Optical and electroluminescence properties of poly(methylphenylsilane) containing an anthracene unit

A poly(methylphenylsilane) containing anthracene units in the polymer backbone was synthesized by the Wrutz-type reaction of 9,10-bis(methylpropylchlorosilyl) anthracene and methylphenyldichlorosilane. This polymer exhibited light-blue photoluminescence (emission maximum 480 nm) with an 87% quantum efficiency. A typical single-layer-type electroluminescence (EL) device with a glass substrate/indium-tin-oxide/polymer layer/aluminum structure was fabricated using this polymer. This device showed electroluminescence with a similar spectrum to the photoluminescence when the forward bias was applied. At present, the external quantum efficiency calculated in terms of emitted photons per transported electronic charge was 0.01%. We also developed a patterning-image-display EL device utilizing photodecomposition of the polymer chain. This device emitted the patterning image without using the complicated electrode patterning.