This article describes the synthesis and characterization of a new ladder-type poly (p-phenylene) (LPFC) containing alkylcarbazole and dialkylfluorene units in backbone, and its optical and electrochemical properties as well as its light-emitting device performance. LPFC shows the well-defined structure, high molecular weights, excellent thermal stability, and good solubility in common organic solvents. And it also shows strongly blue emission (lambda(max) = 465 nm) with quantum efficiency of 70% in solution, while its solid emission (lambda(max) = 470 nm) is almost the same as its solution. Electrochemical studies show that the highest occupied molecular orbital (HOMO) energy levels of LPFC is up to 5.29 eV, which is significantly higher than that of LPPP without carbazole in backbone, indicating an enhanced ability of hole injection from anodes. Furthermore, the single layer light-emitting device using LPFC as the active layer shows blue emission (lambda(max) = 470 nm) with maximum luminescence of similar to 2000 cd/m(2) and maximum luminance efficiency of 0.43 cd/A. The attractive properties exhibited from new ladder-type polymer establish LPFC as a good candidate for the potential application as transporting and emitting layer in polymeric light emitting diodes. (C) 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.