Effect of metal films on the photostabilities of emissive organic layers as probed by fluorescence microscopy

Realization of energy efficient and cost effective electroluminescence applications of conjugated polymers, like organic light emitting diodes (OLEDs), requires a complete understanding of photo-chemical processes at metal-polymer interfaces. Therefore it is useful to study the effects of metal films on the photoluminescence of emissive organic layer fabricated on it. While investigating these processes we observed an interesting and unexpected phenomenon that, when conjugated polymer is deposited on thin gold film substrates, it exhibits remarkable photo-stability relative to that deposited on glass, even in the presence of molecular oxygen. This paper addresses the photo-stability enhancement by thin Au films and explores the photochemical mechanism behind it.