases significantly for the excitation energy above 3.1–3.2 eV, as in the case of the excitation spectra of photocarriers reported in PPV derivatives. The anisotropic light-induced ESR spectra in oriented samples are well reproduced by the spectra calculated using a theoretical polaron spin distribution in the case of finite electron-electron interaction. These spectral features indicate that the observed spins are photogenerated polarons.