Multifrequency EPR analysis of the positive polaron in I2-doped poly(3-hexylthiophene) and in poly[2-methoxy-5-(3,7-dimethyloctyloxy)]-1,4-phenylenevinylene

Abstract

The W-band continuous-wave electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) analysis of chemically induced polarons in drop-cast and spin-coated polyphenylenevinylene-type and polythiophene-type polymer films reveals rhombic g tensors in both cases. The dependence of the W-band EPR signals on the orientation of the spin-coated films with respect to the magnetic field indicates a high degree of backbone alignment with the substrate and allows a partial assignment of the g tensor orientation. The derived molecular orientations of the polymer chains in the spin-coated films show clear differences between the two types of polymers. The proton hyperfine interactions obtained from X-band HYSCORE (hyperfine sublevel correlation) and Q- and W-band pulsed ENDOR (electron-nuclear double resonance) experiments are interpreted in terms of earlier theoretical studies on the extension of the polarons.