Triplet state properties including transient triplet absorption spectrum, intersystem crossing yields in solution at room temperature and phosphorescence spectra, quantum yields and lifetimes at low temperature as well as singlet oxygen yields were obtained for poly(N-vinylcarbazole) (PVK) in 2-methyl-tetrahydrofuran (2-MeTHF), cyclohexane or benzene. The results allow the determination of the energy value for the lowest lying triplet state and also show that triplet formation and deactivation is a minor route for relaxation of the lowest excited singlet state of PVK. In addition, they show the triplet state is at higher energy than reported heavy metal dopants used for electrophosphorescent devices, such that if this is used as a host it will not quench their luminescence. (C) 2004 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.