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Polymer characterization using the time-resolved phosphorescence of singlet oxygen as a spectroscopic probe
The lowest excited electronic state of molecular oxygen, singlet oxygen ({sup 1}{Delta}{sub g}0{sub 2}), can be produced in solid organic polymers by a variety of different methods. Once produced, singlet oxygen will return to the ground triplet state by two pathways, radiative (phosphorescence) and non-radiative decay. Although the quantum efficiency of phosphorescence is small ({minus}10{sup {minus}5}), singlet oxygen can be detected by its emission at 1270 mn in both steady-state and time-resolved experiments. The phosphorescence of singlet oxygen can be used to characterize many properties of a solid organic polymer. 2 refs., 5 figs.