Polymer light-emitting electrochemical cell functionality

G) 54 min. Panei H shows cell current (red) and temperature (blue) as a function of time since the DC bias was applied. Uniform enhancement (level adjustment in Photoshop) has been applied to images A-G. Reproduced with permission from reference Hu, Y., Gao, J., 2011. Direct imaging and probing of the p-n junction in a planar polymer light-emitting electrochemical cell. J. Am. Chem. Soc. 133, 2227-2231. Copyright 2011, American Chemical Society. 

In electrochemical light-emitting cells, the semiconductive polymer can be surrounded asymmetrically with a hole-injecting material on one side and a low work function electron injecting metal (such as magnesium, calcium, or aluminum) on the other side. The emission of light may occur when a charge carrier recombines in the polymer as electrons from one side and holes from the other meet. 

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