Fluorescence quenching by charge carriers in indolo[3,2-b]carbazole-based polymer

The fluorescence quenching by the applied voltage in a new indolocarbazole-based polymer poly{5,11-di-2,3-epoxypropyl-6-pentyl-5,11-dihydroindolyl[3,2-b]carbazolyl-alt-4,4′-tiobisbenzentiole} sandwiched between ITO and Al electrodes has been investigated. Time-resolved fluorescence measurements have shown that the excitons are quenched during their entire life-time. The fluorescence intensity showed complex dependence on the applied voltage and the excitation light intensity, memory effects and dynamics on time scale of tens of seconds. These effects are explained by the exciton quenching by mobile and trapped charge carriers. Charge carrier density dynamics calculated by using a simplified model evaluating carrier injection, photogeneration, recombination and trapping was used to model variations of the fluorescence intensity induced by the periodically applied voltage. These effects point out the importance of the fluorescence quenching by trapped carriers in organic materials possessing high density of carrier traps or with broad distribution of density of states.