Understanding electron flow in conducting polymer films: injection, mobility, recombination and mesostructure

We survey the current state of models for electronic processes in conducting polymer devices, especially light-emitting diodes (LEDs). We pay special attention to several processes that have been somewhat neglected in the previous literature: charge injection from electrodes into a polymer sample, mobility of chargeor energy-carrying defects within a single molecule, and (more briefly) transfer of carriers between molecules and the interaction between the charge transport and the mesostructure of the polymer. Within all these areas substantial progress has been made in recent years in elucidating the important physics, but further progress is needed to make quantitative contact with experiment. PACS numbers: 73.63.-b (Electronic transport in mesoscopic/nanoscale materials) 73.61.Ph (Electronic properties of thin films polymers, organic compounds) 78.20.Bh (Optical properties theory and simulation) 78.66.Qn (Optical properties of thin filmspolymers, organic compounds)