The relationship between the fluorescence behavior and crystallinity of poly(1,4-butylene terephthalate) (PBT) films, prepared by a spin-casting method, was investigated. Throughout the fluorescence measurements of PBT thin films having different crystallinities, the main-chain phenylene fluorescence near 320 nm and that near 365 nm were assigned to monomer fluorescence mainly from crystalline regions and excimer fluorescence from amorphous regions, respectively. It was found that the ratio of the fluorescence intensity at 320 nm to that at 365 nm can be an effective indicator of PBT crystallinity. The present work should provide a quick and nondestructive method for determining the crystallinity of PBT factory products. (C) 2003 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.