With anodic alumina with an ordered nanopore array used as a template, poly[2-metoxy-5-(2'-ethyl-hexyloxy)-p-phenylene vinylene] (MEH-PPV) was embedded into the nanopores, and then two-dimensional arrays of light-emitting nanopolymers were prepared. By the measurement and analysis of photoluminescence and photoluminescence excitation spectra of the samples, it was demonstrated that the optical properties of the nano-MEH-PPV arrays were obviously different from those of MEH-PPV films. The conformations of the MEH-PPV chains in the nanopores, films, and solutions and their effects on the optical properties were examined. It was determined experimentally that the conformations of the MEH-PPV chains in the solutions were maintained in the nano-MEH-PPV arrays. (c) 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part B: Polym Phys 44: 3037-3041,2006.