Study on high molecular weight polysilanes

polygermanes and polystannanes has been reviewed.In the polymers consisting of only catenated homoatoms of group IV elements like Si

Ge

or Sn along the polymer backbone

there are two organic substituents at each atoms of Si

Ge

or Sn.The organic substituents are usually alkyl or aromatic groups.It has been shown experimentally that the skeleton absorption energies due to σ-σ

*

transition decreases from Si to Sn.The polymers consisting of Si

Ge

or Sn exhibit a strong UV-vis absorption that results from σ-conjugation along the Si

Ge

or Sn backbone respectively

which leads to these polymers interesting and promising electronic properties and potential applications.