Visible light emission from semiconducting polymer diodes

We report visible light emission from Shottky diodes made from semiconducting polymers, confirming the discovery by the Cambridge group [Nature 347, 539 (1990)]. Our results demonstrate that light-emitting diodes can be fabricated by casting the polymer film from solution with no subsequent processing or heat treatment required. Electrical characterization reveals diode behavior with rectification ratios greater than 104. We propose that tunneling of electrons from the recitifying metal contact into the gap states of the positive polaron majority carriers dominates current flow and provides the mechanism for light emission.