Alternate conjugated copolymers consisting of phenylene or biphenylylene unit and linear carbons unit such as cumulene and polyyne were synthesized. The optical property of these polymers was investigated by UV-Vis and fluorescence spectroscopies. Among cumulene-type polymers, the polymer having allene moiety showed a unique hypsochromic shift and intense blue fluorescence in solution, while poly(phenylenebutadiynylene)s, typical of polyyne-type linear conjugated polymers, showed fluorescence in the region from blue-green to green in high efficiency besides thermotropic liquid crystalline property. Substituent effects of the polymers on optical property as well as the band structure were evaluated on the basis of Hammet parameters, which was utilized for designing of the polymers. The poly(arylenebutadiynylenes)s were applied in polymer LED. The devices consisting of ITO/PEDOT-PSS/emitting polymer/Ca/Al realized EL emissions in the region covering RGB colors. (C) 2002 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.