WorldWideScience

Sample records for bulk heterojunction organic

  1. Organic bulk heterojunction photovoltaic structures: design, morphology and properties

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Bulavko, G V; Ishchenko, A A

    2014-01-01

    Main approaches to the design of organic bulk heterojunction photovoltaic structures are generalized and systematized. Novel photovoltaic materials based on fullerenes, organic dyes and related compounds, graphene, conjugated polymers and dendrimers are considered. The emphasis is placed on correlations between the chemical structure and properties of materials. The effect of morphology of the photoactive layer on the photovoltaic properties of devices is analyzed. Main methods of optimization of the photovoltaic properties are outlined. The bibliography includes 338 references

  2. Cohesion and device reliability in organic bulk heterojunction photovoltaic cells

    KAUST Repository

    Brand, Vitali

    2012-04-01

    The fracture resistance of P3HT:PC 60BM-based photovoltaic devices are characterized using quantitative adhesion and cohesion metrologies that allow identification of the weakest layer or interface in the device structure. We demonstrate that the phase separated bulk heterojunction layer is the weakest layer and report quantitative cohesion values which ranged from ∼1 to 20 J m -2. The effects of layer thickness, composition, and annealing treatments on layer cohesion are investigated. Using depth profiling and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy on the resulting fracture surfaces, we examine the gradient of molecular components through the thickness of the bulk heterojunction layer. Finally, using atomic force microscopy we show how the topography of the failure path is related to buckling of the metal electrode and how it develops with annealing. The research provides new insights on how the molecular design, structure and composition affect the cohesive properties of organic photovoltaics. © 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  3. The role of exciton ionization processes in bulk heterojunction organic photovoltaic cells

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zou, Yunlong; Holmes, Russell

    2015-03-01

    Dissociating photogenerated excitons into their constituent charges is essential for efficient photoconversion in organic semiconductors. Organic photovoltaics cells (OPV) widely adopt a heterojunction architecture where dissociation is facilitated by charge transfer at a donor-acceptor (D-A) interface. Interestingly, recent work on MoOx/C60 Schottky OPVs has demonstrated that excitons in C60 may also undergo bulk-ionization to generate photocurrent, driven by the built-in field at the MoOx/C60 interface. Here, we show that bulk-ionization processes also contribute to the photocurrent in bulk heterojunction (BHJ) OPVs with fullerene-rich compositions. The short-circuit current density (JSC) in a MoOx/C60 Schottky OPVs shows almost no dependence on temperature down to 80 K. This characteristic of bulk-ionization allows the use of temperature-dependent measurements of JSC to distinguish dissociation by bulk-ionization from charge transfer at a D-A interface. For BHJ OPVs constructed using the D-A pairing of boron subphthalocyanine chloride (SubPc)-C60, bulk-ionization is found to contribute >10% of the total photocurrent and >30% of the photocurrent from C60. We further find that fullerene-rich SubPc-C60 BHJ OPVs show a larger open-circuit voltage (VOC) than evenly mixed BHJs due to the presence of bulk-ionization. This talk will examine the dependence of JSC and VOC on the relative fraction of dissociation by charge transfer and bulk-ionization processes.

  4. The Fabrication of Bulk Heterojunction P3HT: PCBM Organic Photovoltaics

    Science.gov (United States)

    Darwis, D.; Sesa, E.; Farhamza, D.; Iqbal

    2018-05-01

    Bulk heterojunction Organic photovoltaic (OPV) devices are gaining a lot of interest due to their potential for ease of processing and lower manufacturing cost sustainable energy generation. In consequence, the number of studies into the properties and characteristics of organic solar cell devices has been increased to improving their power conversion. A further advancement over past decade has shown that improved efficiency could be obtained by mixed of poly(3 - hexylthiophene) (P3HT) and [1] – phenyl - C61-butyric acid methyl ester (PCBM) as an active layer. A series of optimizations of this P3HT: PCBM blends, such as the mixture ratio variation, the annealing treatments, and solvent treatment, have been emerged to improve the efficiency of the OPV. As a result, significant improvements were achieved. Here, we report the fabrication heterojunction devices of 2.9 % efficiency. This result has been achieved using the configuration of a typical heterojunction solar cell modules consists of layered glass/ITO/PEDOT: PSS/active layer/cathode interlayer

  5. Exciton delocalization incorporated drift-diffusion model for bulk-heterojunction organic solar cells

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wang, Zi Shuai; Sha, Wei E. I.; Choy, Wallace C. H.

    2016-12-01

    Modeling the charge-generation process is highly important to understand device physics and optimize power conversion efficiency of bulk-heterojunction organic solar cells (OSCs). Free carriers are generated by both ultrafast exciton delocalization and slow exciton diffusion and dissociation at the heterojunction interface. In this work, we developed a systematic numerical simulation to describe the charge-generation process by a modified drift-diffusion model. The transport, recombination, and collection of free carriers are incorporated to fully capture the device response. The theoretical results match well with the state-of-the-art high-performance organic solar cells. It is demonstrated that the increase of exciton delocalization ratio reduces the energy loss in the exciton diffusion-dissociation process, and thus, significantly improves the device efficiency, especially for the short-circuit current. By changing the exciton delocalization ratio, OSC performances are comprehensively investigated under the conditions of short-circuit and open-circuit. Particularly, bulk recombination dependent fill factor saturation is unveiled and understood. As a fundamental electrical analysis of the delocalization mechanism, our work is important to understand and optimize the high-performance OSCs.

  6. Ambipolar Organic Phototransistors with p-Type/n-Type Conjugated Polymer Bulk Heterojunction Light-Sensing Layers

    KAUST Repository

    Nam, Sungho; Han, Hyemi; Seo, Jooyeok; Song, Myeonghun; Kim, Hwajeong; Anthopoulos, Thomas D.; McCulloch, Iain; Bradley, Donal D C; Kim, Youngkyoo

    2016-01-01

    Ambipolar organic phototransistors with sensing channel layers, featuring p-type and n-type conjugated polymer bulk heterojunctions, exhibit outstanding light-sensing characteristics in both p-channel and n-channel sensing operation modes.

  7. Ambipolar Organic Phototransistors with p-Type/n-Type Conjugated Polymer Bulk Heterojunction Light-Sensing Layers

    KAUST Repository

    Nam, Sungho

    2016-11-18

    Ambipolar organic phototransistors with sensing channel layers, featuring p-type and n-type conjugated polymer bulk heterojunctions, exhibit outstanding light-sensing characteristics in both p-channel and n-channel sensing operation modes.

  8. Tuning Optoelectronic Properties of Ambipolar Organic Light-Emitting Transistors Using a Bulk-Heterojunction Approach

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Loi, Maria Antonietta; Rost-Bietsch, Constance; Murgia, Mauro; Karg, Siegfried; Riess, Walter; Muccini, Michele

    2006-01-01

    Bulk-heterojunction engineering is demonstrated as an approach to producing ambipolar organic light-emitting field-effect transistors with tunable electrical and optoelectronic characteristics. The electron and hole mobilities, as well as the electroluminescence intensity, can be tuned over a large

  9. Polymer-fullerene bulk heterojunction solar cells

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Janssen, RAJ; Hummelen, JC; Saricifti, NS

    Nanostructured phase-separated blends, or bulk heterojunctions, of conjugated Polymers and fullerene derivatives form a very attractive approach to large-area, solid-state organic solar cells.The key feature of these cells is that they combine easy, processing from solution on a variety of

  10. An anomalous behavior in degraded bulk heterojunction organic solar cells

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Singh, Vinamrita; Tandon, Ram Pal; Arora, Swati; Kumar, Pankaj; Bhatnagar, Pramod Kumar; Arora, Manoj

    2011-01-01

    An anomalous behavior—a change in polarity with the passage of time in the bulk heterojunction poly(3-hexylthiophene) (P3HT):6,6-phenylC61 butyric acid methyl ester (PCBM) organic solar cells—is reported here. This work is a continuation of our previous work where the initial degradation of the organic solar cells, freshly prepared up to 4 h, was mainly due to domain formation in the active layer. With the passage of time, the activity at the interfaces starts becoming significant. A decrease of V OC and J SC , leading to a change in polarity, has been reported and explained up to 300 h after fabrication.

  11. Compositional engineering of acceptors for highly efficient bulk heterojunction hybrid organic solar cells.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Amber Yousaf, S; Ikram, M; Ali, S

    2018-10-01

    The wet chemical synthesis of chromium oxide (Cr 2 O 3 ) nanoparticles (NPs) and its application in active layer of inverted bulk heterojunction organic solar cells is documented in this research. Chromium oxide NPs of 10-30 nm size range having a band gap of 2.9 eV were successfully synthesized. These NPs were used in inverted organic solar cells in amalgamation with P3HT:PCBM and PTB7:PCBM polymers. The fabricated hybrid devices improves PCE significantly for P3HT:PCBM and PTB7:PCBM systems. The photophysical energy levels, optoelectrical properties and microscopic images have been systematically studied for the fabricated devices. The introduction of Cr 2 O 3 nanoparticles (NPs) enhances light harvesting and tunes energy levels into improved electrical parameters. A clear red shift and improved absorption have been observed for ternary blended devices compared to that observed with controlled organic solar cells. Apparently, when the amount of NPs in the binary polymer blend exceeds the required optimum level, there is a breakdown of the bulk heterojunction leading to lowering of the optical and electrical performance of the devices. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  12. Charge transport across bulk heterojunction organic thin film

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Tessema, Genene [University of Kwazulu-Natal, School of Physics, Scottsville (South Africa); Addis Ababa University, Department of Physics, Addis Ababa (Ethiopia)

    2012-01-15

    The transport of charges in organic photo-active film has been the focus of tremendous research in the past few decades with the view to understand the physics of the polymers. Bulk heterojunction type devices are particularly more interesting because of their high power conversion efficiency. We have fabricated organic PV cell based on sandwich type ITO/PEDOT:PSS/APFO green-6:PCBM/LiF/Al device structure. The space charge limited currents were investigated to be able to derive important transport parameters of the devices. The measured current agrees very well with trap free space charge limited transport theory. The zero field mobility and field activation factor found from the data were {mu} {sub 0}=(3.39{+-}0.2) x 10{sup -6} m{sup 2}/V sec and {gamma}=(8.3{+-}0.3) x 10{sup -4} (m/V){sup 1/2}, respectively. (orig.)

  13. Enhanced bulk heterojunction devices prepared by thermal and solvent vapor annealing processes

    Science.gov (United States)

    Forrest, Stephen R.; Thompson, Mark E.; Wei, Guodan; Wang, Siyi

    2017-09-19

    A method of preparing a bulk heterojunction organic photovoltaic cell through combinations of thermal and solvent vapor annealing are described. Bulk heterojunction films may prepared by known methods such as spin coating, and then exposed to one or more vaporized solvents and thermally annealed in an effort to enhance the crystalline nature of the photoactive materials.

  14. Charge Carrier Generation, Recombination, and Extraction in Polymer–Fullerene Bulk Heterojunction Organic Solar Cells

    KAUST Repository

    Laquai, Fré dé ric; Andrienko, Denis; Deibel, Carsten; Neher, Dieter

    2016-01-01

    In this chapter we review the basic principles of photocurrent generation in bulk heterojunction organic solar cells, discuss the loss channels limiting their efficiency, and present case studies of several polymer–fullerene blends. Using steady-state and transient, optical, and electrooptical techniques, we create a precise picture of the fundamental processes that ultimately govern solar cell efficiency.

  15. Charge Carrier Generation, Recombination, and Extraction in Polymer–Fullerene Bulk Heterojunction Organic Solar Cells

    KAUST Repository

    Laquai, Frederic

    2016-12-20

    In this chapter we review the basic principles of photocurrent generation in bulk heterojunction organic solar cells, discuss the loss channels limiting their efficiency, and present case studies of several polymer–fullerene blends. Using steady-state and transient, optical, and electrooptical techniques, we create a precise picture of the fundamental processes that ultimately govern solar cell efficiency.

  16. Cohesion and device reliability in organic bulk heterojunction photovoltaic cells

    KAUST Repository

    Brand, Vitali; Bruner, Christopher; Dauskardt, Reinhold H.

    2012-01-01

    that the phase separated bulk heterojunction layer is the weakest layer and report quantitative cohesion values which ranged from ∼1 to 20 J m -2. The effects of layer thickness, composition, and annealing treatments on layer cohesion are investigated. Using

  17. Modelling the temperature induced degradation kinetics of the short circuit current in organic bulk heterojunction solar cells

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Conings, B.S.T.; Bertho, S.; Vandewal, K.; Senes, A.; D'Haen, J.; Manca, J.V.; Janssen, R.A.J.

    2010-01-01

    In organic bulk heterojunction solar cells, the nanoscale morphology of interpenetrating donor-acceptor materials and the resulting photovoltaic parameters alter as a consequence of prolonged operation at temperatures above the glass transition temperature. Thermal annealing induces clustering of

  18. Plasmon enhanced power conversion efficiency in inverted bulk heterojunction organic solar cell

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mohan, Minu; Ramkumar, S.; Namboothiry, Manoj A. G.

    2017-08-01

    P3HT:PCBM is one of the most studied polymer-fullerene system. However the reported power conversion efficiency (PCE) values falls within the range of 4% to 5%. The thin film architecture in OPVs exhibits low PCE compared to inorganic photovoltaic cells. This is mainly due to the low exciton diffusion length that limits the active layer thickness which in turn reduces the absorption of incident light. Several strategies are adapted in order to increase the absorption in the active layer without increasing the film thickness. Inclusion of metal nanoparticles into the polymer layer of bulk heterojunction (BHJ) solar cells is one of the promising methods. Incorporation of metal nanostructures increases the absorption of organic materials due to the high electromagnetic field strength in the vicinity of the excited surface plasmons. In this work, we used 60 nm Au plasmonic structures to improve the efficiency of organic solar cell. The prepared metal nano structures were characterized through scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and UV-Visible spectroscopy techniques. These prepared metallic nanoparticles can be incorporated either into the electron transport layer (ETL) or into the active P3HT:PC71BM layer. The effect of incorporation of plasmonic gold (Au) nanoparticle in the inverted bulk heterojunction organic photovoltaic cells (OPVs) of P3HT:PC71BM fabricated in ambient air condition is in progress. Initial studies shows an 8.5% enhancement in the PCE with the incorporation of Au nanoparticles under AM1.5G light of intensity 1 Sun.

  19. Solution processed organic bulk heterojunction tandem solar cells

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Albrecht, Steve; Neher, Dieter [Soft Matter Physics, University of Potsdam, D-14476 Potsdam (Germany)

    2011-07-01

    One of the critical issues regarding the preparation of organic tandem solar cells from solution is the central recombination contact. This contact should be highly transparent and conductive to provide high recombination currents. Moreover it should protect the 1st subcell from the solution processing of the 2nd subcell. Here, we present a systematic study of various recombination contacts in organic bulk heterojunction tandem solar cells made from blends of different polymers with PCBM. We compare solution processed recombination contacts fabricated from metal-oxides (TiO{sub 2} and ZnO) and PEDOT:PSS with evaporated recombination contacts made from thin metal layers and molybdenum-oxide. The solar cell characteristics as well as the morphology of the contacts measured by AFM and SEM are illustrated. To compare the electrical properties of the varying contacts we show measurements on single carrier devices for different contact-structures. Alongside we present the results of optical modeling of the subcells and the complete tandem device and relate these results to experimental absorption and reflection spectra of the same structures. Based on these studies, layer thicknesses were adjusted for optimum current matching and device performance.

  20. Charge transport and recombination dynamics in organic bulk heterojunction solar cells

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Baumann, Andreas

    2011-08-02

    The charge transport in disordered organic bulk heterojunction (BHJ) solar cells is a crucial process affecting the power conversion efficiency (PCE) of the solar cell. With the need of synthesizing new materials for improving the power conversion efficiency of those cells it is important to study not only the photophysical but also the electrical properties of the new material classes. Thereby, the experimental techniques need to be applicable to operating solar cells. In this work, the conventional methods of transient photoconductivity (also known as ''Time-of-Flight'' (TOF)), as well as the transient charge extraction technique of ''Charge Carrier Extraction by Linearly Increasing Voltage'' (CELIV) are performed on different organic blend compositions. Especially with the latter it is feasible to study the dynamics - i.e. charge transport and charge carrier recombination - in bulk heterojunction (BHJ) solar cells with active layer thicknesses of 100-200 nm. For a well performing organic BHJ solar cells the morphology is the most crucial parameter finding a trade-off between an efficient photogeneration of charge carriers and the transport of the latter to the electrodes. Besides the morphology, the nature of energetic disorder of the active material blend and its influence on the dynamics are discussed extensively in this work. Thereby, the material system of poly(3-hexylthiophene-2,5-diyl) (P3HT) and [6,6]-phenyl-C{sub 61}butyric acid methyl ester (PC{sub 61}BM) serves mainly as a reference material system. New promising donor or acceptor materials and their potential for application in organic photovoltaics are studied in view of charge dynamics and compared with the reference system. With the need for commercialization of organic solar cells the question of the impact of environmental conditions on the PCE of the solar cells raises. In this work, organic BHJ solar cells exposed to synthetic air for finite duration are

  1. Charge-carrier selective electrodes for organic bulk heterojunction solar cell by contact-printed siloxane oligomers

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hwang, Hyun-Sik; Khang, Dahl-Young

    2015-01-01

    ‘Smart’ (or selective) electrode for charge carriers, both electrons and holes, in organic bulk-heterojunction (BHJ) solar cells using insertion layers made of hydrophobically-recovered and contact-printed siloxane oligomers between electrodes and active material has been demonstrated. The siloxane oligomer insertion layer has been formed at a given interface simply by conformally-contacting a cured slab of polydimethylsiloxane stamp for less than 100 s. All the devices, either siloxane oligomer printed at one interface only or printed at both interfaces, showed efficiency enhancement when compared to non-printed ones. The possible mechanism that is responsible for the observed efficiency enhancement has been discussed based on the point of optimum symmetry and photocurrent analysis. Besides its simplicity and large-area applicability, the demonstrated contact-printing technique does not involve any vacuum or wet processing steps and thus can be very useful for the roll-based, continuous production scheme for organic BHJ solar cells. - Highlights: • Carrier-selective insertion layer in organic bulk heterojunction solar cells • Simple contact-printing of siloxane oligomers improves cell efficiency. • Printed siloxane layer reduces carrier recombination at electrode surfaces. • Siloxane insertion layer works equally well at both electrode surfaces. • Patterned PDMS stamp shortens the printing time within 100 s

  2. Bulk heterojunction organic photovoltaic cell fabricated by the electrospray deposition method using mixed organic solvent

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Fukuda, Takeshi; Takagi, Kenji; Asano, Takashi [Department of Functional Materials Science, Graduate School of Science and Engineering, Saitama University, 255 Shimo-Okubo, Sakura-ku, Saitama 338-8570 (Japan); RIKEN, 2-1 Hirosawa, Wakou-shi, Saitama 351-0198 (Japan); Honda, Zentaro; Kamata, Norihiko; Ueno, Keiji; Shirai, Hajime [Department of Functional Materials Science, Graduate School of Science and Engineering, Saitama University, 255 Shimo-Okubo, Sakura-ku, Saitama 338-8570 (Japan); Ju, Jungmyoung; Yamagata, Yutaka; Tajima, Yusuke [RIKEN, 2-1 Hirosawa, Wakou-shi, Saitama 351-0198 (Japan)

    2011-07-15

    A high-efficiency bulk heterojunction organic photovoltaic cell (OPV) was achieved by the electrospray deposition method. The surface roughness of the P3HT:PCBM thin film can be reduced using the mixed solvent consisting of o-dichlorobenzene (o-DCB) and acetone. The effect of acetone concentration is related to its dielectric constant. Under an optimized concentration of acetone in o-DCB (20 vol%), the P3HT/PCBM active layer with a smooth surface can be formed, and the power conversion efficiency of the OPV was 1.9%. (copyright 2011 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH and Co. KGaA, Weinheim) (orig.)

  3. Hybrid organic-inorganic heterojunctions for photovoltaic applications

    OpenAIRE

    Dietmüller, Roland

    2012-01-01

    Hybrid organic-inorganic bulk heterojunction solar cells based on silicon nanocrystals (Si-nc) have been realized and investigated. A photo-induced charge transfer could be demonstrated in composites made of silicon nanocrystals and poly(3-hexylthiophene) (P3HT) or [6,6]-phenyl-C61-butyric acid methyl ester (PCBM) via light-induced electron spin resonance measurements. With bulk heterojunction solar cells made of P3HT/Si-nc composites in a sandwich structure, open-circuit voltages of up to 0....

  4. Organic hybrid planar-nanocrystalline bulk heterojunctions

    Science.gov (United States)

    Forrest, Stephen R [Ann Arbor, MI; Yang, Fan [Piscataway, NJ

    2011-03-01

    A photosensitive optoelectronic device having an improved hybrid planar bulk heterojunction includes a plurality of photoconductive materials disposed between the anode and the cathode. The photoconductive materials include a first continuous layer of donor material and a second continuous layer of acceptor material. A first network of donor material or materials extends from the first continuous layer toward the second continuous layer, providing continuous pathways for conduction of holes to the first continuous layer. A second network of acceptor material or materials extends from the second continuous layer toward the first continuous layer, providing continuous pathways for conduction of electrons to the second continuous layer. The first network and the second network are interlaced with each other. At least one other photoconductive material is interspersed between the interlaced networks. This other photoconductive material or materials has an absorption spectra different from the donor and acceptor materials.

  5. Electro-optical modeling of bulk heterojunction solar cells

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kirchartz, Thomas; Pieters, Bart E.; Taretto, Kurt; Rau, Uwe

    2008-11-01

    We introduce a model for charge separation in bulk heterojunction solar cells that combines exciton transport to the interface between donor and acceptor phases with the dissociation of the bound electron/hole pair. We implement this model into a standard semiconductor device simulator, thereby creating a convenient method to simulate the optical and electrical characteristics of a bulk heterojunction solar cell with a commercially available program. By taking into account different collection probabilities for the excitons in the polymer and the fullerene, we are able to reproduce absorptance, internal and external quantum efficiency, as well as current/voltage curves of bulk heterojunction solar cells. We further investigate the influence of mobilities of the free excitons as well as the mobilities of the free charge carriers on the performance of bulk heterojunction solar cells. We find that, in general, the highest efficiencies are achieved with the highest mobilities. However, an optimum finite mobility of free charge carriers can result from a large recombination velocity at the contacts. In contrast, Langevin-type of recombination cannot lead to finite optimum mobilities even though this mechanism has a strong dependence on the free carrier mobilities.

  6. Shelf life and outdoor degradation studies of organic bulk heterojunction solar cells

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gergova, R.; Sendova-Vassileva, M.; Popkirov, G.; Gancheva, V.; Grancharov, G.

    2018-03-01

    We studied the degradation of different types of bulk heterojunction devices, in which the materials comprising the active layer and/or the materials used for the back electrode are varied. The devices are deposited on ITO covered glass and have the structure PEDOT:PSS/BHJ/Me, where PEDOT:PSS is the hole transport layer, BHJ (bulk heterojunction) is the active layer comprising a polymer donor (e.g. PTB7, PCDTBT) and a fullerene derivative acceptor (e.g. PC60BM, PC70BM) deposited by spin coating, Me is the metal back contact, which is either Ag or Al deposited by magnetron sputtering or thermal evaporation. The device performance was monitored after storage in the dark at ambient conditions by following the evolution of the J-V curve over time. Results of real conditions outdoor degradation studies are also presented. The stability of the different solar cell structures studied is compared.

  7. Inverted bulk-heterojunction organic solar cell using chemical bath deposited titanium oxide as electron collection layer

    OpenAIRE

    Kuwabara, Takayuki; Sugiyama, Hirokazu; Kuzuba, Mitsuhiro  ; Yamaguchi, Takahiro; Takahashi, Kohshin

    2010-01-01

    Chemical bath deposited titanium oxide (TiOx ) as an electron collection layer is introduced between the organic layer and the indium tin oxide (ITO) electrode for improving the performance of inverted bulk-heterojunction organic thin film solar cells with 1 cm2 active area, where regioregular poly(3-hexylthiophene) (P3HT) and [6,6]-phenyl C61 butyric acid methyl ester (PCBM) were mainly used as the photo-active layer. The uniform and thin TiOx film was easily prepared onto the ITO electrode ...

  8. Thermal annealing study on P3HT: PCBM based bulk heterojunction organic solar cells using impedance spectroscopy

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Gollu, Sankara Rao, E-mail: sankar.gollu@gmail.com [Plastic Electronics and Energy Lab (PEEL), Department of Metallurgical Engineering and Material Science, Indian Institute of Technology Bombay, Powai, Mumbai-400076 (India); Sharma, Ramakant, E-mail: diptig@iitb.ac.in; G, Srinivas, E-mail: diptig@iitb.ac.in; Gupta, Dipti, E-mail: diptig@iitb.ac.in [Plastic Electronics and Energy Lab (PEEL) Department of Metallurgical Engineering and Material Science, Indian Institute of Technology Bombay, Powai, Mumbai-400076 (India)

    2014-10-15

    Recently, Thermal annealing is an important process for bulk heterojunction organic solar cells (BHJ OSCs) to improve the device efficiency and performance of the organic solar cells. Here in, we have examined the changes in the efficiency and morphology of P3HT: PCBM film according to the thermal annealing temperature to find the changes during the annealing process by measuring the optical absorption, atomic force microscope and X-ray diffraction. We also investigated the effect of different annealing process conditions (without, pre- and post-annealing) on the device performance of the inverted bulk heterojunction organic solar cells consist the structure of ITO/ ZnO / P3HT: PCBM / MoO{sub 3}/ Al by measuring AC impedance characteristics. Particularly, the power conversion efficiency (PCE), crystalline nature of the polymer, light absorption and the surface smoothness of P3HT: PCBM films are significantly improved after the annealing process. These results indicated the improvement in terms of PCE, interface smoothness between the P3HT: PCBM and MoO{sub 3} layers of the post annealed device originated from the decrease of series resistance between P3HT: PCBM layer and Al electrodes, which could be due to decrease in the effective life time of charge carriers.

  9. Molecular Intercalation and Cohesion of Organic Bulk Heterojunction Photovoltaic Devices

    KAUST Repository

    Bruner, Christopher; Miller, Nichole C.; McGehee, Michael D.; Dauskardt, Reinhold H.

    2013-01-01

    The phase separated bulk heterojunction (BHJ) layer in BHJ polymer:fullerene organic photovoltaic devices (OPV) are mechanically weak with low values of cohesion. Improved cohesion is important for OPV device thermomechanical reliability. BHJ devices are investigated and how fullerene intercalation within the active layer affects cohesive properties in the BHJ is shown. The intercalation of fullerenes between the side chains of the polymers poly(3,3″′-didocecyl quaterthiophene) (PQT-12) and poly(2,5-bis(3-hexadecylthiophen-2-yl)thieno[3,2-b]thiophene (pBTTT) is shown to enhance BHJ layer cohesion. Cohesion values range from ≈1 to 5 J m -2, depending on the polymer:fullerene blend, processing conditions, and composition. Devices with non-intercalated BHJ layers are found to have significantly reduced values of cohesion. The resulting device power conversion efficiencies (PCE) are also investigated and correlated with the device cohesion. Copyright © 2013 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  10. Molecular Intercalation and Cohesion of Organic Bulk Heterojunction Photovoltaic Devices

    KAUST Repository

    Bruner, Christopher

    2013-01-17

    The phase separated bulk heterojunction (BHJ) layer in BHJ polymer:fullerene organic photovoltaic devices (OPV) are mechanically weak with low values of cohesion. Improved cohesion is important for OPV device thermomechanical reliability. BHJ devices are investigated and how fullerene intercalation within the active layer affects cohesive properties in the BHJ is shown. The intercalation of fullerenes between the side chains of the polymers poly(3,3″′-didocecyl quaterthiophene) (PQT-12) and poly(2,5-bis(3-hexadecylthiophen-2-yl)thieno[3,2-b]thiophene (pBTTT) is shown to enhance BHJ layer cohesion. Cohesion values range from ≈1 to 5 J m -2, depending on the polymer:fullerene blend, processing conditions, and composition. Devices with non-intercalated BHJ layers are found to have significantly reduced values of cohesion. The resulting device power conversion efficiencies (PCE) are also investigated and correlated with the device cohesion. Copyright © 2013 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  11. Sandwich-cell-type bulk-heterojunction organic solar cells utilizing liquid crystalline phthalocyanine

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nakata, Yuya; Usui, Toshiki; Nishikawa, Yuki; Nekelson, Fabien; Shimizu, Yo; Fujii, Akihiko; Ozaki, Masanori

    2018-03-01

    Sandwich-cell-type bulk-heterojunction organic solar cells utilizing the liquid crystalline phthalocyanine, 1,4,8,11,15,18,22,25-octahexylphthalocyanine (C6PcH2), have been fabricated and their photovoltaic properties have been studied. The short-circuit current (J SC) and power conversion efficiency (PCE) depended on the blend ratio of donor and acceptor molecules, and the maximum performance, such as J SC of 3.4 mA/cm2 and PCE of 0.67%, was demonstrated, when the blend ratio of the acceptor was 10 mol %. The photovoltaic properties were discussed by taking the relationship between the column axis direction of C6PcH2 and the carrier mobility in the active layer into consideration.

  12. Structural determinants in the bulk heterojunction.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Acocella, Angela; Höfinger, Siegfried; Haunschmid, Ernst; Pop, Sergiu C; Narumi, Tetsu; Yasuoka, Kenji; Yasui, Masato; Zerbetto, Francesco

    2018-02-21

    Photovoltaics is one of the key areas in renewable energy research with remarkable progress made every year. Here we consider the case of a photoactive material and study its structural composition and the resulting consequences for the fundamental processes driving solar energy conversion. A multiscale approach is used to characterize essential molecular properties of the light-absorbing layer. A selection of bulk-representative pairs of donor/acceptor molecules is extracted from the molecular dynamics simulation of the bulk heterojunction and analyzed at increasing levels of detail. Significantly increased ground state energies together with an array of additional structural characteristics are identified that all point towards an auxiliary role of the material's structural organization in mediating charge-transfer and -separation. Mechanistic studies of the type presented here can provide important insights into fundamental principles governing solar energy conversion in next-generation photovoltaic devices.

  13. Morphology versus Vertical Phase Segregation in Solvent Annealed Small Molecule Bulk Heterojunction Organic Solar Cells

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Alexander Kovalenko

    2015-01-01

    Full Text Available The deep study of solvent annealed small molecules bulk heterojunction organic solar cells based on DPP(TBFu2 : PC60BM blend is carried out. To reveal the reason of the solvent annealing advantage over the thermal one, capacitance-voltage measurements were applied. It was found that controlling the vertical phase segregation in the solar cells a high fullerene population in the vicinity of the cathode could be achieved. This results in increase of the shunt resistance of the cell, thus improving the light harvesting efficiency.

  14. Vertical Stratification Engineering for Organic Bulk-Heterojunction Devices.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Huang, Liqiang; Wang, Gang; Zhou, Weihua; Fu, Boyi; Cheng, Xiaofang; Zhang, Lifu; Yuan, Zhibo; Xiong, Sixing; Zhang, Lin; Xie, Yuanpeng; Zhang, Andong; Zhang, Youdi; Ma, Wei; Li, Weiwei; Zhou, Yinhua; Reichmanis, Elsa; Chen, Yiwang

    2018-05-22

    High-efficiency organic solar cells (OSCs) can be produced through optimization of component molecular design, coupled with interfacial engineering and control of active layer morphology. However, vertical stratification of the bulk-heterojunction (BHJ), a spontaneous activity that occurs during the drying process, remains an intricate problem yet to be solved. Routes toward regulating the vertical separation profile and evaluating the effects on the final device should be explored to further enhance the performance of OSCs. Herein, we establish a connection between the material surface energy, absorption, and vertical stratification, which can then be linked to photovoltaic conversion characteristics. Through assessing the performance of temporary, artificial vertically stratified layers created by the sequential casting of the individual components to form a multilayered structure, optimal vertical stratification can be achieved. Adjusting the surface energy offset between the substrate results in donor and acceptor stabilization of that stratified layer. Further, a trade-off between the photocurrent generated in the visible region and the amount of donor or acceptor in close proximity to the electrode was observed. Modification of the substrate surface energy was achieved using self-assembled small molecules (SASM), which, in turn, directly impacted the polymer donor to acceptor ratio at the interface. Using three different donor polymers in conjunction with two alternative acceptors in an inverted organic solar cell architecture, the concentration of polymer donor molecules at the ITO (indium tin oxide)/BHJ interface could be increased relative to the acceptor. Appropriate selection of SASM facilitated a synchronized enhancement in external quantum efficiency and power conversion efficiencies over 10.5%.

  15. Formulation strategies for optimizing the morphology of polymeric bulk heterojunction organic solar cells: a brief review

    Science.gov (United States)

    Vongsaysy, Uyxing; Bassani, Dario M.; Servant, Laurent; Pavageau, Bertrand; Wantz, Guillaume; Aziz, Hany

    2014-01-01

    Polymeric bulk heterojunction (BHJ) organic solar cells represent one of the most promising technologies for renewable energy with a low fabrication cost. Control over BHJ morphology is one of the key factors in obtaining high-efficiency devices. This review focuses on formulation strategies for optimizing the BHJ morphology. We address how solvent choice and the introduction of processing additives affect the morphology. We also review a number of recent studies concerning prediction methods that utilize the Hansen solubility parameters to develop efficient solvent systems.

  16. Fabrication of Organic Bulk Heterojunction Solar Cells on Flexible Substrates

    Science.gov (United States)

    Calderon, Gabriel; Merced-Sanabria, Milzaida; Carradero-Santiago, Carolyn; Vedrine-Pauléus, Josee

    2015-03-01

    The active layer for the organic solar cells fabricated is composed of P3HT:PCBM, poly(3-hexylthiophene) (P3HT) as electron donor and phenyl-C61-butyric acid methyl ester(PCBM) as electron acceptor. These polymers were used due to their promising characteristics for devices such as bulk heterojunction solar devices. We used polyethylene terephthalate (PET) substrates, a highly flexible plastic, with indium tin oxide (ITO) as the transparent conducting anode for the device, and UV lithography technique to pattern the ITO; this is to facilitate multiple devices on a single substrate. The fabrication process for pattern transfer incorporates developing and etching processes. We diluted the HCl and DI water to etch out the ITO. PEDOT:PSS and active layer of P3HT:PCBM were deposited on (3.0 sq-cm) patterned of ITO/PET by spin coating method. The cathode was thermally evaporated with Al. We characterized the device using a sourcemeter. We also simulated portions of the device using PET on graphene as the substrate.

  17. Detailed balance theory of excitonic and bulk heterojunction solar cells

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kirchartz, Thomas; Mattheis, Julian; Rau, Uwe

    2008-12-01

    A generalized solar cell model for excitonic and classical bipolar solar cells describes the combined transport and interaction of electrons, holes, and excitons in accordance with the principle of detailed balance. Conventional inorganic solar cells, single-phase organic solar cells and bulk heterojunction solar cells, i.e., nanoscale mixtures of two organic materials, are special cases of this model. For high mobilities, the compatibility with the principle of detailed balance ensures that our model reproduces the Shockley-Queisser limit irrespective of how the energy transport is achieved. For less ideal devices distinct differences become visible between devices that are described by linear differential equations and those with nonlinear effects, such as a voltage-dependent collection in bipolar p-i-n -type devices. These differences in current-voltage characteristics are also decisive for the validity of the reciprocity theorem between photovoltaic quantum efficiency and electroluminescent emission. Finally, we discuss the effect of band offset at the heterointerface in a bulk heterojunction cell and the effect of the average distances between these heterointerfaces on the performance of a solar cell in order to show how our detailed balance model includes also these empirically important quantities.

  18. Spin-cast bulk heterojunction solar cells: A dynamical investigation

    KAUST Repository

    Chou, Kang Wei

    2013-02-22

    Spin-coating is extensively used in the lab-based manufacture of organic solar cells, including most of the record-setting solution-processed cells. We report the first direct observation of photoactive layer formation as it occurs during spin-coating. The study provides new insight into mechanisms and kinetics of bulk heterojunction formation, which may be crucial for its successful transfer to scalable printing processes. Copyright © 2013 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  19. Spin-cast bulk heterojunction solar cells: A dynamical investigation

    KAUST Repository

    Chou, Kang Wei; Yan, Buyi; Li, Ruipeng; Li, Erqiang; Zhao, Kui; Anjum, Dalaver H.; Alvarez, Steven; Gassaway, Robert; Biocca, Alan K.; Thoroddsen, Sigurdur T; Hexemer, Alexander; Amassian, Aram

    2013-01-01

    Spin-coating is extensively used in the lab-based manufacture of organic solar cells, including most of the record-setting solution-processed cells. We report the first direct observation of photoactive layer formation as it occurs during spin-coating. The study provides new insight into mechanisms and kinetics of bulk heterojunction formation, which may be crucial for its successful transfer to scalable printing processes. Copyright © 2013 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  20. Different Device Architectures for Bulk-Heterojunction Solar Cells

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Getachew Adam

    2016-08-01

    Full Text Available We report different solar cell designs which allow a simple electrical connection of subsequent devices deposited on the same substrate. By arranging so-called standard and inverted solar-cell architectures next to each other, a serial connection of the two devices can easily be realized by a single compound electrode. In this work, we tested different interfacial layer materials like polyethylenimine (PEI and PEDOT:PSS, and silver as a non-transparent electrode material. We also built organic light emitting diodes applying the same device designs demonstrating the versatility of applied layer stacks. The proposed design should allow the preparation of organic bulk-heterojunction modules with minimized photovoltaically inactive regions at the interconnection of individual devices.

  1. Transparent back contacts for P3HT:PCBM bulk heterojunction solar cells

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Sendova-Vassileva, M; Dikov, H; Popkirov, G; Lazarova, E; Vitanov, P; Gancheva, V; Grancharov, G; Tsocheva, D; Mokreva, P

    2014-01-01

    A new combination of layers functioning as a transparent contact is proposed and tested in real solar cells. The contacts consist of TiO 2 layers and thin metal layers (Ag, Cu) and are deposited by magnetron sputtering. The optical transmission and electrical conductivity of the transparent contact layers (TCL) are measured. The TCLs are applied as back contacts in bulk heterojunction polymer solar cells deposited on ITO covered glass and consisting of the following layers: ITO/PEDOT:PSS/P3HT:PCBM/back contact. The organic layers are deposited by spin-coating. For comparison, the same bulk heterojunction polymer solar cells are prepared with a sputtered Ag back contact. The first results show a dependence of the current-voltage parameters of the studied solar cells on the thickness of the different component layers of the transparent back contacts. There is a balance that has to be observed between the electrical characteristics of the contacts and their optical transparency. Future plans involve their inclusion as intermediate contacts in tandem organic solar cells.

  2. Effect of annealing on bulk heterojunction organic solar cells based on copper phthalocyanine and perylene derivative

    KAUST Repository

    Kim, Inho

    2012-02-01

    We investigated the effects of annealing on device performances of bulk heterojunction organic solar cells based on copper phthalocyanine (CuPc) and N,N′-3,4,9,10-perylenetetracarboxylic diimide (PTCDI-C6). Blended films of CuPc and PTCDI-C6 with annealing at elevated temperature were characterized by measuring optical absorption, photoluminescence, and X-ray diffraction. Enhanced molecular ordering and increments in domain sizes of donor and acceptor for the blended films were observed, and their influences on device performances were discussed. Annealing led to substantial improvements in photocurrent owing to enhanced molecular ordering and formation of percolation pathways. © 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  3. Bulk-Heterojunction Organic Solar Cells: Five Core Technologies for Their Commercialization.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kang, Hongkyu; Kim, Geunjin; Kim, Junghwan; Kwon, Sooncheol; Kim, Heejoo; Lee, Kwanghee

    2016-09-01

    The past two decades of vigorous interdisciplinary approaches has seen tremendous breakthroughs in both scientific and technological developments of bulk-heterojunction organic solar cells (OSCs) based on nanocomposites of π-conjugated organic semiconductors. Because of their unique functionalities, the OSC field is expected to enable innovative photovoltaic applications that can be difficult to achieve using traditional inorganic solar cells: OSCs are printable, portable, wearable, disposable, biocompatible, and attachable to curved surfaces. The ultimate objective of this field is to develop cost-effective, stable, and high-performance photovoltaic modules fabricated on large-area flexible plastic substrates via high-volume/throughput roll-to-roll printing processing and thus achieve the practical implementation of OSCs. Recently, intensive research efforts into the development of organic materials, processing techniques, interface engineering, and device architectures have led to a remarkable improvement in power conversion efficiencies, exceeding 11%, which has finally brought OSCs close to commercialization. Current research interests are expanding from academic to industrial viewpoints to improve device stability and compatibility with large-scale printing processes, which must be addressed to realize viable applications. Here, both academic and industrial issues are reviewed by highlighting historically monumental research results and recent state-of-the-art progress in OSCs. Moreover, perspectives on five core technologies that affect the realization of the practical use of OSCs are presented, including device efficiency, device stability, flexible and transparent electrodes, module designs, and printing techniques. © 2016 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  4. Understanding Solvent Manipulation of Morphology in Bulk-Heterojunction Organic Solar Cells.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chen, Yuxia; Zhan, Chuanlang; Yao, Jiannian

    2016-10-06

    Film morphology greatly influences the performance of bulk-heterojunction (BHJ)-structure-based solar cells. It is known that an interpenetrating bicontinuous network with nanoscale-separated donor and acceptor phases for charge transfer, an ordered molecular packing for exciton diffusion and charge transport, and a vertical compositionally graded structure for charge collection are prerequisites for achieving highly efficient BHJ organic solar cells (OSCs). Therefore, control of the morphology to obtain an ideal structure is a key problem. For this solution-processing BHJ system, the solvent participates fully in film processing. Its involvement is critical in modifying the nanostructure of BHJ films. In this review, we discuss the effects of solvent-related methods on the morphology of BHJ films, including selection of the casting solvent, solvent mixture, solvent vapor annealing, and solvent soaking. On the basis of a discussion on interaction strength and time between solvent and active materials, we believe that the solvent-morphology-performance relationship will be clearer and that solvent selection as a means to manipulate the morphology of BHJ films will be more rational. © 2016 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  5. Impact of Tortuosity on Charge-Carrier Transport in Organic Bulk Heterojunction Blends

    Science.gov (United States)

    Heiber, Michael C.; Kister, Klaus; Baumann, Andreas; Dyakonov, Vladimir; Deibel, Carsten; Nguyen, Thuc-Quyen

    2017-11-01

    The impact of the tortuosity of the charge-transport pathways through a bulk heterojunction film on the charge-carrier mobility is theoretically investigated using model morphologies and kinetic Monte Carlo simulations. The tortuosity descriptor provides a quantitative metric to characterize the quality of the charge-transport pathways, and model morphologies with controlled domain size and tortuosity are created using an anisotropic domain growth procedure. The tortuosity is found to be dependent on the anisotropy of the domain structure and is highly tunable. Time-of-flight charge-transport simulations on morphologies with a range of tortuosity values reveal that tortuosity can significantly reduce the magnitude of the mobility and the electric-field dependence relative to a neat material. These reductions are found to be further controlled by the energetic disorder and temperature. Most significantly, the sensitivity of the electric-field dependence to the tortuosity can explain the different experimental relationships previously reported, and exploiting this sensitivity could lead to simpler methods for characterizing and optimizing charge transport in organic solar cells.

  6. Solvent polarity and nanoscale morphology in bulk heterojunction organic solar cells: A case study

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Thomas, Ajith [Centre for Nano-Bio-Polymer Science and Technology, Department of Physics, St. Thomas College, Pala, Kerala 686574 (India); Research and Development Centre, Bharathiar University, Coimbatore, Tamilnadu 641046 (India); Elsa Tom, Anju; Ison, V. V., E-mail: isonvv@yahoo.in, E-mail: praveen@materials.iisc.ernet.in [Centre for Nano-Bio-Polymer Science and Technology, Department of Physics, St. Thomas College, Pala, Kerala 686574 (India); Rao, Arun D.; Varman, K. Arul; Ranjith, K.; Ramamurthy, Praveen C., E-mail: isonvv@yahoo.in, E-mail: praveen@materials.iisc.ernet.in [Department of Materials Engineering, Indian Institute of Science Bangalore, Karnataka 560012 (India); Vinayakan, R. [Department of Chemistry, SVR NSS College Vazhoor, Kerala 686505 (India)

    2014-03-14

    Organic bulk heterojunction solar cells were fabricated under identical experimental conditions, except by varying the solvent polarity used for spin coating the active layer components and their performance was evaluated systematically. Results showed that presence of nitrobenzene-chlorobenzene composition governs the morphology of active layer formed, which is due to the tuning of solvent polarity as well as the resulting solubility of the P3HT:PCBM blend. Trace amount of nitrobenzene favoured the formation of better organised P3HT domains, as evident from conductive AFM, tapping mode AFM and surface, and cross-sectional SEM analysis. The higher interfacial surface area thus generated produced cells with high efficiency. But, an increase in the nitrobenzene composition leads to a decrease in cell performance, which is due to the formation of an active layer with larger size polymer domain networks with poor charge separation possibility.

  7. Solvent polarity and nanoscale morphology in bulk heterojunction organic solar cells: A case study

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Thomas, Ajith; Elsa Tom, Anju; Ison, V. V.; Rao, Arun D.; Varman, K. Arul; Ranjith, K.; Ramamurthy, Praveen C.; Vinayakan, R.

    2014-01-01

    Organic bulk heterojunction solar cells were fabricated under identical experimental conditions, except by varying the solvent polarity used for spin coating the active layer components and their performance was evaluated systematically. Results showed that presence of nitrobenzene-chlorobenzene composition governs the morphology of active layer formed, which is due to the tuning of solvent polarity as well as the resulting solubility of the P3HT:PCBM blend. Trace amount of nitrobenzene favoured the formation of better organised P3HT domains, as evident from conductive AFM, tapping mode AFM and surface, and cross-sectional SEM analysis. The higher interfacial surface area thus generated produced cells with high efficiency. But, an increase in the nitrobenzene composition leads to a decrease in cell performance, which is due to the formation of an active layer with larger size polymer domain networks with poor charge separation possibility

  8. Precise, Self-Limited Epitaxy of Ultrathin Organic Semiconductors and Heterojunctions Tailored by van der Waals Interactions.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wu, Bing; Zhao, Yinghe; Nan, Haiyan; Yang, Ziyi; Zhang, Yuhan; Zhao, Huijuan; He, Daowei; Jiang, Zonglin; Liu, Xiaolong; Li, Yun; Shi, Yi; Ni, Zhenhua; Wang, Jinlan; Xu, Jian-Bin; Wang, Xinran

    2016-06-08

    Precise assembly of semiconductor heterojunctions is the key to realize many optoelectronic devices. By exploiting the strong and tunable van der Waals (vdW) forces between graphene and organic small molecules, we demonstrate layer-by-layer epitaxy of ultrathin organic semiconductors and heterostructures with unprecedented precision with well-defined number of layers and self-limited characteristics. We further demonstrate organic p-n heterojunctions with molecularly flat interface, which exhibit excellent rectifying behavior and photovoltaic responses. The self-limited organic molecular beam epitaxy (SLOMBE) is generically applicable for many layered small-molecule semiconductors and may lead to advanced organic optoelectronic devices beyond bulk heterojunctions.

  9. Depleted Bulk Heterojunction Colloidal Quantum Dot Photovoltaics

    KAUST Repository

    Barkhouse, D. Aaron R.

    2011-05-26

    The first solution-processed depleted bulk heterojunction colloidal quantum dot solar cells are presented. The architecture allows for high absorption with full depletion, thereby breaking the photon absorption/carrier extraction compromise inherent in planar devices. A record power conversion of 5.5% under simulated AM 1.5 illumination conditions is reported. Copyright © 2011 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  10. Ordered Nanopillar Structured Electrodes for Depleted Bulk Heterojunction Colloidal Quantum Dot Solar Cells

    KAUST Repository

    Kramer, Illan J.; Zhitomirsky, David; Bass, John D.; Rice, Philip M.; Topuria, Teya; Krupp, Leslie; Thon, Susanna M.; Ip, Alexander H.; Debnath, Ratan; Kim, Ho-Cheol; Sargent, Edward H.

    2012-01-01

    A bulk heterojunction of ordered titania nanopillars and PbS colloidal quantum dots is developed. By using a pre-patterned template, an ordered titania nanopillar matrix with nearest neighbours 275 nm apart and height of 300 nm is fabricated and subsequently filled in with PbS colloidal quantum dots to form an ordered depleted bulk heterojunction exhibiting power conversion efficiency of 5.6%. Copyright © 2012 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  11. Ordered Nanopillar Structured Electrodes for Depleted Bulk Heterojunction Colloidal Quantum Dot Solar Cells

    KAUST Repository

    Kramer, Illan J.

    2012-03-30

    A bulk heterojunction of ordered titania nanopillars and PbS colloidal quantum dots is developed. By using a pre-patterned template, an ordered titania nanopillar matrix with nearest neighbours 275 nm apart and height of 300 nm is fabricated and subsequently filled in with PbS colloidal quantum dots to form an ordered depleted bulk heterojunction exhibiting power conversion efficiency of 5.6%. Copyright © 2012 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  12. Bulk heterojunction organic photovoltaic based on polythiophene-polyelectrolyte carbon nanotube composites

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Reyes-Reyes, M. [Instituto de Investigacion en Comunicacion Optica, Universidad Autonoma de San Luis Potosi, Alvaro Obregon 64, San Luis Potosi (Mexico); Lopez-Sandoval, R. [Advanced Materials Department, IPICYT, Camino a la Presa San Jose 2055, Col. Lomas 4a. Seccion, San Luis Potosi 78216 (Mexico); Liu, J.; Carroll, D.L. [Center for Nanotechnology and Molecular Materials, Wake Forest University, Winston-Salem, NC (United States)

    2007-09-22

    It is shown that carbon nanotubes can be used to enhance carrier mobility for efficient removal of the charges in thin film polymer-conjugated/fullerene photovoltaic devices. The fabricated photovoltaic devices consist of poly(3-octylthiophene) (P3OT) polymer blended with undoped multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWNTs) and carbon nanotubes doped with nitrogen (CNx-MWNTs). Nanophase formation and dispersion problems associated with the use of carbon nanotubes in polymer devices were addressed through the generation of functional groups and electrostatic attaching of the polyelectrolyte poly(dimethyldiallylamine) chloride (PDDA) in both MWNTs and CNx-MWNT systems. The resultant nanophase was highly dispersed allowing for excellent bulk heterojunction formation. Our results indicate that CNx-MWNTs enhance the efficiency of P3OT solar cells in comparison with MWNTs. (author)

  13. Copper phthalocyanine and metal free phthalocyanine bulk heterojunction photodetector

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Farooq, Amjad, E-mail: amjad.farooq1212@hotmail.com [Wah Engineering College, University of Wah, Wah Cantt. 47040 (Pakistan); GIK Institute of Engineering Sciences and Technology, Topi 23640, Swabi (Pakistan); Karimov, Kh.S. [GIK Institute of Engineering Sciences and Technology, Topi 23640, Swabi (Pakistan); Physical Technical Institute, Aini St. 299/1, Dushanbe 734063 (Tajikistan); Ahmed, Nisar; Ali, Taimoor [GIK Institute of Engineering Sciences and Technology, Topi 23640, Swabi (Pakistan); Khalid Alamgir, M. [National Institute of Vacuum Science and Technology, NCP complex, Islamabad 44000 (Pakistan); Usman, Muhammad [Experimental Physics Laboratories, National Centre for Physics, Quaid-i-Azam University, Islamabad 44000 (Pakistan)

    2015-01-15

    In this study we present the dependence of electrical properties of copper phthalocyanine (CuPc) and metal free phthalocyanine (H{sub 2}Pc) bulk heterojunction structure under different illumination levels. To fabricate the device on ITO coated glass substrate the bulk heterojunction thin film of CuPc and H{sub 2}Pc with thickness varying from 100 nm to 300 nm are deposited by thermal evaporator. Aluminum thin film was deposited by thermal evaporation as a top contact. The optical properties of the fabricated device are investigated using UV–vis spectroscopy. The current-voltage characteristics in dark and under illumination show that the device is sensitive towards visible light. The absorption spectrum describes its photo sensitivity in the range of wavelength from 200 nm to 850 nm. Simulation of current-intensity of light curve is carried out and experimental results are found in good agreement with simulated ones.

  14. Copper phthalocyanine and metal free phthalocyanine bulk heterojunction photodetector

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Farooq, Amjad; Karimov, Kh.S.; Ahmed, Nisar; Ali, Taimoor; Khalid Alamgir, M.; Usman, Muhammad

    2015-01-01

    In this study we present the dependence of electrical properties of copper phthalocyanine (CuPc) and metal free phthalocyanine (H 2 Pc) bulk heterojunction structure under different illumination levels. To fabricate the device on ITO coated glass substrate the bulk heterojunction thin film of CuPc and H 2 Pc with thickness varying from 100 nm to 300 nm are deposited by thermal evaporator. Aluminum thin film was deposited by thermal evaporation as a top contact. The optical properties of the fabricated device are investigated using UV–vis spectroscopy. The current-voltage characteristics in dark and under illumination show that the device is sensitive towards visible light. The absorption spectrum describes its photo sensitivity in the range of wavelength from 200 nm to 850 nm. Simulation of current-intensity of light curve is carried out and experimental results are found in good agreement with simulated ones

  15. Analytical Model for Voltage-Dependent Photo and Dark Currents in Bulk Heterojunction Organic Solar Cells

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mesbahus Saleheen

    2016-05-01

    Full Text Available A physics-based explicit mathematical model for the external voltage-dependent forward dark current in bulk heterojunction (BHJ organic solar cells is developed by considering Shockley-Read-Hall (SRH recombination and solving the continuity equations for both electrons and holes. An analytical model for the external voltage-dependent photocurrent in BHJ organic solar cells is also proposed by incorporating exponential photon absorption, dissociation efficiency of bound electron-hole pairs (EHPs, carrier trapping, and carrier drift and diffusion in the photon absorption layer. Modified Braun’s model is used to compute the electric field-dependent dissociation efficiency of the bound EHPs. The overall net current is calculated considering the actual solar spectrum. The mathematical models are verified by comparing the model calculations with various published experimental results. We analyze the effects of the contact properties, blend compositions, charge carrier transport properties (carrier mobility and lifetime, and cell design on the current-voltage characteristics. The power conversion efficiency of BHJ organic solar cells mostly depends on electron transport properties of the acceptor layer. The results of this paper indicate that improvement of charge carrier transport (both mobility and lifetime and dissociation of bound EHPs in organic blend are critically important to increase the power conversion efficiency of the BHJ solar cells.

  16. Interfacial Characteristics of Efficient Bulk Heterojunction Solar Cells Fabricated on MoOx Anode Interlayers.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jasieniak, Jacek J; Treat, Neil D; McNeill, Christopher R; de Villers, Bertrand J Tremolet; Della Gaspera, Enrico; Chabinyc, Michael L

    2016-05-01

    The role of the interface between an MoOx anode interlayer and a polymer:fullerene bulk heterojunction is investigated. Processing differences in the MoOx induce large variations in the vertical stratification of the bulk heterojunction films. These variations are found to be inconsistent in predicting device performance, with a much better gauge being the quantity of polymer chemisorbed to the anode interlayer. © 2015 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  17. Nanotetrapods: quantum dot hybrid for bulk heterojunction solar cells

    Science.gov (United States)

    2013-01-01

    Hybrid thin film solar cell based on all-inorganic nanoparticles is a new member in the family of photovoltaic devices. In this work, a novel and performance-efficient inorganic hybrid nanostructure with continuous charge transportation and collection channels is demonstrated by introducing CdTe nanotetropods (NTs) and CdSe quantum dots (QDs). Hybrid morphology is characterized, demonstrating an interpenetration and compacted contact of NTs and QDs. Electrical measurements show enhanced charge transfer at the hybrid bulk heterojunction interface of NTs and QDs after ligand exchange which accordingly improves the performance of solar cells. Photovoltaic and light response tests exhibit a combined optic-electric contribution from both CdTe NTs and CdSe QDs through a formation of interpercolation in morphology as well as a type II energy level distribution. The NT and QD hybrid bulk heterojunction is applicable and promising in other highly efficient photovoltaic materials such as PbS QDs. PMID:24139059

  18. Hybrid zinc oxide conjugated polymer bulk heterojunction solar cells

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Beek, W.J.E.; Wienk, M.M.; Kemerink, M.; Yang, X.N.; Janssen, R.A.J.

    2005-01-01

    Bulk heterojunction photovoltaic devices based on blends of a conjugated polymer poly[2-methoxy-5-(3‘,7‘-dimethyloctyloxy)-1,4-phenylenevinylene] (MDMO-PPV) as electron donor and crystalline ZnO nanoparticles (nc-ZnO) as electron acceptor have been studied. Composite nc-ZnO:MDMO-PPV films were cast

  19. Solution processable organic polymers and small molecules for bulk-heterojunction solar cells: A review

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Sharma, G. D.

    2011-01-01

    Solution processed bulk heterojunction (BHJ) organic solar cells (OSCs) have gained wide interest in past few years and are established as one of the leading next generation photovoltaic technologies for low cost power production. Power conversion efficiencies up to 6% and 6.5% have been reported in the literature for single layer and tandem solar cells, respectively using conjugated polymers. A recent record efficiency about 8.13% with active area of 1.13 cm 2 has been reported. However Solution processable small molecules have been widely applied for photovoltaic (PV) devices in recent years because they show strong absorption properties, and they can be easily purified and deposited onto flexible substrates at low cost. Introducing different donor and acceptor groups to construct donor--acceptor (D--A) structure small molecules has proved to be an efficient way to improve the properties of organic solar cells (OSCs). The power conversion efficiency about 4.4 % has been reported for OSCs based on the small molecules. This review deals with the recent progress of solution processable D--A structure small molecules and discusses the key factors affecting the properties of OSCs based on D--A structure small molecules: sunlight absorption, charge transport and the energy level of the molecules.

  20. Design rules for donors in bulk-heterojunction solar cells - towards 10 % energy-conversion efficiency

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Scharber, M.C.; Muehlbacher, D.; Koppe, M.; Denk, P.; Waldauf, C.; Brabec, C.J. [Konarka Austria, Altenbergerstrasse 69, A-4040 Linz (Austria); Heeger, A.J. [Department of Materials Science, Broida Hall 6125, University of California at Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, CA 3106-5090 (United States)

    2006-03-17

    For bulk-heterojunction photovoltaic cells fabricated from conjugated polymers and a fullerene derivative, the relation between the open-circuit voltage (V{sub oc}) and the oxidation potential for different conjugated polymers is studied. A linear relation between V{sub oc} and the oxidation potential is found (see figure). Based on this relation, the energy-conversion efficiency of a bulk-heterojunction solar cell is derived as a function of the bandgap and the energy levels of the conjugated polymer. (Abstract Copyright [2006], Wiley Periodicals, Inc.)

  1. Use of a commercially available nucleating agent to control the morphological development of solution-processed small molecule bulk heterojunction organic solar cells

    KAUST Repository

    Sharenko, Alexander; Treat, Neil D.; Love, John A.; Toney, Michael F.; Stingelin, Natalie; Nguyen, Thuc-Quyen

    2014-01-01

    © the Partner Organisations 2014. The nucleating agent DMDBS is used to modulate the crystallization of solution-processed small molecule donor molecules in bulk heterojunction organic photovoltaic (BHJ OPV) devices. This control over donor molecule crystallization leads to a reduction in optimized thermal annealing times as well as smaller donor molecule crystallites, and therefore more efficient devices, when using an excessive amount of solvent additive. We therefore demonstrate the use of nucleating agents as a powerful and versatile processing strategy for solution-processed, small molecule BHJ OPVs. This journal is

  2. Use of a commercially available nucleating agent to control the morphological development of solution-processed small molecule bulk heterojunction organic solar cells

    KAUST Repository

    Sharenko, Alexander

    2014-08-12

    © the Partner Organisations 2014. The nucleating agent DMDBS is used to modulate the crystallization of solution-processed small molecule donor molecules in bulk heterojunction organic photovoltaic (BHJ OPV) devices. This control over donor molecule crystallization leads to a reduction in optimized thermal annealing times as well as smaller donor molecule crystallites, and therefore more efficient devices, when using an excessive amount of solvent additive. We therefore demonstrate the use of nucleating agents as a powerful and versatile processing strategy for solution-processed, small molecule BHJ OPVs. This journal is

  3. Understanding triplet formation pathways in bulk heterojunction polymer : fullerene photovoltaic devices

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Tedla, B.; Zhu, F.; Cox, M.; Drijkoningen, J.; Manca, J.V.; Koopmans, B.; Goovaerts, E.

    2015-01-01

    Triplet exciton (TE) formation pathways are systematically investigated in prototype bulk heterojunction (BHJ) "super yellow" poly(p-phenylene vinylene) (SY-PPV) solar cell devices with varying fullerene compositions using complementary optoelectrical and electrically detected magnetic resonance

  4. Solution-Processed Organic Solar Cells from Dye Molecules: An Investigation of Diketopyrrolopyrrole:Vinazene Heterojunctions

    KAUST Repository

    Walker, Bright; Han, Xu; Kim, Chunki; Sellinger, Alan; Nguyen, Thuc-Quyen

    2012-01-01

    Although one of the most attractive aspects of organic solar cells is their low cost and ease of fabrication, the active materials incorporated into the vast majority of reported bulk heterojunction (BHJ) solar cells include a semiconducting polymer

  5. Vacuum-free processed bulk heterojunction solar cells with E-GaIn cathode as an alternative to Al electrode

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ongul, Fatih; Yuksel, Sureyya Aydın; Bozar, Sinem; Gunes, Serap; Cakmak, Gulbeden; Guney, Hasan Yuksel; Egbe, Daniel Ayuk Mbi

    2015-01-01

    In this paper, the photovoltaic characteristics of bulk heterojunction solar cells employing an eutectic gallium–indium (EGaIn) alloy as a top metal contact which was coated by a simple and inexpensive brush-painting was investigated. The overall solar cell fabrication procedure was vacuum-free. As references, regular organic bulk heterojunction solar cells employing thermally evaporated Aluminum as a top metal contact were also fabricated. Inserting the ZnO layer between the active layer and the cathode electrodes (Al and EGaIn) improved the photovoltaic performance of the herein investigated devices. The power conversion efficiencies with and without EGaIn top electrodes were rather comparable. Hence, we have shown that the EGaIn, which is liquid at room temperature, can be used as a cathode. It allows an easy and rapid device fabrication that can be implemented through a vacuum free process. (paper)

  6. Performance and stability of P3HT/PCBM bulk heterojunction organic solar cells

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Yumnam, Nivedita; Bom, Sidhant; Wagner, Veit [School of Engineering and Science, Jacobs University Bremen, Campus Ring 1, 28759 Bremen (Germany)

    2011-07-01

    Organic photovoltaic cells are promising candidates for large-area, low-cost production of solar cells. However, the low stability in conjunction with their medium performance is one of the major drawbacks in comparison to their inorganic counterparts. In this investigation environmental conditions for degradation of bulk heterojunction P3HT/PCBM solar cells are systematically analyzed over a period of one week. Devices were prepared by spin coating from different compositions of P3HT and PCBM in Chlorobenzene (C{sub 6}H{sub 5}Cl). Performance parameters, efficiency and I-V characteristics were determined in a N{sub 2} glove box showing optimized efficiency for a 1:1 ratio. Degradation behavior in N{sub 2} atmosphere, vacuum and solvent-enriched atmosphere (Chlorobenzene) showed best results for vacuum stored solar cells while for solvent-enriched atmosphere rapid degradation was observed. Remarkable degradation (open-circuit voltage and short-circuit current reduced to 90% and 60% after one week) was also found for N{sub 2} atmosphere of the glove box used for the solar cell production. Residual solvent vapor left dispersed in the atmosphere of the glovebox after the spin coating process is identified as an important parameter of this degradation.

  7. An organic water-gated ambipolar transistor with a bulk heterojunction active layer for stable and tunable photodetection

    Science.gov (United States)

    Xu, Haihua; Zhu, Qingqing; Wu, Tongyuan; Chen, Wenwen; Zhou, Guodong; Li, Jun; Zhang, Huisheng; Zhao, Ni

    2016-11-01

    Organic water-gated transistors (OWGTs) have emerged as promising sensing architectures for biomedical applications and environmental monitoring due to their ability of in-situ detection of biological substances with high sensitivity and low operation voltage, as well as compatibility with various read-out circuits. Tremendous progress has been made in the development of p-type OWGTs. However, achieving stable n-type operation in OWGTs due to the presence of solvated oxygen in water is still challenging. Here, we report an ambipolar OWGT based on a bulk heterojunction active layer, which exhibits a stable hole and electron transport when exposed to aqueous environment. The device can be used as a photodetector both in the hole and electron accumulation regions to yield a maximum responsivity of 0.87 A W-1. More importantly, the device exhibited stable static and dynamic photodetection even when operated in the n-type mode. These findings bring possibilities for the device to be adopted for future biosensing platforms, which are fully compatible with low-cost and low-power organic complementary circuits.

  8. Strategies for increasing the efficiency of heterojunction organic solar cells: material selection and device architecture.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Heremans, Paul; Cheyns, David; Rand, Barry P

    2009-11-17

    Thin-film blends or bilayers of donor- and acceptor-type organic semiconductors form the core of heterojunction organic photovoltaic cells. Researchers measure the quality of photovoltaic cells based on their power conversion efficiency, the ratio of the electrical power that can be generated versus the power of incident solar radiation. The efficiency of organic solar cells has increased steadily in the last decade, currently reaching up to 6%. Understanding and combating the various loss mechanisms that occur in processes from optical excitation to charge collection should lead to efficiencies on the order of 10% in the near future. In organic heterojunction solar cells, the generation of photocurrent is a cascade of four steps: generation of excitons (electrically neutral bound electron-hole pairs) by photon absorption, diffusion of excitons to the heterojunction, dissociation of the excitons into free charge carriers, and transport of these carriers to the contacts. In this Account, we review our recent contributions to the understanding of the mechanisms that govern these steps. Starting from archetype donor-acceptor systems of planar small-molecule heterojunctions and solution-processed bulk heterojunctions, we outline our search for alternative materials and device architectures. We show that non-planar phthalocynanines have appealing absorption characteristics but also have reduced charge carrier transport. As a result, the donor layer needs to be ultrathin, and all layers of the device have to be tuned to account for optical interference effects. Using these optimization techniques, we illustrate cells with 3.1% efficiency for the non-planar chloroboron subphthalocyanine donor. Molecules offering a better compromise between absorption and carrier mobility should allow for further improvements. We also propose a method for increasing the exciton diffusion length by converting singlet excitons into long-lived triplets. By doping a polymer with a

  9. Plastic Electronics and Optoelectronics: New Science and Technology from Soluble Semiconducting Polymers and Bulk Heterojunction Solar Cells Fabricated from Soluble Semiconducting Polymers

    Science.gov (United States)

    2011-11-03

    Seifter, A. J. Heeger, Adv. Mater., 23, 1679–1683 (2011). 8. Efficient, Air-Stable Bulk Heterojunction Polymer Solar Cells Using MoOx as the Anode...distribution is unlimited. 13. SUPPLEMENTARY NOTES None 14. ABSTRACT Bulk heterojunction (BHJ) solar cells were invented at UC Santa Barbara after the...Bulk Heterojunction Solar Cells Fabricated from Soluble Semiconducting Polymers Grant number: AFOSR FA9550-08-1-0248 Dr. Charle Lee, Program

  10. Selective observation of photo-induced electric fields inside different material components in bulk-heterojunction organic solar cell

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Chen, Xiangyu; Taguchi, Dai; Manaka, Takaaki; Iwamoto, Mitsumasa, E-mail: iwamoto@pe.titech.ac.jp [Department of Physical Electronics, Tokyo Institute of Technology, 2-12-1, S3-33 O-okayama, Meguro-ku, Tokyo 152-8552 (Japan)

    2014-01-06

    By using electric-field-induced optical second-harmonic generation (EFISHG) measurement at two laser wavelengths of 1000 nm and 860 nm, we investigated carrier behavior inside the pentacene and C{sub 60} component of co-deposited pentacene:C{sub 60} bulk-heterojunctions (BHJs) organic solar cells (OSCs). The EFISHG experiments verified the presence of two carrier paths for electrons and holes in BHJs OSCs. That is, two kinds of electric fields pointing in opposite directions are identified as a result of the selectively probing of SHG activation from C{sub 60} and pentacene. Also, under open-circuit conditions, the transient process of the establishment of open-circuit voltage inside the co-deposited layer has been directly probed, in terms of photovoltaic effect. The EFISHG provides an additional promising method to study carrier path of electrons and holes as well as dissociation of excitons in BHJ OSCs.

  11. Pentacene–fullerene bulk-heterojunction solar cell: A computational study

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Pramanik, Anup [Department of Chemistry, Visva-Bharati University, Santiniketan 731235 (India); Sarkar, Sunandan [Department of Chemistry, Visva-Bharati University, Santiniketan 731235 (India); Dept. of Physical Chemistry, Palacký University, Olomouc (Czech Republic); Pal, Sougata [Department of Chemistry, University of Gour Banga, Malda 732103 (India); Sarkar, Pranab, E-mail: pranab.sarkar@visva-bharati.ac.in [Department of Chemistry, Visva-Bharati University, Santiniketan 731235 (India)

    2015-06-12

    We perform DFT/TDDFT calculations to study the optoelectronic properties of some pentacene-based organic molecules and their derivatives, which can serve as donor moiety when blended with fullerene acceptors in the bulk-heterojunction solar cell model. We are motivated by a recent experiment in which an unoptimized device was shown to have a good photovoltaic performance and we aim to further improve the efficiency of this device. We try to optimize the photovoltaic properties on the basis of a quantum-mechanical calculation of the frontier energy levels and of the absorption properties of individual molecules and of the molecule–fullerine composite. - Highlights: • Optoelectronic properties of pentacene–fullerene nanocomposites are presented. • Photovoltaic properties of the nanocomposites are predicted. • DFT/TDDFT results are in well agreement with available experimental results. • Calculated results give a direction for optimizing device performance.

  12. Dependence of Exciton Diffusion Length and Diffusion Coefficient on Photophysical Parameters in Bulk Heterojunction Organic Solar Cells

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yeboah, Douglas; Singh, Jai

    2017-11-01

    Recently, the dependence of exciton diffusion length (LD ) on some photophysical parameters of organic solids has been experimentally demonstrated, however no systematic theoretical analysis of this phenomenon has been carried out. We have conducted a theoretical study by using the Förster resonance energy transfer and Dexter carrier transfer mechanisms together with the Einstein-Smoluchowski diffusion equation to derive analytical models for the diffusion lengths (LD ) and diffusion coefficients (D) of singlet (S) and triplet (T) excitons in organic solids as functions of spectral overlap integral (J) , photoluminescence (PL) quantum yield (φD ) , dipole moment (μT ) and refractive index (n) of the photoactive material. The exciton diffusion lengths and diffusion coefficients in some selected organic solids were calculated, and we found that the singlet exciton diffusion length (LDS ) increases with φD and J, and decreases with n. Also, the triplet exciton diffusion length (LDT ) increases with φD and decreases with μT . These may be achieved through doping the organic solids into broad optical energy gap host materials as observed in previous experiments. The calculated exciton diffusion lengths are compared with experimental values and a reasonably good agreement is found between them. The results presented are expected to provide insight relevant to the synthesis of new organic solids for fabrication of bulk heterojunction organic solar cells characterized by better power conversion efficiency.

  13. Thermally Stable Bulk Heterojunction Prepared by Sequential Deposition of Nanostructured Polymer and Fullerene

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Heewon Hwang

    2017-09-01

    Full Text Available A morphologically-stable polymer/fullerene heterojunction has been prepared by minimizing the intermixing between polymer and fullerene via sequential deposition (SqD of a polymer and a fullerene solution. A low crystalline conjugated polymer of PCPDTBT (poly[2,6-(4,4-bis-(2-ethylhexyl-4H-cyclopenta [2,1-b;3,4-b′]dithiophene-alt-4,7(2,1,3-benzothiadiazole] has been utilized for the polymer layer and PC71BM (phenyl-C71-butyric-acid-methyl ester for the fullerene layer, respectively. Firstly, a nanostructured PCPDTBT bottom layer was developed by utilizing various additives to increase the surface area of the polymer film. The PC71BM solution was prepared by dissolving it in the 1,2-dichloroethane (DCE, exhibiting a lower vapor pressure and slower diffusion into the polymer layer. The deposition of the PC71BM solution on the nanostructured PCPDTBT layer forms an inter-digitated bulk heterojunction (ID-BHJ with minimized intermixing. The organic photovoltaic (OPV device utilizing the ID-BHJ photoactive layer exhibits a highly reproducible solar cell performance. In spite of restricted intermixing between the PC71BM and the PCPDTBT, the efficiency of ID-BHJ OPVs (3.36% is comparable to that of OPVs (3.87% prepared by the conventional method (deposition of a blended solution of polymer:fullerene. The thermal stability of the ID-BHJ is superior to the bulk heterojunction (BHJ prepared by the conventional method. The ID-BHJ OPV maintains 70% of its initial efficiency after thermal stress application for twelve days at 80 °C, whereas the conventional BHJ OPV maintains only 40% of its initial efficiency.

  14. Hybrid tandem solar cells with depleted-heterojunction quantum dot and polymer bulk heterojunction subcells

    KAUST Repository

    Kim, Taesoo

    2015-10-01

    We investigate hybrid tandem solar cells that rely on the combination of solution-processed depleted-heterojunction colloidal quantum dot (CQD) and bulk heterojunction polymer:fullerene subcells. The hybrid tandem solar cell is monolithically integrated and electrically connected in series with a suitable p-n recombination layer that includes metal oxides and a conjugated polyelectrolyte. We discuss the monolithic integration of the subcells, taking into account solvent interactions with underlayers and associated constraints on the tandem architecture, and show that an adequate device configuration consists of a low bandgap CQD bottom cell and a high bandgap polymer:fullerene top cell. Once we optimize the recombination layer and individual subcells, the hybrid tandem device reaches a VOC of 1.3V, approaching the sum of the individual subcell voltages. An impressive fill factor of 70% is achieved, further confirming that the subcells are efficiently connected via an appropriate recombination layer. © 2015.

  15. Impact of CH3NH3PbI3-PCBM bulk heterojunction active layer on the photovoltaic performance of perovskite solar cells

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chaudhary, Dhirendra K.; Kumar, Pankaj; Kumar, Lokendra

    2017-10-01

    We report here the impact of CH3NH3PbI3-PCBM bulk heterojunction (BHJ) active layer on the photovoltaic performance of perovskite solar cells. The solar cells were prepared in normal architecture on FTO coated glass substrates with compact TiO2 (c-TiO2) layer on FTO as electron transport layer (ETL) and poly(3-hexylthiophene) (P3HT) as hole transport layer (HTL). For comparison, a few solar cells were also prepared in planar heterojunction structure using CH3NH3PbI3 only as the active layer. The bulk heterojunction CH3NH3PbI3-PCBM active layer exhibited very large crystalline grains of 2-3 μm compared to ∼150 nm only in CH3NH3PbI3 active layer. Larger grains in bulk-heterojunction solar cells resulted in enhanced power conversion efficiency (PCE) through enhancement in all the photovoltaic parameters compared to planar heterojunction solar cells. The bulk-heterojunction solar cells exhibited ∼9.25% PCE with short circuit current density (Jsc) of ∼18.649 mA/cm2, open circuit voltage (Voc) of 0.894 V and Fill Factor (FF) of 0.554. There was ∼36.9% enhancement in the PCE of bulk-heterojunction solar cells compared to that of planar heterojunction solar cells. The larger grains are formed as a result of incorporation on PCBM in the active layer.

  16. Organic semiconductor heterojunctions and its application in organic light-emitting diodes

    CERN Document Server

    Ma, Dongge

    2017-01-01

    This book systematically introduces the most important aspects of organic semiconductor heterojunctions, including the basic concepts and electrical properties. It comprehensively discusses the application of organic semiconductor heterojunctions as charge injectors and charge generation layers in organic light-emitting diodes (OLEDs). Semiconductor heterojunctions are the basis for constructing high-performance optoelectronic devices. In recent decades, organic semiconductors have been increasingly used to fabricate heterojunction devices, especially in OLEDs, and the subject has attracted a great deal of attention and evoked many new phenomena and interpretations in the field. This important application is based on the low dielectric constant of organic semiconductors and the weak non-covalent electronic interactions between them, which means that they easily form accumulation heterojunctions. As we know, the accumulation-type space charge region is highly conductive, which is an important property for high...

  17. Effects of Germanium Tetrabromide Addition to Zinc Tetraphenyl Porphyrin / Fullerene Bulk Heterojunction Solar Cells

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Atsushi Suzuki

    2014-03-01

    Full Text Available The effects of germanium tetrabromide addition to tetraphenyl porphyrin zinc (Zn-TPP/fullerene (C60 bulk heterojunction solar cells were characterized. The light-induced charge separation and charge transfer were investigated by current density and optical absorption. Addition of germanium tetrabromide inserted into active layer of Zn-TPP/C60 as bulk heterojunction had a positive effect on the photovoltaic and optical properties. The photovoltaic mechanism of the solar cells was discussed by experimental results. The photovoltaic performance was due to light-induced exciton promoted by insert of GeBr4 and charge transfer from HOMO of Zn-TPP to LUMO of C60 in the active layer.

  18. Improved performance of molecular bulk-heterojunction photovoltaic cells through predictable selection of solvent additives

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Graham, Kenneth R.; Wieruszewski, Patrick M.; Stalder, Romain; Mei, Jianguo [The George and Josephine Butler, Polymer Research Laboratory, Department of Chemistry and Center for Macromolecular Science and Engineering, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32611-7200 (United States); Hartel, Michael J.; So, Franky [Department of Materials Science and Engineering, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32611 (United States); Reynolds, John R. [The George and Josephine Butler, Polymer Research Laboratory, Department of Chemistry and Center for Macromolecular Science and Engineering, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32611-7200 (United States); School of Chemistry and Biochemistry, School of Materials Science and Engineering and Center for Organic Photonics and Electronics, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA 30332-0400 (United States)

    2012-11-21

    Solvent additives provide an effective means to alter the morphology and thereby improve the performance of organic bulk-heterojunction photovoltaics, although guidelines for selecting an appropriate solvent additive remain relatively unclear. Here, a family of solvent additives spanning a wide range of Hansen solubility parameters is applied to a molecular bulk-heterojunction system consisting of an isoindigo and thiophene containing oligomer as the electron donor and [6,6]-phenyl-C{sub 61}-butyric acid methyl ester (PC{sub 61}BM) as the electron acceptor. Hansen solubility parameters are calculated using the group contribution method and compared with the measured solubilities for use as a screening method in solvent additive selection. The additives are shown to alter the morphologies in a semipredictable manner, with the poorer solvents generally resulting in decreased domain sizes, increased hole mobilities, and improved photovoltaic performance. The additives with larger hydrogen bonding parameters, namely triethylene glycol (TEG) and N-methyl-2-pyrrolidone (NMP), are demonstrated to increase the open circuit voltage by 0.2 V. Combining a solvent additive observed to increase short circuit current, poly(dimethylsiloxane), with TEG results in an increase in power conversion efficiency from 1.4 to 3.3%. (Copyright copyright 2012 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH and Co. KGaA, Weinheim)

  19. How the charge-neutrality level of interface states controls energy level alignment in cathode contacts of organic bulk-heterojunction solar cells.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Guerrero, Antonio; Marchesi, Luís F; Boix, Pablo P; Ruiz-Raga, Sonia; Ripolles-Sanchis, Teresa; Garcia-Belmonte, Germà; Bisquert, Juan

    2012-04-24

    Electronic equilibration at the metal-organic interface, leading to equalization of the Fermi levels, is a key process in organic optoelectronic devices. How the energy levels are set across the interface determines carrier extraction at the contact and also limits the achievable open-circuit voltage under illumination. Here, we report an extensive investigation of the cathode energy equilibration of organic bulk-heterojunction solar cells. We show that the potential to balance the mismatch between the cathode metal and the organic layer Fermi levels is divided into two contributions: spatially extended band bending in the organic bulk and voltage drop at the interface dipole layer caused by a net charge transfer. We scan the operation of the cathode under a varied set of conditions, using metals of different work functions in the range of ∼2 eV, different fullerene acceptors, and several cathode interlayers. The measurements allow us to locate the charge-neutrality level within the interface density of sates and calculate the corresponding dipole layer strength. The dipole layer withstands a large part of the total Fermi level mismatch when the polymer:fullerene blend ratio approaches ∼1:1, producing the practical alignment between the metal Fermi level and the charge-neutrality level. Origin of the interface states is linked with fullerene reduced molecules covering the metal contact. The dipole contribution, and consequently the band bending, is highly sensitive to the nature and amount of fullerene molecules forming the interface density of states. Our analysis provides a detailed picture of the evolution of the potentials in the bulk and the interface of the solar cell when forward voltage is applied or when photogeneration takes place.

  20. Unraveling the High Open Circuit Voltage and High Performance of Integrated Perovskite/Organic Bulk-Heterojunction Solar Cells.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dong, Shiqi; Liu, Yongsheng; Hong, Ziruo; Yao, Enping; Sun, Pengyu; Meng, Lei; Lin, Yuze; Huang, Jinsong; Li, Gang; Yang, Yang

    2017-08-09

    We have demonstrated high-performance integrated perovskite/bulk-heterojunction (BHJ) solar cells due to the low carrier recombination velocity, high open circuit voltage (V OC ), and increased light absorption ability in near-infrared (NIR) region of integrated devices. In particular, we find that the V OC of the integrated devices is dominated by (or pinned to) the perovskite cells, not the organic photovoltaic cells. A Quasi-Fermi Level Pinning Model was proposed to understand the working mechanism and the origin of the V OC of the integrated perovskite/BHJ solar cell, which following that of the perovskite solar cell and is much higher than that of the low bandgap polymer based organic BHJ solar cell. Evidence for the model was enhanced by examining the charge carrier behavior and photovoltaic behavior of the integrated devices under illumination of monochromatic light-emitting diodes at different characteristic wavelength. This finding shall pave an interesting possibility for integrated photovoltaic devices to harvest low energy photons in NIR region and further improve the current density without sacrificing V OC , thus providing new opportunities and significant implications for future industry applications of this kind of integrated solar cells.

  1. Photoelectric Properties of Silicon Nanocrystals/P3HT Bulk-Heterojunction Ordered in Titanium Dioxide Nanotube Arrays

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Švrček Vladimir

    2009-01-01

    Full Text Available Abstract A silicon nanocrystals (Si-ncs conjugated-polymer-based bulk-heterojunction represents a promising approach for low-cost hybrid solar cells. In this contribution, the bulk-heterojunction is based on Si-ncs prepared by electrochemical etching and poly(3-hexylthiophene (P3HT polymer. Photoelectric properties in parallel and vertical device-like configuration were investigated. Electronic interaction between the polymer and surfactant-free Si-ncs is achieved. Temperature-dependent photoluminescence and transport properties were studied and the ratio between the photo- and dark-conductivity of 1.7 was achieved at ambient conditions. Furthermore the porous titanium dioxide (TiO2 nanotubes’ template was used for vertical order of photosensitive Si-ncs/P3HT-based blend. The anodization of titanium foil in ethylene glycol-based electrolyte containing fluoride ions and subsequent thermal annealing were used to prepare anatase TiO2nanotube arrays. The arrays with nanotube inner diameter of 90 and 50 nm were used for vertical ordering of the Si-ncs/P3HT bulk-heterojunction.

  2. Synergetic scattering of SiO2 and Ag nanoparticles for light-trapping enhancement in organic bulk heterojunction

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yang, Huan; Ding, Qiuyu; Li, Ben Q.; Jiang, Xinbing; Zhang, Manman

    2018-02-01

    Though noble metal nanoparticles have been explored to enhance the performance of the organic solar cell, effect of dielectric nanoparticles, and coupled effect of dielectric and metal nanoparticles, have rarely been reported, if at all, on organic solar cell. This work reports an experimental study on synergetic scattering of SiO2 and Ag nanoparticles in a bulk organic heterojunction for the broadband light absorption enhancement. The wavelength scale SiO2 particles were arranged as a monolayer on the surface of the solar cell to guide incident light into the active layer and prolong the effective optical length of the entered energy. This is achieved by the excitation of whispering gallery modes in SiO2 nanoparticles and by leaky mode radiation. When small size Ag particles were incorporated into the transport layer of the solar cell, synergetic scattering of SiO2 and Ag nanoparticles is formed by coupling of the whispering gallery mode of closely arranged SiO2 particles atop and collaborative localized surface plasma resonance scattering of Ag nanoparticles dispersed in the transport layer. As a result, the performance of the organic solar cell is greatly enhanced and the short-circuit current density has an improvement of 42.47%. Therefore, the organic solar cell incorporated with SiO2 and Ag particles presents a meaningful strategy to achieve high energy-harvesting performance. [Figure not available: see fulltext.

  3. Bulk heterojunction perovskite solar cells based on room temperature deposited hole-blocking layer: Suppressed hysteresis and flexible photovoltaic application

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chen, Zhiliang; Yang, Guang; Zheng, Xiaolu; Lei, Hongwei; Chen, Cong; Ma, Junjie; Wang, Hao; Fang, Guojia

    2017-05-01

    Perovskite solar cells have developed rapidly in recent years as the third generation solar cells. In spite of the great improvement achieved, there still exist some issues such as undesired hysteresis and indispensable high temperature process. In this work, bulk heterojunction perovskite-phenyl-C61-butyric acid methyl ester solar cells have been prepared to diminish hysteresis using a facile two step spin-coating method. Furthermore, high quality tin oxide films are fabricated using pulse laser deposition technique at room temperature without any annealing procedure. The as fabricated tin oxide film is successfully applied in bulk heterojunction perovskite solar cells as a hole blocking layer. Bulk heterojunction devices based on room temperature tin oxide exhibit almost hysteresis-free characteristics with power conversion efficiency of 17.29% and 14.0% on rigid and flexible substrates, respectively.

  4. Solution-Processed In2O3/ZnO Heterojunction Electron Transport Layers for Efficient Organic Bulk Heterojunction and Inorganic Colloidal Quantum-Dot Solar Cells

    KAUST Repository

    Eisner, Flurin

    2018-04-25

    We report the development of a solution‐processed In2O3/ZnO heterojunction electron transport layer (ETL) and its application in high efficiency organic bulk‐heterojunction (BHJ) and inorganic colloidal quantum dot (CQD) solar cells. Study of the electrical properties of this low‐dimensional oxide heterostructure via field‐effect measurements reveals that electron transport along the heterointerface is enhanced by more than a tenfold when compared to the individual single‐layer oxides. Use of the heterojunction as the ETL in organic BHJ photovoltaics is found to consistently improve the cell\\'s performance due to the smoothening of the ZnO surface, increased electron mobility and a noticeable reduction in the cathode\\'s work function, leading to a decrease in the cells’ series resistance and a higher fill factor (FF). Specifically, non‐fullerene based organic BHJ solar cells based on In2O3/ZnO ETLs exhibit very high power conversion efficiencies (PCE) of up to 12.8%, and high FFs of over 70%. The bilayer ETL concept is further extended to inorganic lead‐sulphide CQD solar cells. Resulting devices exhibit excellent performance with a maximum PCE of 8.2% and a FF of 56.8%. The present results highlight the potential of multilayer oxides as novel ETL systems and lay the foundation for future developments.

  5. Solution-Processed In2O3/ZnO Heterojunction Electron Transport Layers for Efficient Organic Bulk Heterojunction and Inorganic Colloidal Quantum-Dot Solar Cells

    KAUST Repository

    Eisner, Flurin; Seitkhan, Akmaral; Han, Yang; Khim, Dongyoon; Yengel, Emre; Kirmani, Ahmad R.; Xu, Jixian; Garcí a de Arquer, F. Pelayo; Sargent, Edward H.; Amassian, Aram; Fei, Zhuping; Heeney, Martin; Anthopoulos, Thomas D.

    2018-01-01

    We report the development of a solution‐processed In2O3/ZnO heterojunction electron transport layer (ETL) and its application in high efficiency organic bulk‐heterojunction (BHJ) and inorganic colloidal quantum dot (CQD) solar cells. Study of the electrical properties of this low‐dimensional oxide heterostructure via field‐effect measurements reveals that electron transport along the heterointerface is enhanced by more than a tenfold when compared to the individual single‐layer oxides. Use of the heterojunction as the ETL in organic BHJ photovoltaics is found to consistently improve the cell's performance due to the smoothening of the ZnO surface, increased electron mobility and a noticeable reduction in the cathode's work function, leading to a decrease in the cells’ series resistance and a higher fill factor (FF). Specifically, non‐fullerene based organic BHJ solar cells based on In2O3/ZnO ETLs exhibit very high power conversion efficiencies (PCE) of up to 12.8%, and high FFs of over 70%. The bilayer ETL concept is further extended to inorganic lead‐sulphide CQD solar cells. Resulting devices exhibit excellent performance with a maximum PCE of 8.2% and a FF of 56.8%. The present results highlight the potential of multilayer oxides as novel ETL systems and lay the foundation for future developments.

  6. Morphology control for highly efficient organic–inorganic bulk heterojunction solar cell based on Ti-alkoxide

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kato, Takehito; Hagiwara, Naoki; Suzuki, Eiji; Nasu, Yuki; Izawa, Satoru; Tanaka, Kouichi; Kato, Ariyuki

    2016-01-01

    The number of publications concerned with typical bulk-heterojunction solar cells that use fullerene derivatives and inorganic materials as electron acceptors has grown very rapidly. In this work, we focus on Ti-alkoxides as electron acceptors in the photoactive layers of fullerene-free bulk-heterojunction solar cells. We show that it is possible to control the morphology by adjusting the molecular structure and size of the Ti-alkoxides. The short-circuit current density (J_s_c) increased to 191 μA/cm"2 from 25 μA/cm"2 with a maximum, when the phase-separation structure was continuously formed to within about 20 nm below the exciton diffusion length by using either titanium(IV) ethoxide or isopropoxide as an electron acceptor. Within a thickness of 30 nm, the photoactive layer is not influenced by the electron transfer ability; thus, we demonstrate that the charge-separation efficiency is equivalent to that of a fullerene system. - Highlights: • An organic–inorganic bulk-heterojunction photoactive layer was used. • Electron donor was a semiconducting polymer and electron acceptor was Ti-alkoxide. • Demonstration of morphology control by Ti-alkoxide molecules. • Determination of Jsc value by the phase-separation structure in an ultra-thin film. • Charge-separation efficiency of Ti-alkoxide system equivalent to fullerene system.

  7. Modelling the short-circuit current of polymer bulk heterojunction solar cells

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Geens, Wim; Martens, Tom; Poortmans, Jef; Aernouts, Tom; Manca, Jean; Lutsen, Laurence; Heremans, Paul; Borghs, Staf; Mertens, Robert; Vanderzande, Dirk

    2004-01-01

    An analytical model has been developed to estimate the short-circuit current density of conjugated polymer/fullerene bulk heterojunction solar cells. The model takes into account the solvent-dependent molecular morphology of the donor/acceptor blend, which was revealed by transmission electron microscopy. Field-effect transistors based on single and composite organic layers were fabricated to determine values for the charge carrier mobilities of such films. These values served as input parameters of the model. It is shown that the difference in short-circuit current density that was measured between toluene-cast and chlorobenzene-cast conjugated polymer/fullerene photovoltaic cells (Appl. Phys. Lett. 78 (2001) 841) could be very well simulated with the model. Moreover, the calculations illustrate how increasing the hole and electron mobilities in the photoactive blend can improve the overall short-circuit current density of the solar cell

  8. Polymer-Polymer Förster Resonance Energy Transfer Significantly Boosts the Power Conversion Efficiency of Bulk-Heterojunction Solar Cells.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gupta, Vinay; Bharti, Vishal; Kumar, Mahesh; Chand, Suresh; Heeger, Alan J

    2015-08-01

    Optically resonant donor polymers can exploit a wider range of the solar spectrum effectively without a complicated tandem design in an organic solar cell. Ultrafast Förster resonance energy transfer (FRET) in a polymer-polymer system that significantly improves the power conversion efficiency in bulk heterojunction polymer solar cells from 6.8% to 8.9% is demonstrated, thus paving the way to achieving 15% efficient solar cells. © 2015 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  9. Barium: An Efficient Cathode Layer for Bulk-heterojunction Solar Cells

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gupta, Vinay; Kyaw, Aung Ko Ko; Wang, Dong Hwan; Chand, Suresh; Bazan, Guillermo C.; Heeger, Alan J.

    2013-01-01

    We report Barium (Ba) cathode layer for bulk-heterojunction solar cells which enhanced the fill factor (FF) of p-DTS(FBTTh2)2/PC71BM BHJ solar cell up to 75.1%, one of the highest value reported for an organic solar cell. The external quantum efficiency exceeds 80%. Analysis of recombination mechanisms using the current-voltage (J–V) characteristics at various light intensities in the BHJ solar cell layer reveals that Ba prevents trap assisted Shockley-Read-Hall (SRH) recombination at the interface and with different thicknesses of the Ba, the recombination shifts towards bimolecular from monomolecular. Moreover, Ba increases shunt resistance and decreases the series resistance significantly. This results in an increase in the charge collection probability leading to high FF. This work identifies a new cathode interlayer which outclasses the all the reported interlayers in increasing FF leading to high power conversion efficiency and have significant implications in improving the performance of BHJ solar cells. PMID:23752562

  10. Interfacial effects in organic semiconductor heterojunctions

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Stadler, P.

    2011-01-01

    The field of organic electronics has systematically gained interest in recent years, technologically and scientifically advances have been made leading to practical applications such as organic light emitting diodes, organic field-effect transistors and organic photo-voltaic cells. In this thesis a fundamental study on organic molecules is presented targeting on interfacial effects at organic heterojunctions. Generally in organic electronic devices interfaces are considered as key parameters for achieving high performance applications. Therefore in this work the emphasis is to investigate layer-by-layer heterojunctions of organic molecules. Defined heterojunctions at inorganic III-V semiconductors form superlattices and quantum-wells, which lead to interfacial effects summarized as quantum confinement and two-dimensional electron gases. Although organic molecules differ in many aspects from their inorganic counterparts, similar effects can be theoretically expected at organic heterojunctions as well. Organic molecules form van-der-Waals type crystals and domains which are macroscopically anisotropic and polycrystalline or amorphous. Organic molecules are intrinsic semiconductors and at interfaces dipoles are formed, which control the energy level alignment. In order to characterize such structures and compare them to inorganic superlattices and quantum-wells it is necessary to induce charge carriers. In this work this is established either by interfacial doping using high-performance dielectrics in a field-effect transistor structure or by photo-doping by exciting a donor-acceptor bilayer. In both cases C 60 was chosen as organic semiconductor exhibiting good acceptor properties and an electron mobility in the range of 0.5 cm 2 V -1 s -1 . The fabrication of well-defined few-molecular layers allows probing directly at the interface. Spectroscopic methods and transport measurements are applied for characterization: Photoemission spectroscopy, absorption and photo

  11. Morphological Control of the Photoactive Layer in Bulk Heterojunction Organic Solar Cells

    KAUST Repository

    Su, Yisong

    2011-07-23

    For its inherent advantages, such as lightweight, low cost, flexibility, and opportunity to cover large surface areas, organic solar cells have attracted more and more attention in both academia and industry. However, the efficiency of organic solar cell is still much lower than silicon solar cells, but steadily rising as it now stands above 8%. The architecture of bulk heterojunction solar cells can improve the performance of organic solar cell a lot, but these improvements are highly dependent on the morphology of photoactive layer. Therefore, by controlling the morphology of photoactive layer, most commonly composed of a P3HT donor polymer and PCBM small molecule, the performance of organic solar cells could be optimized. The use of solvent additives in the solution formulation is particularly interesting, because it is a low cost method of controlling the phase separation of the photoactive layer and possibly removing the need for subsequent thermal and solvent vapor annealing. However, the role of the solvent additive remains not well understood and much debate remains on the mechanisms by which it impacts phase separation. In the first part of this thesis, we investigate the role of the solvent additive on the individual components (solvent, donor and acceptor) of the solution and the photoactive layer both in the bulk solution, during solution-processing and in the post-processing solid state of the film. In the second part of this thesis, we investigate the role of the additive on the blended solution state and resulting thin film phase separation. Finally, we propose a new method of controlling phase separation based on the insight into the role of the solvent additive. In the first part, we used an additive [octandiethiol (OT)] in the solvent to help the aggregation of P3HT in the solution. From the UV-vis experiments, the crystallinity of P3HT in the solutions increased while it decreased in thin films with steady increase of additive concentration. This

  12. Thermal characterization of semiconducting polymer bulk heterojunctions

    Science.gov (United States)

    Remy, Roddel A.

    Polymer semiconductors are intriguing due to their potential use in flexible electronics. Poly (3-hexylthiophene) (P3HT)--a very common polymer in this field--is semicrystalline and it is known that crystalline P3HT has a higher hole mobility than amorphous P3HT. Quantifying each fraction in the bulk and thin film states is therefore crucial to understanding its performance in transistor and other applications. In polymer solar cells, it acts as an electron donor and is typically mixed with the nanoparticle-like molecule, phenyl-C61-butyric acid methyl ester (PCBM)--an electron acceptor--in a thin film morphology termed a bulk heterojunction (BHJ). The structural hierarchy within the bulk heterojunction is complicated and its characterization, with a focus on P3HT morphology, is the topic of this dissertation. Calorimetry can play an important role in the elucidation of P3HT morphology with quantitative analysis of the crystalline and amorphous fractions present in the material. This was demonstrated by employing differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) to obtain the enthalpy of fusion of 100% crystalline P3HT (42.9 J/g) using oligomeric P3HT measurements. The more sensitive temperature modulated DSC (TMDSC) was then used to examine the glass transition of P3HT and the crystalline, mobile amorphous and rigid amorphous phases were quantified. The presence of these phases can play a large role in understanding the charge transfer process in polymer semiconductors. BHJ thin films of 50 wt.% PCBM were then analyzed and a polymer crystallinity of 30% was found after thermal annealing from initially non-crystalline polymer material. With assistance from previously acquired small angle neutron scattering data, a thorough analysis of the entire BHJ morphology was accomplished. A surprisingly large rigid amorphous polymer phase is present in the BHJ which could be located at the P3HT/PCBM interface, affecting charge transfer. Finally, interlayer diffusion of PCBM was

  13. Tailor-Made Additives for Morphology Control in Molecular Bulk-Heterojunction Photovoltaics

    KAUST Repository

    Graham, Kenneth R.

    2013-01-09

    Tailor-made additives, which are molecules that share the same molecular structure as a parent molecule with only slight structural variations, have previously been demonstrated as a useful means to control crystallization dynamics in solution. For example, tailor-made additives can be added to solutions of a crystallizing parent molecule to alter the crystal growth rate, size, and shape. We apply this strategy as a means to predictably control morphology in molecular bulk-heterojunction (BHJ) photovoltaic cells. Through the use of an asymmetric oligomer substituted with a bulky triisobutylsilyl end group, the morphology of BHJ blends can be controlled resulting in a near doubling (from 1.3 to 2.2%) in power conversion efficiency. The use of tailor-made additives provides promising opportunities for controlling crystallization dynamics, and thereby film morphologies, for many organic electronic devices such as photovoltaics and field-effect transistors. © 2012 American Chemical Society.

  14. Tailor-Made Additives for Morphology Control in Molecular Bulk-Heterojunction Photovoltaics

    KAUST Repository

    Graham, Kenneth R.; Stalder, Romain; Wieruszewski, Patrick M.; Patel, Dinesh G.; Salazar, Danielle H.; Reynolds, John R.

    2013-01-01

    Tailor-made additives, which are molecules that share the same molecular structure as a parent molecule with only slight structural variations, have previously been demonstrated as a useful means to control crystallization dynamics in solution. For example, tailor-made additives can be added to solutions of a crystallizing parent molecule to alter the crystal growth rate, size, and shape. We apply this strategy as a means to predictably control morphology in molecular bulk-heterojunction (BHJ) photovoltaic cells. Through the use of an asymmetric oligomer substituted with a bulky triisobutylsilyl end group, the morphology of BHJ blends can be controlled resulting in a near doubling (from 1.3 to 2.2%) in power conversion efficiency. The use of tailor-made additives provides promising opportunities for controlling crystallization dynamics, and thereby film morphologies, for many organic electronic devices such as photovoltaics and field-effect transistors. © 2012 American Chemical Society.

  15. Hybrid ZnO:polymer bulk heterojunction solar cells from a ZnO precursor

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Beek, W.J.E.; Slooff, L.H.; Wienk, M.M.; Kroon, J.M.; Janssen, R.A.J.; Kafafi, Z.H.

    2005-01-01

    We describe a simple and new method to create hybrid bulk heterojunction solar cells consisting of ZnO and conjugated polymers. A gel-forming ZnO precursor, blended with conjugated polymers, is converted into crystalline ZnO at temperatures as low as 110 °C. In-situ formation of ZnO in MDMO-PPV

  16. Naphtho[2,1-b:3,4-b']dithiophene-based bulk heterojunction solar cells: how molecular structure influences nanoscale morphology and photovoltaic properties.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kim, Yu Jin; Cheon, Ye Rim; Back, Jang Yeol; Kim, Yun-Hi; Chung, Dae Sung; Park, Chan Eon

    2014-11-10

    Organic bulk heterojunction photovoltaic devices based on a series of three naphtho[2,1-b:3,4-b']dithiophene (NDT) derivatives blended with phenyl-C71-butyric acid methyl ester were studied. These three derivatives, which have NDT units with various thiophene-chain lengths, were employed as the donor polymers. The influence of their molecular structures on the correlation between their solar-cell performances and their degree of crystallization was assessed. The grazing-incidence angle X-ray diffraction and atomic force microscopy results showed that the three derivatives exhibit three distinct nanoscale morphologies. We correlated these morphologies with the device physics by determining the J-V characteristics and the hole and electron mobilities of the devices. On the basis of our results, we propose new rules for the design of future generations of NDT-based polymers for use in bulk heterojunction solar cells. © 2014 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  17. Impact of Electrodes on Recombination in Bulk Heterojunction Organic Solar Cells

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Chatri, Azadeh Rahimi; Torabi, Solmaz; Le Corre, Vincent M.; Koster, L. Jan Anton

    2018-01-01

    In recent years, the efficiency of organic solar cells (OSCs) has increased to more than 13%, although different barriers are on the way for reaching higher efficiencies. One crucial barrier is the recombination of charge carriers, which can either occur as the bulk recombination of photogenerated

  18. The influence of microstructure on charge separation dynamics in organic bulk heterojunction materials for solar cell applications

    KAUST Repository

    Scarongella, Mariateresa; Paraecattil, Arun Aby; Buchaca-Domingo, Ester; Douglas, Jessica D.; Beaupré , Serge; McCarthy-Ward, Thomas; Heeney, Martin J.; Moser, Jacques Edouard; Leclerc, Mario; Frechet, Jean; Stingelin, Natalie; Banerji, Natalie

    2014-01-01

    Light-induced charge formation is essential for the generation of photocurrent in organic solar cells. In order to gain a better understanding of this complex process, we have investigated the femtosecond dynamics of charge separation upon selective excitation of either the fullerene or the polymer in different bulk heterojunction blends with well-characterized microstructure. Blends of the pBTTT and PBDTTPD polymers with PCBM gave us access to three different scenarios: either a single intermixed phase, an intermixed phase with additional pure PCBM clusters, or a three-phase microstructure of pure polymer aggregates, pure fullerene clusters and intermixed regions. We found that ultrafast charge separation (by electron or hole transfer) occurs predominantly in intermixed regions, while charges are generated more slowly from excitons in pure domains that require diffusion to a charge generation site. The pure domains are helpful to prevent geminate charge recombination, but they must be sufficiently small not to become exciton traps. By varying the polymer packing, backbone planarity and chain length, we have shown that exciton diffusion out of small polymer aggregates in the highly efficient PBDTTPD:PCBM blend occurs within the same chain and is helped by delocalization. This journal is © the Partner Organisations 2014.

  19. Studies of bulk heterojunction solar cells

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cossel, Raquel; McIntyre, Max; Tzolov, Marian

    We are studying bulk heterojunction solar cells that were fabricated using a mixture of PCPDTBT and PCBM­C60. The impedance data of the cells in dark responded like a simple RC circuit. The value of the dielectric constant derived from these results is consistent with the values reported in the literature for these materials. We are showing that the parallel resistance in the equivalent circuit of linear lump elements can be interpreted using the DC current­voltage measurements. The impedance spectra under light illumination indicated the existence of additional polarization. This extra feature can be described by a model that includes a series RC circuit in parallel with the equivalent circuit for a device in dark. The physical interpretation of the additional polarization is based on photo­generated charges getting trapped in wells, which have a characteristic relaxation time corresponding to the observed break frequency in the impedance spectra. We have studied the influence of the anode and cathode interface on this phenomena, either by using different interface materials, or by depositing the metal electrode while the substate is heated.

  20. Hybrid phototransistors based on bulk heterojunction films of poly(3-hexylthiophene) and zinc oxide nanoparticle.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nam, Sungho; Seo, Jooyeok; Park, Soohyeong; Lee, Sooyong; Jeong, Jaehoon; Lee, Hyena; Kim, Hwajeong; Kim, Youngkyoo

    2013-02-01

    Hybrid phototransistors (HPTRs) were fabricated on glass substrates using organic/inorganic hybrid bulk heterojunction films of p-type poly(3-hexylthiophene) (P3HT) and n-type zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnO(NP)). The content of ZnO(NP) was varied up to 50 wt % in order to understand the composition effect of ZnO(NP) on the performance of HPTRs. The morphology and nanostructure of the P3HT:ZnO(NP) films was examined by employing high resolution electron microscopes and synchrotron radiation grazing angle X-ray diffraction system. The incident light intensity (P(IN)) was varied up to 43.6 μW/cm², whereas three major wavelengths (525 nm, 555 nm, 605 nm) corresponded to the optical absorption of P3HT were applied. Results showed that the present HPTRs showed typical p-type transistor performance even though the n-type ZnO(NP) content increased up to 50 wt %. The highest transistor performance was obtained at 50 wt %, whereas the lowest performance was measured at 23 wt % because of the immature bulk heterojunction morphology. The drain current (I(D)) was proportionally increased with P(IN) due to the photocurrent generation in addition to the field-effect current. The highest apparent and corrected responsivities (R(A) = 4.7 A/W and R(C) = 2.07 A/W) were achieved for the HPTR with the P3HT:ZnO(NP) film (50 wt % ZnO(NP)) at P(IN) = 0.27 μW/cm² (555 nm).

  1. 3D reconstruction modeling of bulk heterojunction organic photovoltaic cells: Effect of the complexity of the boundary on the morphology

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kim, Sung-Jin; Jeong, Daun; Kim, SeongMin; Choi, Yeong Suk; Ihn, Soo-Ghang; Yun, Sungyoung; Lim, Younhee; Lee, Eunha; Park, Gyeong-Su

    2016-02-01

    Although the morphology of the active layer in bulk heterojunction organic photovoltaic (BHJ-OPV) cells is critical for determining the quantum efficiency (QE), predicting the real QE for a 3-dimensional (3D) morphology has long been difficult because structural information on the composition complexity of donor (D): acceptor (A) blends with small domain size is limited to 2D observations via various image-processing techniques. To overcome this, we reconstruct the 3D morphology by using an isotropic statistical approach based on 2D energy-filtered transmission electron microscopy (EF-TEM) images. This new reconstruction method is validated to obtain the internal QE by using a dynamic Monte Carlo simulation in the BHJ-OPV system with different additives such as 4 vol% 1-chloronaphthalene (CN) and 4 vol% 1,8-diiodooctane (DIO) (compared to the case of no additive); the resulting trend is compared with the experimental QE. Therefore, our developed method can be used to predict the real charge transport performance in the OPV system accurately.

  2. The Physics of Small Molecule Acceptors for Efficient and Stable Bulk Heterojunction Solar Cells

    KAUST Repository

    Gasparini, Nicola

    2018-01-29

    Organic bulk heterojunction solar cells based on small molecule acceptors have recently seen a rapid rise in the power conversion efficiency with values exceeding 13%. This impressive achievement has been obtained by simultaneous reduction of voltage and charge recombination losses within this class of materials as compared to fullerene-based solar cells. In this contribution, the authors review the current understanding of the relevant photophysical processes in highly efficient nonfullerene acceptor (NFA) small molecules. Charge generation, recombination, and charge transport is discussed in comparison to fullerene-based composites. Finally, the authors review the superior light and thermal stability of nonfullerene small molecule acceptor based solar cells, and highlight the importance of NFA-based composites that enable devices without early performance loss, thus resembling so-called burn-in free devices.

  3. The Physics of Small Molecule Acceptors for Efficient and Stable Bulk Heterojunction Solar Cells

    KAUST Repository

    Gasparini, Nicola; Wadsworth, Andrew; Moser, Maximilian; Baran, Derya; McCulloch, Iain; Brabec, Christoph J.

    2018-01-01

    Organic bulk heterojunction solar cells based on small molecule acceptors have recently seen a rapid rise in the power conversion efficiency with values exceeding 13%. This impressive achievement has been obtained by simultaneous reduction of voltage and charge recombination losses within this class of materials as compared to fullerene-based solar cells. In this contribution, the authors review the current understanding of the relevant photophysical processes in highly efficient nonfullerene acceptor (NFA) small molecules. Charge generation, recombination, and charge transport is discussed in comparison to fullerene-based composites. Finally, the authors review the superior light and thermal stability of nonfullerene small molecule acceptor based solar cells, and highlight the importance of NFA-based composites that enable devices without early performance loss, thus resembling so-called burn-in free devices.

  4. Controlling solution-phase polymer aggregation with molecular weight and solvent additives to optimize polymer-fullerene bulk heterojunction solar cells

    KAUST Repository

    Bartelt, Jonathan A.

    2014-03-20

    The bulk heterojunction (BHJ) solar cell performance of many polymers depends on the polymer molecular weight (M n) and the solvent additive(s) used for solution processing. However, the mechanism that causes these dependencies is not well understood. This work determines how M n and solvent additives affect the performance of BHJ solar cells made with the polymer poly(di(2-ethylhexyloxy)benzo[1,2-b:4,5-b\\']dithiophene-co- octylthieno[3,4-c]pyrrole-4,6-dione) (PBDTTPD). Low M n PBDTTPD devices have exceedingly large fullerene-rich domains, which cause extensive charge-carrier recombination. Increasing the M n of PBDTTPD decreases the size of these domains and significantly improves device performance. PBDTTPD aggregation in solution affects the size of the fullerene-rich domains and this effect is linked to the dependency of PBDTTPD solubility on M n. Due to its poor solubility high M n PBDTTPD quickly forms a fibrillar polymer network during spin-casting and this network acts as a template that prevents large-scale phase separation. Furthermore, processing low M n PBDTTPD devices with a solvent additive improves device performance by inducing polymer aggregation in solution and preventing large fullerene-rich domains from forming. These findings highlight that polymer aggregation in solution plays a significant role in determining the morphology and performance of BHJ solar cells. The performance of poly(di(2-ethylhexyloxy) benzo[1,2-b:4,5-b\\']dithiophene-co-octylthieno[3,4-c]pyrrole-4,6-dione) (PBDTTPD) bulk heterojunction solar cells strongly depends on the polymer molecular weight, and processing these bulk heterojunctions with a solvent additive preferentially improves the performance of low molecular weight devices. It is demonstrated that polymer aggregation in solution significantly impacts the thin-film bulk heterojunction morphology and is vital for high device performance. © 2014 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  5. Characterization of the polymer energy landscape in polymer:fullerene bulk heterojunctions with pure and mixed phases

    KAUST Repository

    Sweetnam, Sean

    2014-10-08

    Theoretical and experimental studies suggest that energetic offsets between the charge transport energy levels in different morphological phases of polymer:fullerene bulk heterojunctions may improve charge separation and reduce recombination in polymer solar cells (PSCs). In this work, we use cyclic voltammetry, UV-vis absorption, and ultraviolet photoelectron spectroscopy to characterize hole energy levels in the polymer phases of polymer:fullerene bulk heterojunctions. We observe an energetic offset of up to 150 meV between amorphous and crystalline polymer due to bandgap widening associated primarily with changes in polymer conjugation length. We also observe an energetic offset of up to 350 meV associated with polymer:fullerene intermolecular interactions. The first effect has been widely observed, but the second effect is not always considered despite being larger in magnitude for some systems. These energy level shifts may play a major role in PSC performance and must be thoroughly characterized for a complete understanding of PSC function.

  6. Nanomorphological study of polymer bulk heterojuntion used in flexible solar devices

    Science.gov (United States)

    Calderón-Ortiz, Gabriel; Carrasco, Hector; Vedrine-Pauleus, Josee

    2014-03-01

    Solar cells fabricated with organic polymeric materials can enable large area fabrication on printable and flexible substrates, but increasing their efficiency is coupled to understanding their electrical properties and mechanical function on the nanoscale. In this study we measure the nanoscale conducting and mechanical properties of organic bulk heterojunction polymers coated on graphene and flexible PET or Si substrates. We characterize the nanomorphology of bulk heterojunction conducting polymers by applying conductive atomic force microscope (c-AFM), and force volume mapping for quantitative nanomechanical property calculations.

  7. The role of the hole-extraction layer in determining the operational stability of a polycarbazole:fullerene bulk-heterojunction photovoltaic device

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bovill, E.; Scarratt, N.; Griffin, J.; Yi, H.; Iraqi, A.; Buckley, A. R.; Kingsley, J. W.; Lidzey, D. G.

    2015-02-01

    We have made a comparative study of the relative operational stability of bulk-heterojunction organic photovoltaic (OPV) devices utilising different hole transport layers (HTLs). OPV devices were fabricated based on a blend of the polymer PCDTBT with the fullerene PC70BM, and incorporated the different HTL materials PEDOT:PSS, MoOx and V2O5. Following 620 h of irradiation by light from a solar simulator, we find that devices using the PEDOT:PSS HTL retained the highest efficiency, having a projected T80 lifetime of 14 500 h.

  8. Excitonic processes at organic heterojunctions

    Science.gov (United States)

    He, ShouJie; Lu, ZhengHong

    2018-02-01

    Understanding excitonic processes at organic heterojunctions is crucial for development of organic semiconductor devices. This article reviews recent research on excitonic physics that involve intermolecular charge transfer (CT) excitons, and progress on understanding relationships between various interface energy levels and key parameters governing various competing interface excitonic processes. These interface excitonic processes include radiative exciplex emission, nonradiative recombination, Auger electron emission, and CT exciton dissociation. This article also reviews various device applications involving interface CT excitons, such as organic light-emitting diodes (OLEDs), organic photovoltaic cells, organic rectifying diodes, and ultralow-voltage Auger OLEDs.

  9. Bulk Heterojunction Solar Cells Based on Blends of Conjugated Polymers with II–VI and IV–VI Inorganic Semiconductor Quantum Dots

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ryan Kisslinger

    2017-01-01

    Full Text Available Bulk heterojunction solar cells based on blends of quantum dots and conjugated polymers are a promising configuration for obtaining high-efficiency, cheaply fabricated solution-processed photovoltaic devices. Such devices are of significant interest as they have the potential to leverage the advantages of both types of materials, such as the high mobility, band gap tunability and possibility of multiple exciton generation in quantum dots together with the high mechanical flexibility and large molar extinction coefficient of conjugated polymers. Despite these advantages, the power conversion efficiency (PCE of these hybrid devices has remained relatively low at around 6%, well behind that of all-organic or all-inorganic solar cells. This is attributed to major challenges that still need to be overcome before conjugated polymer–quantum dot blends can be considered viable for commercial application, such as controlling the film morphology and interfacial structure to ensure efficient charge transfer and charge transport. In this work, we present our findings with respect to the recent development of bulk heterojunctions made from conjugated polymer–quantum dot blends, list the ongoing strategies being attempted to improve performance, and highlight the key areas of research that need to be pursued to further develop this technology.

  10. Self-assembled, nanowire network electrodes for depleted bulk heterojunction solar cells

    KAUST Repository

    Lan, Xinzheng; Bai, Jing; Masala, Silvia; Thon, Susanna; Ren, Yuan; Kramer, Illan J.; Hoogland, Sjoerd H.; Simchi, Arash; Koleilat, Ghada I.; Paz-Soldan, Daniel; Ning, Zhijun; Labelle, André J.; Kim, Jinyoung; Jabbour, Ghassan E.; Sargent, E. H.

    2013-01-01

    Herein, a solution-processed, bottom-up-fabricated, nanowire network electrode is developed. This electrode features a ZnO template which is converted into locally connected, infiltratable, TiO2 nanowires. This new electrode is used to build a depleted bulk heterojunction solar cell employing hybrid-passivated colloidal quantum dots. The new electrode allows the application of a thicker, and thus more light-absorbing, colloidal quantum dot active layer, from which charge extraction of an efficiency comparable to that obtained from a thinner, planar device could be obtained. Copyright © 2013 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  11. Self-assembled, nanowire network electrodes for depleted bulk heterojunction solar cells

    KAUST Repository

    Lan, Xinzheng

    2013-01-06

    Herein, a solution-processed, bottom-up-fabricated, nanowire network electrode is developed. This electrode features a ZnO template which is converted into locally connected, infiltratable, TiO2 nanowires. This new electrode is used to build a depleted bulk heterojunction solar cell employing hybrid-passivated colloidal quantum dots. The new electrode allows the application of a thicker, and thus more light-absorbing, colloidal quantum dot active layer, from which charge extraction of an efficiency comparable to that obtained from a thinner, planar device could be obtained. Copyright © 2013 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  12. Study of interfaces in organic semiconductor heterojunctions

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Maheshwari, P; Dutta, D; Sudarshan, K; Sharma, S K; Pujari, P K; Samanta, S; Singh, A; Aswal, D K

    2011-01-01

    The defect structure at the organic heterojunctions is studied using slow positron beam. The structural and electronic properties of heterojunctions are of technological and fundamental importance for understanding and optimization of electronic processes in organic devices. Interface trap centres play a significant role in the electrical conduction through the junctions. Depth dependent Doppler broadened annihilation measurements have been carried out in p- and n-type organic semiconductor thin films (30-80 nm) both single as well as multilayers grown on quartz substrate. The objective of the present study is to investigate the defect structure and to understand the behavior of positrons at the charged organic interfaces. Our result shows the sensitivity of positrons to the interfacial disorders that may be a convoluted effect of the presence of defects as well as the influence of the charge dipole in multilayers.

  13. 2 and 3 µm passively Q-switched bulk pulse laser based on a MoS2/graphene heterojunction

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wang, Xihu; Xu, Jinlong; Sun, Yijian; Feng, Wendou; You, Zhenyu; Sun, Dunlu; Tu, Chaoyang

    2018-01-01

    We report for the first time that a MoS2/graphene heterojunction can behave as a saturable absorber to realize 2 and 3 µm passively Q-switched bulk lasers. This heterojunction is prepared through a facile hydrothermal method. For the 2 µm laser, a stable pulse is obtained with a pulse duration of 473 ns, output power of 553 mW, pulse energy of 5.267 µJ and repetition rate of 105 kHz. For the 3 µm laser, a pulse duration of 355 ns is observed with an average output power of 112 mW and pulse energy of 0.889 µJ. These results indicate the great potential of MoS2/graphene heterojunctions for realizing mid-infrared pulse lasers.

  14. Molecular orientation and electronic structure at organic heterojunction interfaces

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Zhong, Shu [Department of Chemistry, National University of Singapore, 3 Science Drive 3, 117543 Singapore (Singapore); Zhong, Jian Qiang; Wee, Andrew T.S. [Department of Physics, National University of Singapore, 2 Science Drive 3, 117542 Singapore (Singapore); Chen, Wei, E-mail: phycw@nus.edu.sg [Department of Chemistry, National University of Singapore, 3 Science Drive 3, 117543 Singapore (Singapore); Department of Physics, National University of Singapore, 2 Science Drive 3, 117542 Singapore (Singapore); National University of Singapore (Suzhou) Research Institute, Suzhou (China)

    2015-10-01

    Highlights: • Molecular orientation at the organic heterojunction interfaces. • Energy level alignments at the organic heterojunction interfaces. • Gap-states mediated interfacial energy level alignment. - Abstract: Due to the highly anisotropic nature of π-conjugated molecules, the molecular orientation in organic thin films can significantly affect light absorption, charge transport, energy level alignment (ELA) and hence device performance. Synchrotron-based near-edge X-ray absorption fine structure (NEXAFS) spectroscopy represents a powerful technique for probing molecular orientation. The aim of this review paper is to provide a balanced assessment on the investigation of molecular orientation at the organic–organic heterojunction (OOH) interface by NEXAFS, as well as the gap-states mediated orientation dependent energy level alignment at OOH interfaces. We highlight recent progress in elucidating molecular orientation at OOH interfaces dominated by various interfacial interactions, gap-states controlled orientation dependent energy level alignments at OOH interfaces, and the manipulations of molecular orientation and ELA in OOH.

  15. Ambipolar organic heterojunction transistors with various p-type semiconductors

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Shi Jianwu; Wang Haibo; Song De; Tian Hongkun; Geng Yanhou; Yan Donghang

    2008-01-01

    Ambipolar transport has been realized in organic heterojunction transistors with metal phthalocyanines, phenanthrene-based conjugated oligomers as the first semiconductors and copper-hexadecafluoro-phthalocyanine as the second semiconductor. The electron and hole mobilities of ambipolar devices with rod-like molecules were comparable to the corresponding single component devices, while the carrier mobility of ambipolar devices with disk-like molecules was much lower than the corresponding single component devices. The much difference of their device performance was attributed to the roughness of the first semiconductor films, which was original from their distinct growth habits. The flat and continuous films for the first semiconductors layer can lead to a smooth heterojunction interface, and obtained a high device performance for ambipolar organic heterojunction transistors

  16. Photoconductance of Bulk Heterojunctions with Tunable Nanomorphology Consisting of P3HT and Naphtalene Diimide Siloxane Oligomers

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Grzegorczyk, W.J.; Ganesan, P.; Savenije, T.J.; Bavel, van S.; Loos, J.; Sudhölter, E.J.R.; Siebbeles, L.D.A.; Zuilhof, H.

    2009-01-01

    The relation between the morphology, optical, and photoconductive properties of thin-film bulk heterojunctions of poly(3-hexylthiophene) (P3HT) with a series of electron-accepting siloxanes with a different number (x = 2, 4, 5) of pendant naphthalene diimide (NDIS) moieties is reported. All NDIS

  17. Spectroscopic imaging of photopotentials and photoinduced potential fluctuations in a bulk heterojunction solar cell film.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Luria, Justin L; Hoepker, Nikolas; Bruce, Robert; Jacobs, Andrew R; Groves, Chris; Marohn, John A

    2012-11-27

    We present spatially resolved photovoltage spectra of a bulk heterojunction solar cell film composed of phase-separated poly(9,9'-dioctylfluorene-co-benzothiadiazole) (F8BT) and poly(9,9'-dioctylfluorene-co-bis-N,N'-(4-butylphenyl)-bis-N,N'-phenyl-1,4-phenylenediamine) (PFB) polymers prepared on ITO/PEDOT:PSS and aluminum substrates. Over both PFB- and F8BT-rich domains, the photopotential spectra were found to be proportional to a linear combination of the polymers' absorption spectra. Charge trapping in the film was studied using photopotential fluctuation spectroscopy, in which low-frequency photoinduced electrostatic potential fluctuations were measured by observing noise in the oscillation frequency of a nearby charged atomic force microscope cantilever. Over both F8BT- and PFB-rich regions, the magnitude, distance dependence, frequency dependence, and illumination wavelength dependence of the observed cantilever frequency noise are consistent with photopotential fluctuations arising from stochastic light-driven trapping and detrapping of charges in F8BT. Taken together, our findings suggest a microscopic mechanism by which intermixing of phases leads to charge trapping and thereby to suppressed open-circuit voltage and decreased efficiency in this prototypical bulk heterojunction solar cell film.

  18. Controlling solution-phase polymer aggregation with molecular weight and solvent additives to optimize polymer-fullerene bulk heterojunction solar cells

    KAUST Repository

    Bartelt, Jonathan A.; Douglas, Jessica D.; Mateker, William R.; El Labban, Abdulrahman; Tassone, Christopher J.; Toney, Michael F.; Fré chet, Jean Mj J; Beaujuge, Pierre; McGehee, Michael D.

    2014-01-01

    The bulk heterojunction (BHJ) solar cell performance of many polymers depends on the polymer molecular weight (M n) and the solvent additive(s) used for solution processing. However, the mechanism that causes these dependencies is not well

  19. Interplay Between Side Chain Pattern, Polymer Aggregation, and Charge Carrier Dynamics in PBDTTPD:PCBM Bulk-Heterojunction Solar Cells

    KAUST Repository

    Dyer-Smith, Clare; Howard, Ian A.; Cabanetos, Clement; El Labban, Abdulrahman; Beaujuge, Pierre; Laquai, Fré dé ric

    2015-01-01

    Poly(benzo[1,2-b:4,5-b′]dithiophene–alt–thieno[3,4-c]pyrrole-4,6-dione) (PBDTTPD) polymer donors with linear side-chains yield bulk-heterojunction (BHJ) solar cell power conversion efficiencies (PCEs) of about 4% with phenyl-C71-butyric acid methyl

  20. T-Shaped Indan-1,3-dione derivatives as promising electron donors for bulk heterojunction small molecule solar cell

    Science.gov (United States)

    Adhikari, Tham; Solanke, Parmeshwar; Pathak, Dinesh; Wagner, Tomas; Bureš, Filip; Reed, Tyler; Nunzi, Jean-Michel

    2017-07-01

    We report on the photovoltaic performance of novel T-Shaped Indan-1,3-dione derivatives as donors in a solution processed bulk heterojunction solar cells. Small molecule bulk heterojunction solar cells of these molecules with [6,6]-phenyl-C61-butyric acid methyl ester (PC61BM) were fabricated and characterized. The preliminary characterization of these devices yielded a PCE of 0.24% and 0.33% for two separate derivatives. These low power conversion efficiencies were attributed to a high surface roughness with a large number of dewetting spots. Doping with 10% Polystyrene in the Indan-1,3-dione derivatives decreases surface roughness and dewetting spots thereby improving the efficiency of the devices. Efficiency of the devices was found as 0.39% and 0.51% for two derivatives after doping with polystyrene. The charge transfer mechanism was studied with photoluminescence quenching. The morphology and packing behavior of molecules were further studied using Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM) and X-ray diffraction (XRD).

  1. Graphene nanoplatelet doping of P3HT:PCBM photoactive layer of bulk heterojunction organic solar cells for enhancing performance

    Science.gov (United States)

    Aïssa, Brahim; Nedil, Mourad; Kroeger, Jens; Ali, Adnan; Isaifan, Rima J.; Essehli, Rachid; Mahmoud, Khaled A.

    2018-03-01

    Hybrid organic photovoltaic (OPV) cells based on conjugated polymer photoactive materials are promising candidates for flexible, high-performance and low-cost energy sources owing to their inexpensive materials, cost-effective processing and ease of fabrication by simple solution processes. However, the modest PV performance obtained to date—in particular the low power conversion efficiency (PCE)—has impeded the large scale deployment of OPV cells. The low PCE in OPV solar cells is mainly attributed to the low carrier mobility, which is closely correlated to the transport diffusion length of the charge carriers within the photoactive layers. The 2D graphene material could be an excellent candidate for assisting charge transport improvement in the active layer of OPV cells, due to its huge carrier mobility, thermal and chemical stability, and its compatibility with the solution process. In this work, we report on the improvement of the optoelectronic properties and photovoltaic performance of graphene nanoplatelet (GNP)-doped P3HT:PCBM photoactive blended layers, integrated into a bulk heterojunction (BHJ) organic-photovoltaic-based device, using PEDOT:PSS on an ITO/glass substrate. First, the light absorption capacity was observed to increase with respect to the GNP content, while the photoluminescence showed clear quenching, indicating electron transfer between the graphene sheets and the polymeric matrix. Then, the incorporation of GNP into the BHJ active layer resulted in enhanced PV performance with respect to the reference cell, and the best PV performance was obtained with 3 wt.% of GNP loading, with an open-circuit voltage of 1.24 V, a short-circuit current density value of 6.18 mA cm-2, a fill factor of 47.12%, and a power conversion efficiency of about 3.61%. We believe that the obtained results contribute to the development of organic photovoltaic devices and to the understanding of the impact of sp2-bonded carbon therein.

  2. Study of a ternary blend system for bulk heterojunction thin film solar cells

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ahmad, Zubair; Touati, Farid; Shakoor, R. A.; Al-Thani, N. J.

    2016-08-01

    In this research, we report a bulk heterojunction (BHJ) solar cell consisting of a ternary blend system. Poly(3-hexylthiophene) P3HT is used as a donor and [6,6]-phenyl C61-butyric acid methylester (PCBM) plays the role of acceptor whereas vanadyl 2,9,16,23-tetraphenoxy-29H, 31H-phthalocyanine (VOPcPhO) is selected as an ambipolar transport material. The materials are selected and assembled in such a fashion that the generated charge carriers could efficiently be transported rightwards within the blend. The organic BHJ solar cells consist of ITO/PEDOT:PSS/ternary BHJ blend/Al structure. The power conversion efficiencies of the ITO/ PEDOT:PSS/P3HT:PCBM/Al and ITO/PEDOT:PSS/ P3HT:PCBM:VOPcPhO/Al solar cells are found to be 2.3% and 3.4%, respectively. This publication was made possible by PDRA (Grant No. PDRA1-0117-14109) from the Qatar National Research Fund (a member of Qatar Foundation). The findings achieved herein are solely the responsibility of the authors.

  3. Comparative Visual Analysis of Structure-Performance Relations in Complex Bulk-Heterojunction Morphologies

    KAUST Repository

    Aboulhassan, A.

    2017-07-04

    The structure of Bulk-Heterojunction (BHJ) materials, the main component of organic photovoltaic solar cells, is very complex, and the relationship between structure and performance is still largely an open question. Overall, there is a wide spectrum of fabrication configurations resulting in different BHJ morphologies and correspondingly different performances. Current state-of-the-art methods for assessing the performance of BHJ morphologies are either based on global quantification of morphological features or simply on visual inspection of the morphology based on experimental imaging. This makes finding optimal BHJ structures very challenging. Moreover, finding the optimal fabrication parameters to get an optimal structure is still an open question. In this paper, we propose a visual analysis framework to help answer these questions through comparative visualization and parameter space exploration for local morphology features. With our approach, we enable scientists to explore multivariate correlations between local features and performance indicators of BHJ morphologies. Our framework is built on shape-based clustering of local cubical regions of the morphology that we call patches. This enables correlating the features of clusters with intuition-based performance indicators computed from geometrical and topological features of charge paths.

  4. Comparative Visual Analysis of Structure-Performance Relations in Complex Bulk-Heterojunction Morphologies

    KAUST Repository

    Aboulhassan, A.; Sicat, R.; Baum, D.; Wodo, O.; Hadwiger, Markus

    2017-01-01

    The structure of Bulk-Heterojunction (BHJ) materials, the main component of organic photovoltaic solar cells, is very complex, and the relationship between structure and performance is still largely an open question. Overall, there is a wide spectrum of fabrication configurations resulting in different BHJ morphologies and correspondingly different performances. Current state-of-the-art methods for assessing the performance of BHJ morphologies are either based on global quantification of morphological features or simply on visual inspection of the morphology based on experimental imaging. This makes finding optimal BHJ structures very challenging. Moreover, finding the optimal fabrication parameters to get an optimal structure is still an open question. In this paper, we propose a visual analysis framework to help answer these questions through comparative visualization and parameter space exploration for local morphology features. With our approach, we enable scientists to explore multivariate correlations between local features and performance indicators of BHJ morphologies. Our framework is built on shape-based clustering of local cubical regions of the morphology that we call patches. This enables correlating the features of clusters with intuition-based performance indicators computed from geometrical and topological features of charge paths.

  5. Bulk-heterojunction organic solar cells sandwiched by solution processed molybdenum oxide and titania nanosheet layers

    Science.gov (United States)

    Itoh, Eiji; Goto, Yoshinori; Fukuda, Katsutoshi

    2014-02-01

    The contributions of ultrathin titania nanosheet (TN) crystallites were studied in both an inverted bulk-heterojunction (BHJ) cell in an indium-tin oxide (ITO)/titania nanosheet (TN)/poly(3-hexylthiophene) (P3HT):phenyl-C61-butyric acid methylester (PCBM) active layer/MoOx/Ag multilayered photovoltaic device and a conventional BHJ cell in ITO/MoOx/P3HT:PCBM active layer/TN/Al multilayered photovoltaic device. The insertion of only one or two layers of poly(diallyldimethylammonium chloride) (PDDA) and TN multilayered film prepared by the layer-by-layer deposition technique effectively decreased the leakage current and increased the open circuit voltage (VOC), fill factor (FF), and power conversion efficiency (η). The conventional cell sandwiched between a solution-processed, partially crystallized molybdenum oxide hole-extracting buffer layer and a TN electron extracting buffer layer showed comparable cell performance to a device sandwiched between vacuum-deposited molybdenum oxide and TN layers, whereas the inverted cell with solution-processed molybdenum oxide showed a poorer performance probably owing to the increment in the leakage current across the film. The abnormal S-shaped curves observed in the inverted BHJ cell above VOC disappeared with the use of a polyfluorene-based cationic semiconducting polymer as a substitute for an insulating PDDA film, resulting in the improved cell performance.

  6. Efficiency increase in flexible bulk heterojunction solar cells with a nano-patterned indium zinc oxide anode

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Wang, Dong Hwan; Seifter, Jason; Heeger, Alan J. [Center for Polymers and Organic Solids, University of California at Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, California 93106-5090 (United States); Park, Jong Hyeok [School of Chemical Engineering and SAINT, Sungkyunkwan University, Suwon 440-746 (Korea, Republic of); Choi, Dae-Geun [Nano-Mechanical Systems Research Division, Korea Institute of Machinery and Materials (KIMM), 171 Jang-dong, Yuseong-gu, Daejeon, 305-343 (Korea, Republic of)

    2012-11-15

    Efficient flexible bulk-heterojunction polymer solar cells based on PCDTBT/PC{sub 70}BM were successfully fabricated by a simple nano-imprint technique. The flexible nano-patterned IZO anode with ordered periodic dot structures led to improved light absorption and increased interfacial contact area between the anode and polymer as well as between the polymer and cathode. (Copyright copyright 2012 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH and Co. KGaA, Weinheim)

  7. Development of Efficient and Stable Inverted Bulk Heterojunction (BHJ) Solar Cells Using Different Metal Oxide Interfaces

    OpenAIRE

    Ivan Litzov; Christoph J. Brabec

    2013-01-01

    Solution-processed inverted bulk heterojunction (BHJ) solar cells have gained much more attention during the last decade, because of their significantly better environmental stability compared to the normal architecture BHJ solar cells. Transparent metal oxides (MeO x ) play an important role as the dominant class for solution-processed interface materials in this development, due to their excellent optical transparency, their relatively high electrical conductivity and their tunable work fun...

  8. Study of the Contributions of Donor and Acceptor Photoexcitations to Open Circuit Voltage in Bulk Heterojunction Organic Solar Cells

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Douglas Yeboah

    2017-10-01

    Full Text Available One of the key parameters in determining the power conversion efficiency (PCE of bulk heterojunction (BHJ organic solar cells (OSCs is the open circuit voltage . The processes of exciting the donor and acceptor materials individually in a BHJ OSC are investigated and are found to produce two different expressions for . Using the contributions of electron and hole quasi-Fermi levels and charge carrier concentrations, the two different expressions are derived as functions of the energetics of the donor and acceptor materials and the photo-generated charge carrier concentrations, and calculated for a set of donor-acceptor blends. The simultaneous excitation of both the donor and acceptor materials is also considered and the corresponding , which is different from the above two, is derived. The calculated from the photoexcitation of the donor is found to be somewhat comparable with that obtained from the photoexcitation of the acceptor in most combinations of the donor and acceptor materials considered here. It is also found that the calculated from the simultaneous excitations of donor and acceptor in BHJ OSCs is also comparable with the other two . All three thus derived produce similar results and agree reasonably well with the measured values. All three depend linearly on the concentration of the photoexcited charge carriers and hence incident light intensity, which agrees with experimental results. The outcomes of this study are expected to help in finding materials that may produce higher and hence enhanced PCE in BHJ OSCs.

  9. Synergistic Impact of Solvent and Polymer Additives on the Film Formation of Small Molecule Blend Films for Bulk Heterojunction Solar Cells

    KAUST Repository

    McDowell, Caitlin; Abdelsamie, Maged; Zhao, Kui; Smilgies, Detlef M.; Bazan, Guillermo C.; Amassian, Aram

    2015-01-01

    The addition of polystyrene (PS), a typical insulator, is empirically shown to increase the power conversion efficiencies (PCEs) of a solution-deposited bulk heterojunction (BHJ) molecular blend film used in solar cell fabrication: p-DTS(FBTTh2)2/PC

  10. Energy level alignment and sub-bandgap charge generation in polymer:fullerene bulk heterojunction solar cells.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tsang, Sai-Wing; Chen, Song; So, Franky

    2013-05-07

    Using charge modulated electroabsorption spectroscopy (CMEAS), for the first time, the energy level alignment of a polymer:fullerene bulk heterojunction photovoltaic cell is directly measured. The charge-transfer excitons generated by the sub-bandgap optical pumping are coupled with the modulating electric field and introduce subtle changes in optical absorption in the sub-bandgap region. This minimum required energy for sub-bandgap charge genreation is defined as the effective bandgap. Copyright © 2013 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  11. p-Type semiconducting nickel oxide as an efficiency-enhancing anode interfacial layer in polymer bulk-heterojunction solar cells

    Science.gov (United States)

    Irwin, Michael D.; Buchholz, D. Bruce; Hains, Alexander W.; Chang, Robert P. H.; Marks, Tobin J.

    2008-01-01

    To minimize interfacial power losses, thin (5–80 nm) layers of NiO, a p-type oxide semiconductor, are inserted between the active organic layer, poly(3-hexylthiophene) (P3HT) + [6,6]-phenyl-C61 butyric acid methyl ester (PCBM), and the ITO (tin-doped indium oxide) anode of bulk-heterojunction ITO/P3HT:PCBM/LiF/Al solar cells. The interfacial NiO layer is deposited by pulsed laser deposition directly onto cleaned ITO, and the active layer is subsequently deposited by spin-coating. Insertion of the NiO layer affords cell power conversion efficiencies as high as 5.2% and enhances the fill factor to 69% and the open-circuit voltage (Voc) to 638 mV versus an ITO/P3HT:PCBM/LiF/Al control device. The value of such hole-transporting/electron-blocking interfacial layers is clearly demonstrated and should be applicable to other organic photovoltaics.

  12. Significant Improvement of Organic Thin-Film Transistor Mobility Utilizing an Organic Heterojunction Buffer Layer

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Pan Feng; Qian Xian-Rui; Huang Li-Zhen; Wang Hai-Bo; Yan Dong-Hang

    2011-01-01

    High-mobility vanadyl phthalocyanine (VOPc)/5,5‴-bis(4-fluorophenyl)-2,2':5',2″:5″,2‴-quaterthiophene (F2-P4T) thin-film transistors are demonstrated by employing a copper hexadecafluorophthalocyanine (F 16 CuPc)/copper phthalocyanine (CuPc) heterojunction unit, which are fabricated at different substrate temperatures, as a buffer layer. The highest mobility of 4.08cm 2 /Vs is achieved using a F 16 CuPc/CuPc organic heterojunction buffer layer fabricated at high substrate temperature. Compared with the random small grain-like morphology of the room-temperature buffer layer, the high-temperature organic heterojunction presents a large-sized fiber-like film morphology, resulting in an enhanced conductivity. Thus the contact resistance of the transistor is significantly reduced and an obvious improvement in device mobility is obtained. (cross-disciplinary physics and related areas of science and technology)

  13. The effect of solvent on the morphology of an inkjet printed active layer of bulk heterojunction solar cells

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Fauzia, Vivi; Umar, Akrajas Ali; Salleh, Muhamad Mat; Yahaya, Muhammad

    2011-01-01

    Bulk heterojunction organic solar cells were fabricated by sandwiching the active layer between indium tin oxide (ITO) and Al electrodes. The active layer used was a blend of poly(3-octylthiophene-2,5-diyl) (P3OT) as the electron donor and (6,6)-phenyl C 71 butyric acid methyl ester (PC 71 BM) as the electron acceptor. The active layer thin films were deposited by an inkjet printing technique. Prior to deposition of the thin films, the active materials were blended in three different solvents. The printed films were annealed at three different temperatures. It was found that the selection of the appropriate solvent and annealing treatment significantly influences the printing process, the morphology of the printed film and subsequently the performance of the solar cell devices

  14. Polymer:Nonfullerene Bulk Heterojunction Solar Cells with Exceptionally Low Recombination Rates

    KAUST Repository

    Gasparini, Nicola; Salvador, Michael; Heumueller, Thomas; Richter, Moses; Classen, Andrej; Shrestha, Shreetu; Matt, Gebhard J.; Holliday, Sarah; Strohm, Sebastian; Egelhaaf, Hans-Joachim; Wadsworth, Andrew; Baran, Derya; McCulloch, Iain; Brabec, Christoph J.

    2017-01-01

    Organic semiconductors are in general known to have an inherently lower charge carrier mobility compared to their inorganic counterparts. Bimolecular recombination of holes and electrons is an important loss mechanism and can often be described by the Langevin recombination model. Here, the device physics of bulk heterojunction solar cells based on a nonfullerene acceptor (IDTBR) in combination with poly(3-hexylthiophene) (P3HT) are elucidated, showing an unprecedentedly low bimolecular recombination rate. The high fill factor observed (above 65%) is attributed to non-Langevin behavior with a Langevin prefactor (β/βL) of 1.9 × 10−4. The absence of parasitic recombination and high charge carrier lifetimes in P3HT:IDTBR solar cells inform an almost ideal bimolecular recombination behavior. This exceptional recombination behavior is explored to fabricate devices with layer thicknesses up to 450 nm without significant performance losses. The determination of the photoexcited carrier mobility by time-of-flight measurements reveals a long-lived and nonthermalized carrier transport as the origin for the exceptional transport physics. The crystalline microstructure arrangement of both components is suggested to be decisive for this slow recombination dynamics. Further, the thickness-independent power conversion efficiency is of utmost technological relevance for upscaling production and reiterates the importance of understanding material design in the context of low bimolecular recombination.

  15. Polymer:Nonfullerene Bulk Heterojunction Solar Cells with Exceptionally Low Recombination Rates

    KAUST Repository

    Gasparini, Nicola

    2017-09-01

    Organic semiconductors are in general known to have an inherently lower charge carrier mobility compared to their inorganic counterparts. Bimolecular recombination of holes and electrons is an important loss mechanism and can often be described by the Langevin recombination model. Here, the device physics of bulk heterojunction solar cells based on a nonfullerene acceptor (IDTBR) in combination with poly(3-hexylthiophene) (P3HT) are elucidated, showing an unprecedentedly low bimolecular recombination rate. The high fill factor observed (above 65%) is attributed to non-Langevin behavior with a Langevin prefactor (β/βL) of 1.9 × 10−4. The absence of parasitic recombination and high charge carrier lifetimes in P3HT:IDTBR solar cells inform an almost ideal bimolecular recombination behavior. This exceptional recombination behavior is explored to fabricate devices with layer thicknesses up to 450 nm without significant performance losses. The determination of the photoexcited carrier mobility by time-of-flight measurements reveals a long-lived and nonthermalized carrier transport as the origin for the exceptional transport physics. The crystalline microstructure arrangement of both components is suggested to be decisive for this slow recombination dynamics. Further, the thickness-independent power conversion efficiency is of utmost technological relevance for upscaling production and reiterates the importance of understanding material design in the context of low bimolecular recombination.

  16. Bulk Heterojunction Solar Cell Devices Prepared with Composites of Conjugated Polymer and Zinc Oxide Nanorods

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Nguyen Tam Nguyen Truong

    2017-01-01

    Full Text Available ZnO nanorods (Nrods with ~20–50 nm lengths were synthesized using an aqueous solution of zinc acetate and glacial acetic acid. Bulk heterojunction solar cells were fabricated with the structure of indium tin oxide (ITO/polyethylenedioxythiophene doped with polystyrene-sulfonic acid (PEDOT:PSS/ZnO-Nrods + polymer/electron transport layer (ETL/Al. Current density-voltage characterization of the resulting cells showed that, by adding an ETL and using polymers with a low band gap energy, the photoactive layer surface morphology and the device performance can be dramatically improved.

  17. Thieno[3,4-c]pyrrole-4,6-dione-3,4-difluorothiophene Polymer Acceptors for Efficient All-Polymer Bulk Heterojunction Solar Cells

    KAUST Repository

    Liu, Shengjian

    2016-09-16

    Branched-alkyl-substituted poly(thieno[3,4-c]pyrrole-4,6-dione-alt-3,4-difluorothiophene) (PTPD[2F]T) can be used as a polymer acceptor in bulk heterojunction (BHJ) solar cells with a low-band-gap polymer donor (PCE10) commonly used with fullerenes. The

  18. Solution-processed all-oxide bulk heterojunction solar cells based on CuO nanaorod array and TiO2 nanocrystals

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wu, Fan; Qiao, Qiquan; Bahrami, Behzad; Chen, Ke; Pathak, Rajesh; Tong, Yanhua; Li, Xiaoyi; Zhang, Tiansheng; Jian, Ronghua

    2018-05-01

    We present a method to synthesize CuO nanorod array/TiO2 nanocrystals bulk heterojunction (BHJ) on fluorine-tin-oxide (FTO) glass, in which single-crystalline p-type semiconductor of the CuO nanorod array is grown on the FTO glass by hydrothermal reaction and the n-type semiconductor of the TiO2 precursor is filled into the CuO nanorods to form well-organized nano-interpenetrating BHJ after air annealing. The interface charge transfer in CuO nanorod array/TiO2 heterojunction is studied by Kelvin probe force microscopy (KPFM). KPFM results demonstrate that the CuO nanorod array/TiO2 heterojunction can realize the transfer of photo-generated electrons from the CuO nanorod array to TiO2. In this work, a solar cell with the structure FTO/CuO nanoarray/TiO2/Al is successfully fabricated, which exhibits an open-circuit voltage (V oc) of 0.20 V and short-circuit current density (J sc) of 0.026 mA cm‑2 under AM 1.5 illumination. KPFM studies indicate that the very low performance is caused by an undesirable interface charge transfer. The interfacial surface potential (SP) shows that the electron concentration in the CuO nanorod array changes considerably after illumination due to increased photo-generated electrons, but the change in the electron concentration in TiO2 is much less than in CuO, which indicates that the injection efficiency of the photo-generated electrons from CuO to TiO2 is not satisfactory, resulting in an undesirable J sc in the solar cell. The interface photovoltage from the KPFM measurement shows that the low V oc results from the small interfacial SP difference between CuO and TiO2 because the low injected electron concentration cannot raise the Fermi level significantly in TiO2. This conclusion agrees with the measured work function results under illumination. Hence, improvement of the interfacial electron injection is primary for the CuO nanorod array/TiO2 heterojunction solar cells.

  19. Solvent additive effects on small molecule crystallization in bulk heterojunction solar cells probed during spin casting

    KAUST Repository

    Pérez, Louis A.

    2013-09-04

    Solvent additive processing can lead to drastic improvements in the power conversion efficiency (PCE) in solution processable small molecule (SPSM) bulk heterojunction solar cells. In situ grazing incidence wide-angle X-ray scattering is used to investigate the kinetics of crystallite formation during and shortly after spin casting. The additive is shown to have a complex effect on structural evolution invoking polymorphism and enhanced crystalline quality of the donor SPSM. © 2013 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  20. Solvent additive effects on small molecule crystallization in bulk heterojunction solar cells probed during spin casting

    KAUST Repository

    Pé rez, Louis A.; Chou, Kang Wei; Love, John A.; Van Der Poll, Thomas S.; Smilgies, Detlef Matthias; Nguyen, Thuc Quyen; Krä mer, Edward J.; Amassian, Aram; Bazan, Guillermo C.

    2013-01-01

    Solvent additive processing can lead to drastic improvements in the power conversion efficiency (PCE) in solution processable small molecule (SPSM) bulk heterojunction solar cells. In situ grazing incidence wide-angle X-ray scattering is used to investigate the kinetics of crystallite formation during and shortly after spin casting. The additive is shown to have a complex effect on structural evolution invoking polymorphism and enhanced crystalline quality of the donor SPSM. © 2013 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  1. Bulk heterojunction formation between indium tin oxide nanorods and CuInS2 nanoparticles for inorganic thin film solar cell applications.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cho, Jin Woo; Park, Se Jin; Kim, Jaehoon; Kim, Woong; Park, Hoo Keun; Do, Young Rag; Min, Byoung Koun

    2012-02-01

    In this study, we developed a novel inorganic thin film solar cell configuration in which bulk heterojunction was formed between indium tin oxide (ITO) nanorods and CuInS(2) (CIS). Specifically, ITO nanorods were first synthesized by the radio frequency magnetron sputtering deposition method followed by deposition of a dense TiO(2) layer and CdS buffer layer using atomic layer deposition and chemical bath deposition method, respectively. The spatial region between the nanorods was then filled with CIS nanoparticle ink, which was presynthesized using the colloidal synthetic method. We observed that complete gap filling was achieved to form bulk heterojunction between the inorganic phases. As a proof-of-concept, solar cell devices were fabricated by depositing an Au electrode on top of the CIS layer, which exhibited the best photovoltaic response with a V(oc), J(sc), FF, and efficiency of 0.287 V, 9.63 mA/cm(2), 0.364, and 1.01%, respectively.

  2. Synergistic Impact of Solvent and Polymer Additives on the Film Formation of Small Molecule Blend Films for Bulk Heterojunction Solar Cells

    KAUST Repository

    McDowell, Caitlin

    2015-07-14

    The addition of polystyrene (PS), a typical insulator, is empirically shown to increase the power conversion efficiencies (PCEs) of a solution-deposited bulk heterojunction (BHJ) molecular blend film used in solar cell fabrication: p-DTS(FBTTh2)2/PC71BM. The performance is further improved by small quantities of diiodooctane (DIO), an established solvent additive. In this study, how the addition of PS and DIO affects the film formation of this bulk heterojunction blend film are probed via in situ monitoring of absorbance, thickness, and crystallinity. PS and DIO additives are shown to promote donor crystallite formation on different time scales and through different mechanisms. PS-containing films retain chlorobenzene solvent, extending evaporation time and promoting phase separation earlier in the casting process. This extended time is insufficient to attain the morphology for optimal PCE results before the film sets. Here is where the presence of DIO comes into play: its low vapor pressure further extends the time scale of film evolution and allows for crystalline rearrangement of the donor phase long after casting, ultimately leading to the best BHJ organization. In situ measurement shows that polystyrene (PS) and diiodooctane (DIO) additives promote donor crystallite formation synergistically, on different time scales, and through different mechanisms. PS-rich films retain solvent, promoting phase separation early in the casting process. Meanwhile, the low vapor pressure of DIO extends the time scale of film evolution and allows for crystalline rearrangement of the donor phase after casting. © 2015 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  3. Hole and electron extraction layers based on graphene oxide derivatives for high-performance bulk heterojunction solar cells.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Liu, Jun; Xue, Yuhua; Gao, Yunxiang; Yu, Dingshan; Durstock, Michael; Dai, Liming

    2012-05-02

    By charge neutralization of carboxylic acid groups in graphene oxide (GO) with Cs(2)CO(3) to afford Cesium-neutralized GO (GO-Cs), GO derivatives with appropriate modification are used as both hole- and electron-extraction layers for bulk heterojunction (BHJ) solar cells. The normal and inverted devices based on GO hole- and GO-Cs electron-extraction layers both outperform the corresponding standard BHJ solar cells. Copyright © 2012 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  4. Efficiency Enhancement in Bulk Heterojunction Polymer Photovoltaic Cells Using ZrTiO4/Bi2O3 Metal-Oxide Nanocomposites

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Abdul Jabbar, Mohammed Hussain; Neppolian, B.; Shim, Hee-Sang

    2010-01-01

    We report the effect of metal-oxide nanocomposites on the performance of bulk heterojunction polymer solar cells. A photoactive layer composed of poly(3-hexylthiophene) (P3HT) and [6,6]-phenyl-C61-butyric acid methyl ester (PCBM) was blended with a newly developed ZrTiO4/Bi2O3 (BITZ) metal-oxide...

  5. Efficient cascade multiple heterojunction organic solar cells with inverted structure

    Science.gov (United States)

    Guo, Tingting; Li, Mingtao; Qiao, Zhenfang; Yu, Leiming; Zhao, Jianhong; Feng, Nianjun; Shi, Peiguang; Wang, Xiaoyan; Pu, Xiaoyun; Wang, Hai

    2018-05-01

    In this work, we demonstrate an efficient cascade multiple heterojunction organic solar cell with inverted structure. By using two donor materials, poly(3-hexylthiosphene) (P3HT) and titanyl phthalocyanine (TiOPc), as well as two acceptor materials, [6,6]-phenyl C61 butyric acid methyl ester (PCBM) and C60, the cascade multiple heterojunctions of P3HT:PCBM/TiOPc:C60/C60 have been constructed. Applying the optimized inverted configuration of FTO/Zinc Tin Oxide (ZTO)/C60 (30 nm)/TiOPc:C60 (1:1.5, 25 nm)/P3HT:PCBM (1:0.8, 100 nm)/MoO3 (4 nm)/Ag, the considerably enhanced open circuit voltage (VOC) and short circuit current (JSC) can be harvested together, and the power conversion efficiency (PCE) is three times higher than that of the control cell with conventional structure. The significant improvements of the inverted cell are mostly due to the broadened spectral absorption and high efficient multi-interface exciton dissociation in the cascade multiple heterojunctions, indicating that the optimized cascade heterojunctions match the inverted structure well.

  6. Planar versus bulk heterojunction perovskite microstructures: Impact of morphology on photovoltaic properties and recombination dynamics

    Science.gov (United States)

    Singh, Ranbir; Shukla, Vivek Kumar

    2018-05-01

    In this work, we compare the planar and bulk heterojunction (BHJ) perovskite thin films for their morphologies, photovoltaic properties, and recombination dynamics. The BHJ perovskite thin films were prepared with the addition of fullerene derivative [6, 6]-Phenyl-C60 butyric acid methyl ester (PC60BM). The addition of PC60BM in perovskite provides a pinhole free film with high absorption coefficient and better charge transfer. The solar cells fabricated with BHJ perovskite exhibits power conversion efficiency (PCE) of 13.5%, with remarkably increased short-circuit current density (JSC) of 20.1 mAcm-2 and reduced recombination rate.

  7. Hole and electron extraction layers based on graphene oxide derivatives for high-performance bulk heterojunction solar cells

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Liu, Jun; Gao, Yunxiang; Yu, Dingshan; Dai, Liming [Center of Advanced Science and Engineering for Carbon, Department of Macromolecular, Science and Engineering, Case School of Engineering, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio (United States); Xue, Yuhua [Center of Advanced Science and Engineering for Carbon, Department of Macromolecular, Science and Engineering, Case School of Engineering, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio (United States); Institute of Advanced Materials for Nano-Bio Applications, School of Ophthalmology and Optometry, Wenzhou Medical College, Zhejiang 325027 (China); Durstock, Michael [Materials and Manufacturing Directorate, Air Force Research Laboratory, RXBP, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio 45433 (United States)

    2012-05-02

    By charge neutralization of carboxylic acid groups in graphene oxide (GO) with Cs{sub 2}CO{sub 3} to afford Cesium-neutralized GO (GO-Cs), GO derivatives with appropriate modification are used as both hole- and electron-extraction layers for bulk heterojunction (BHJ) solar cells. The normal and inverted devices based on GO hole- and GO-Cs electron-extraction layers both outperform the corresponding standard BHJ solar cells. (Copyright copyright 2012 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH and Co. KGaA, Weinheim)

  8. Accelerated stability testing of organic photovoltaics using concentrated sunlight

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Katz, Eugene A.; Manor, Assaf; Mescheloff, Asaf

    2012-01-01

    We suggest to use concentrated sunlight for accelerated studies of light-induced mechanisms in the degradation of organic photovoltaics (OPV) based on the polymer (P3HT)/fullerene (PCBM) bulk heterojunctions. Two particular cases of the degradation are reported.......We suggest to use concentrated sunlight for accelerated studies of light-induced mechanisms in the degradation of organic photovoltaics (OPV) based on the polymer (P3HT)/fullerene (PCBM) bulk heterojunctions. Two particular cases of the degradation are reported....

  9. Bis(tri-n-hexylsilyl oxide) silicon phthalocyanine: a unique additive in ternary bulk heterojunction organic photovoltaic devices.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lessard, Benoît H; Dang, Jeremy D; Grant, Trevor M; Gao, Dong; Seferos, Dwight S; Bender, Timothy P

    2014-09-10

    Previous studies have shown that the use of bis(tri-n-hexylsilyl oxide) silicon phthalocyanine ((3HS)2-SiPc) as an additive in a P3HT:PC61BM cascade ternary bulk heterojunction organic photovoltaic (BHJ OPV) device results in an increase in the short circuit current (J(SC)) and efficiency (η(eff)) of up to 25% and 20%, respectively. The previous studies have attributed the increase in performance to the presence of (3HS)2-SiPc at the BHJ interface. In this study, we explored the molecular characteristics of (3HS)2-SiPc which makes it so effective in increasing the OPV device J(SC) and η(eff. Initially, we synthesized phthalocyanine-based additives using different core elements such as germanium and boron instead of silicon, each having similar frontier orbital energies compared to (3HS)2-SiPc and tested their effect on BHJ OPV device performance. We observed that addition of bis(tri-n-hexylsilyl oxide) germanium phthalocyanine ((3HS)2-GePc) or tri-n-hexylsilyl oxide boron subphthalocyanine (3HS-BsubPc) resulted in a nonstatistically significant increase in JSC and η(eff). Secondly, we kept the silicon phthalocyanine core and substituted the tri-n-hexylsilyl solubilizing groups with pentadecyl phenoxy groups and tested the resulting dye in a BHJ OPV. While an increase in JSC and η(eff) was observed at low (PDP)2-SiPc loadings, the increase was not as significant as (3HS)2-SiPc; therefore, (3HS)2-SiPc is a unique additive. During our study, we observed that (3HS)2-SiPc had an extraordinary tendency to crystallize compared to the other compounds in this study and our general experience. On the basis of this observation, we have offered a hypothesis that when (3HS)2-SiPc migrates to the P3HT:PC61BM interface the reason for its unique performance is not solely due to its frontier orbital energies but also might be due to a high driving force for crystallization.

  10. Efficient inverted bulk-heterojunction polymer solar cells with self-assembled monolayer modified zinc oxide.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kim, Wook Hyun; Lyu, Hong-Kun; Han, Yoon Soo; Woo, Sungho

    2013-10-01

    The performance of poly(3-hexylthiophen) (P3HT) and [6, 6]phenyl C61 butyric acid methyl ester ([60]PCBM)-based inverted bulk-heterojunction (BHJ) polymer solar cells (PSCs) is enhanced by the modification of zinc oxide (ZnO)/BHJ interface with carboxylic-acid-functionalized self-assembled monolayers (SAMs). Under simulated solar illumination of AM 1.5 (100 mW/cm2), the inverted devices fabricated with SAM-modified ZnO achieved an enhanced power conversion efficiency (PCE) of 3.34% due to the increased fill factor and photocurrent density as compared to unmodified cells with PCE of 2.60%. This result provides an efficient method for interface engineering in inverted BHJ PSCs.

  11. Epitaxial Growth of an Organic p-n Heterojunction: C60 on Single-Crystal Pentacene.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nakayama, Yasuo; Mizuno, Yuta; Hosokai, Takuya; Koganezawa, Tomoyuki; Tsuruta, Ryohei; Hinderhofer, Alexander; Gerlach, Alexander; Broch, Katharina; Belova, Valentina; Frank, Heiko; Yamamoto, Masayuki; Niederhausen, Jens; Glowatzki, Hendrik; Rabe, Jürgen P; Koch, Norbert; Ishii, Hisao; Schreiber, Frank; Ueno, Nobuo

    2016-06-01

    Designing molecular p-n heterojunction structures, i.e., electron donor-acceptor contacts, is one of the central challenges for further development of organic electronic devices. In the present study, a well-defined p-n heterojunction of two representative molecular semiconductors, pentacene and C60, formed on the single-crystal surface of pentacene is precisely investigated in terms of its growth behavior and crystallographic structure. C60 assembles into a (111)-oriented face-centered-cubic crystal structure with a specific epitaxial orientation on the (001) surface of the pentacene single crystal. The present experimental findings provide molecular scale insights into the formation mechanisms of the organic p-n heterojunction through an accurate structural analysis of the single-crystalline molecular contact.

  12. Efficiency-limiting processes in OPV bulk heterojunctions of GeNIDTBT and IDT-based acceptors

    KAUST Repository

    Al-Saggaf, Sarah M.

    2018-05-16

    The successful realization of highly efficient bulk heterojunction OPV devices requires the development of organic donor and acceptor materials with tailored properties. Recently, non-fullerene acceptors (NFAs) have emerged as an alternative to the ubiquitously used fullerene derivatives. NFAs showed a rapid increase in efficiencies, now exceeding a PCE of 13%. In my thesis research, I used two small molecule IDT-based acceptors, namely O-IDTBR and O-IDTBCN, in combination with a wide bandgap donor polymer, GeNIDT-BT, as active material in BHJ solar cells and investigated their photophysical characteristics. The polymer combined with O-IDTBR as acceptor achieved a power conversion efficiency of only 2%, which is significantly lower than that obtained for the system of GeNIDT-BT: O-IDTBCN (5.3%). Using nano- to microsecond transient absorption spectroscopy, I investigated both systems and demonstrated that GeNIDT-BT:O-IDTBR exhibits more geminate recombination of interfacial charge-transfer states, leading to lower short circuit currents. Using time-delayed collection field experiments, I studied the field dependence of charge generation and its impact on the device fill factor. Overall, my results provide a qualitative understanding of the efficiency-limiting processes in both systems and their impact on device performance.

  13. Novel Terthiophene-Substituted Fullerene Derivatives as Easily Accessible Acceptor Molecules for Bulk-Heterojunction Polymer Solar Cells

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Filippo Nisic

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available Five fulleropyrrolidines and methanofullerenes, bearing one or two terthiophene moieties, have been prepared in a convenient way and well characterized. These novel fullerene derivatives are characterized by good solubility and by better harvesting of the solar radiation with respect to traditional PCBM. In addition, they have a relatively high LUMO level and a low band gap that can be easily tuned by an adequate design of the link between the fullerene and the terthiophene. Preliminary results show that they are potential acceptors for the creation of efficient bulk-heterojunction solar cells based on donor polymers containing thiophene units.

  14. Design and electrical characterization of Au/Anthracene/p-Si/Al organic/inorganic heterojunction

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Al-Ghamdi, Attieh A., E-mail: aaaalghamdi4@kau.edu.sa [Center of Nanotechnology, King Abdulaziz University, Department of Physics, North Jeddah (Saudi Arabia); Nawar, Ahmed M.; El-Tantawy, Farid [Department of Physics, Faculty of Science, Suez Canal University, Ismailia (Egypt); Yaghmour, S.J. [Department of Physics, King Abdulaziz University, North Jeddah (Saudi Arabia); Azam, Ameer [Center of Nanotechnology, King Abdulaziz University, Department of Physics, North Jeddah (Saudi Arabia)

    2015-02-15

    Highlights: • We have successfully fabricated a Au/Anthracene/p-Si/Al organic/inorganic heterojunction. • The calculated series resistance and the shunt resistance of the device were found to be 440 Ω and 1.47 MΩ, respectively. • The Cheung-Cheung and Norde’s models were used to investigate and determine the heterojunction parameters. • Essential junction parameters and performance of heterojunction established a photovoltaic behavior. • Open circuit voltage (V{sub oc}) 0.382 V, short circuit photocurrent (I{sub SC}) 0.72 mA and power conversion efficiency (η) of 4.65%. - Abstract: Hybrid organic/inorganic heterojunction of nanocrystalline Anthracene and p-Si was fabricated by using a conventional thermal evaporation technique. The crystal and molecular structure of the Anthracene thin films were analyzed by means of X-ray diffraction (XRD), and Fourier Transformation-Infra Red (FT-IR) spectroscopy. The morphologies of the Anthracene/p-Si were investigated by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The dark current-voltage (I-V) characteristics of Au/Anthracene/p-Si/Al heterojunction were investigated at room temperature (293 K). The calculated series resistance and the shunt resistance of the device were found to be 440 Ω and 1.47 MΩ, respectively. The Cheung-Cheung and Norde’s models were used to investigate and determine the heterojunction parameters. The ideality factor and barrier height values of the Au/Anthracene/p-Si/Al diode were obtained to be 1.1 and 0.464 eV, respectively. The dependence of capacitance-voltage (C{sup -2}-V) for the device Anthracene/p-Si was found to be almost linear. Essential junction parameters and performance of heterojunction established a photovoltaic behavior with an open circuit voltage (V{sub oc}) 0.382 V, short circuit photocurrent (I{sub SC}) 0.72 mA and power conversion efficiency (η) of 4.65%.

  15. Fabrication of Inverted Bulk-Heterojunction Organic Solar Cell with Ultrathin Titanium Oxide Nanosheet as an Electron-Extracting Buffer Layer

    Science.gov (United States)

    Itoh, Eiji; Maruyama, Yasutake; Fukuda, Katsutoshi

    2012-02-01

    The contributions and deposition conditions of ultrathin titania nanosheet (TN) crystallites were studied in an inverted bulk-heterojunction (BHJ) cell in indium tin oxide (ITO)/titania nanosheet/poly(3-hexylthiophene) (P3HT):phenyl-C61-butyric acid methylester (PCBM) active layer/MoOx/Ag multilayered photovoltaic devices. Only one or two layers of poly(diallyldimethylammonium chloride) (PDDA) and TN multilayered film deposited by the layer-by-layer deposition technique effectively decreased the leakage current and increased both open circuit voltage (VOC) and fill factor (FF), and power conversion efficiency (η) was increased nearly twofold by the insertion of two TN layers. The deposition of additional TN layers caused the reduction in FF, and the abnormal S-shaped curves above VOC for the devices with three and four TN layers were ascribed to the interfacial potential barrier at the ITO/TN interface and the series resistance across the multilayers of TN and PDDA. The performance of the BHJ cell with TN was markedly improved, and the S-shaped curves were eliminated following the the insertion of anatase-phase titanium dioxide between the ITO and TN layers owing to the decrease in the interfacial potential barrier.

  16. Recent Approaches to Controlling the Nanoscale Morphology of Polymer-Based Bulk-Heterojunction Solar Cells

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Abdulra'uf Lukman Bola

    2013-11-01

    Full Text Available The need for clean, inexpensive and renewable energy has increasingly turned research attention towards polymer photovoltaic cells. However, the performance efficiency of these devices is still low in comparison with silicon-based devices. The recent introduction of new materials and processing techniques has resulted in a remarkable increase in power-conversion efficiency, with a value above 10%. Controlling the interpenetrating network morphology is a key factor in obtaining devices with improved performance. This review focuses on the influence of controlled nanoscale morphology on the overall performance of bulk-heterojunction (BHJ photovoltaic cells. Strategies such as the use of solvents, solvent annealing, polymer nanowires (NWs, and donor–acceptor (D–A blend ratios employed to control the active-layer morphologies are all discussed.

  17. Fabrication of ordered bulk heterojunction organic photovoltaic cells using nanopatterning and electrohydrodynamic spray deposition methods.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Park, Sung-Eun; Kim, Sehwan; Kim, Kangmin; Joe, Hang-Eun; Jung, Buyoung; Kim, Eunkyoung; Kim, Woochul; Min, Byung-Kwon; Hwang, Jungho

    2012-12-21

    Organic photovoltaic cells with an ordered heterojunction (OHJ) active layer are expected to show increased performance. In the study described here, OHJ cells were fabricated using a combination of nanoimprinting and electrohydrodynamic (EHD) spray deposition methods. After an electron donor material was nanoimprinted with a PDMS stamp (valley width: 230 nm, period: 590 nm) duplicated from a Si nanomold, an electron acceptor material was deposited onto the nanoimprinted donor layer using an EHD spray deposition method. The donor-acceptor interface layer was observed by obtaining cross-sectional images with a focused ion beam (FIB) microscope. The photocurrent generation performance of the OHJ cells was evaluated with the current density-voltage curve under air mass (AM) 1.5 conditions. It was found that the surface morphology of the electron acceptor layer affected the current and voltage outputs of the photovoltaic cells. When an electron acceptor layer with a smooth thin (250 nm above the valley of the electron donor layer) surface morphology was obtained, power conversion efficiency was as high as 0.55%. The electrohydrodynamic spray deposition method used to produce OHJ photovoltaic cells provides a means for the adoption of large area, high throughput processes.

  18. Inverted bulk-heterojunction organic solar cells with the transfer-printed anodes and low-temperature-processed ultrathin buffer layers

    Science.gov (United States)

    Itoh, Eiji; Sakai, Shota; Fukuda, Katsutoshi

    2018-03-01

    We studied the effects of a hole buffer layer [molybdenum oxide (MoO3) and natural copper oxide layer] and a low-temperature-processed electron buffer layer on the performance of inverted bulk-heterojunction organic solar cells in a device consisting of indium-tin oxide (ITO)/poly(ethylene imine) (PEI)/titanium oxide nanosheet (TiO-NS)/poly(3-hexylthiopnehe) (P3HT):phenyl-C61-butyric acid methylester (PCBM)/oxide/anode (Ag or Cu). The insertion of ultrathin TiO-NS (˜1 nm) and oxide hole buffer layers improved the open circuit voltage V OC, fill factor, and rectification properties owing to the effective hole blocking and electron transport properties of ultrathin TiO-NS, and to the enhanced work function difference between TiO-NS and the oxide hole buffer layer. The insertion of the TiO-NS contributed to the reduction in the potential barrier at the ITO/PEI/TiO-NS/active layer interface for electrons, and the insertion of the oxide hole buffer layer contributed to the reduction in the potential barrier for holes. The marked increase in the capacitance under positive biasing in the capacitance-voltage characteristics revealed that the combination of TiO-NS and MoO3 buffer layers contributes to the selective transport of electrons and holes, and blocks counter carriers at the active layer/oxide interface. The natural oxide layer of the copper electrode also acts as a hole buffer layer owing to the increase in the work function of the Cu surface in the inverted cells. The performance of the cell with evaporated MoO3 and Cu layers that were transfer-printed to the active layer was almost comparable to that of the cell with MoO3 and Ag layers directly evaporated onto the active layer. We also demonstrated comparable device performance in the cell with all-printed MoO3 and low-temperature-processed silver nanoparticles as an anode.

  19. Visualizing excitations at buried heterojunctions in organic semiconductor blends.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jakowetz, Andreas C; Böhm, Marcus L; Sadhanala, Aditya; Huettner, Sven; Rao, Akshay; Friend, Richard H

    2017-05-01

    Interfaces play a crucial role in semiconductor devices, but in many device architectures they are nanostructured, disordered and buried away from the surface of the sample. Conventional optical, X-ray and photoelectron probes often fail to provide interface-specific information in such systems. Here we develop an all-optical time-resolved method to probe the local energetic landscape and electronic dynamics at such interfaces, based on the Stark effect caused by electron-hole pairs photo-generated across the interface. Using this method, we found that the electronically active sites at the polymer/fullerene interfaces in model bulk-heterojunction blends fall within the low-energy tail of the absorption spectrum. This suggests that these sites are highly ordered compared with the bulk of the polymer film, leading to large wavefunction delocalization and low site energies. We also detected a 100 fs migration of holes from higher- to lower-energy sites, consistent with these charges moving ballistically into more ordered polymer regions. This ultrafast charge motion may be key to separating electron-hole pairs into free charges against the Coulomb interaction.

  20. Investigation of donor-acceptor copolymer films and their blends with fullerene in the active layers of bulk heterojunction solar cells by Raman microspectroscopy

    Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

    Cimrová, Věra; Morávková, Zuzana; Pokorná, Veronika; Výprachtický, Drahomír

    2017-01-01

    Roč. 47, August (2017), s. 194-199 ISSN 1566-1199 R&D Projects: GA ČR(CZ) GA13-26542S Institutional support: RVO:61389013 Keywords : conjugated polymers * low-band gap * bulk heterojunction Subject RIV: BM - Solid Matter Physics ; Magnetism OBOR OECD: Condensed matter physics (including formerly solid state physics, supercond.) Impact factor: 3.399, year: 2016

  1. Tail state-assisted charge injection and recombination at the electron-collecting interface of P3HT:PCBM bulk-heterojunction polymer solar cells

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Wang, He [Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ 08544 (United States); Department of Electrical Engineering, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ 08544 (United States); Shah, Manas [Department of Chemical Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139 (United States); Ganesan, Venkat [Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX 78712 (United States); Chabinyc, Michael L. [Materials Department, University of California Santa Barbara, CA 93106 (United States); Loo, Yueh-Lin [Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ 08544 (United States)

    2012-12-15

    The systematic insertion of thin films of P3HT and PCBM at the electron- and hole-collecting interfaces, respectively, in bulk-heterojunction polymer solar cells results in different extents of reduction in device characteristics, with the insertion of P3HT at the electron-collecting interface being less disruptive to the output currents compared to the insertion of PCBM at the hole-collecting interface. This asymmetry is attributed to differences in the tail state-assisted charge injection and recombination at the active layer-electrode interfaces. P3HT exhibits a higher density of tail states compared to PCBM; holes in these tail states can thus easily recombine with electrons at the electron-collection interface during device operation. This process is subsequently compensated by the injection of holes from the cathode into these tail states, which collectively enables net current flow through the polymer solar cell. The study presented herein thus provides a plausible explanation for why preferential segregation of P3HT to the cathode interface is inconsequential to device characteristics in P3HT:PCBM bulk-heterojunction solar cells. (Copyright copyright 2012 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH and Co. KGaA, Weinheim)

  2. Charge transport and recombination in bulk heterojunction solar cells studied by the photoinduced charge extraction in linearly increasing voltage technique

    OpenAIRE

    Mozer, AJ; Sariciftci, NS; Osterbacka, R; Westerling, M; Juska, G; LUTSEN, Laurence; VANDERZANDE, Dirk

    2005-01-01

    Charge carrier mobility and recombination in a bulk heterojunction solar cell based on the mixture of poly[2-methoxy-5-(3,7-dimethyloctyloxy)-phenylene vinylene] (MDMO-PPV) and 1-(3-methoxycarbonyl)propyl-1-phenyl-(6,6)-C-61 (PCBM) has been studied using the novel technique of photoinduced charge carrier extraction in a linearly increasing voltage (Photo-CELIV). In this technique, charge carriers are photogenerated by a short laser flash, and extracted under a reverse bias voltage ramp after ...

  3. Facile fabrication of organic/inorganic nanotube heterojunction arrays for enhanced photoelectrochemical water splitting

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chen, Yingzhi; Li, Aoxiang; Yue, Xiaoqi; Wang, Lu-Ning; Huang, Zheng-Hong; Kang, Feiyu; Volinsky, Alex A.

    2016-07-01

    Organic/inorganic heterojunction photoanodes are appealing for making concurrent use of the highly photoactive organic semiconductors, and the efficient dielectric screening provided by their inorganic counterparts. In the present work, organic/inorganic nanotube heterojunction arrays composed of TiO2 nanotube arrays and a semiconducting N,N-(dicyclohexyl) perylene-3,4,9,10-tetracarboxylic diimide (PDi) layer were fabricated for photoelectrochemical water splitting. In this arrayed architecture, a PDi layer with a tunable thickness was coated on anodic TiO2 nanotube arrays by physical vapor deposition, which is advantageous for the formation of a uniform layer and an adequate interface contact between PDi and TiO2. The obtained PDi/TiO2 junction exhibited broadened visible light absorption, and an effective interface for enhanced photogenerated electron-hole separation, which is supported by the reduced charge transfer resistance and prolonged excitation lifetime via impedance spectroscopy analysis and fluorescence emission decay investigations. Consequently, such a heterojunction photoanode was photoresponsive to a wide visible light region of 400-600 nm, and thus demonstrated a highly enhanced photocurrent density at 1.23 V vs. a reversible hydrogen electrode. Additionally, the durability of such a photoanode can be guaranteed after long-time illumination because of the geometrical restraint imposed by the PDi aggregates. These results pave the way to discover new organic/inorganic assemblies for high-performance photoelectric applications and device integration.Organic/inorganic heterojunction photoanodes are appealing for making concurrent use of the highly photoactive organic semiconductors, and the efficient dielectric screening provided by their inorganic counterparts. In the present work, organic/inorganic nanotube heterojunction arrays composed of TiO2 nanotube arrays and a semiconducting N,N-(dicyclohexyl) perylene-3,4,9,10-tetracarboxylic diimide (PDi

  4. Small molecule solution-processed bulk heterojunction solar cells with inverted structure using porphyrin donor

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yamamoto, Takaki; Hatano, Junichi; Nakagawa, Takafumi; Yamaguchi, Shigeru; Matsuo, Yutaka

    2013-01-01

    Utilizing tetraethynyl porphyrin derivative (TE-Por) as a small molecule donor material, we fabricated a small molecule solution-processed bulk heterojunction (BHJ) solar cell with inverted structure, which exhibited 1.6% power conversion efficiency (JSC (short-circuit current) = 4.6 mA/cm2, VOC (open-circuit voltage) = 0.90 V, and FF (fill factor) = 0.39) in the device configuration indium tin oxide/TiOx (titanium sub-oxide)/[6,6]-phenyl-C61-butyric acid methyl ester:TE-Por (5:1)/MoOx (molybdenum sub-oxide)/Au under AM1.5 G illumination at 100 mW/cm2. Without encapsulation, the small molecule solution-processed inverted BHJ solar cell also showed remarkable durability to air, where it kept over 73% of its initial power conversion efficiency after storage for 28 days under ambient atmosphere in the dark.

  5. From Recombination Dynamics to Device Performance: Quantifying the Efficiency of Exciton Dissociation, Charge Separation, and Extraction in Bulk Heterojunction Solar Cells with Fluorine-Substituted Polymer Donors

    KAUST Repository

    Gorenflot, Julien

    2017-09-28

    An original set of experimental and modeling tools is used to quantify the yield of each of the physical processes leading to photocurrent generation in organic bulk heterojunction solar cells, enabling evaluation of materials and processing condition beyond the trivial comparison of device performances. Transient absorption spectroscopy, “the” technique to monitor all intermediate states over the entire relevant timescale, is combined with time-delayed collection field experiments, transfer matrix simulations, spectral deconvolution, and parametrization of the charge carrier recombination by a two-pool model, allowing quantification of densities of excitons and charges and extrapolation of their kinetics to device-relevant conditions. Photon absorption, charge transfer, charge separation, and charge extraction are all quantified for two recently developed wide-bandgap donor polymers: poly(4,8-bis((2-ethylhexyl)oxy)benzo[1,2-b:4,5-b′]dithiophene-3,4-difluorothiophene) (PBDT[2F]T) and its nonfluorinated counterpart poly(4,8-bis((2-ethylhexyl)oxy)benzo[1,2-b:4,5-b′]dithiophene-3,4-thiophene) (PBDT[2H]T) combined with PC71BM in bulk heterojunctions. The product of these yields is shown to agree well with the devices\\' external quantum efficiency. This methodology elucidates in the specific case studied here the origin of improved photocurrents obtained when using PBDT[2F]T instead of PBDT[2H]T as well as upon using solvent additives. Furthermore, a higher charge transfer (CT)-state energy is shown to lead to significantly lower energy losses (resulting in higher VOC) during charge generation compared to P3HT:PCBM.

  6. From Recombination Dynamics to Device Performance: Quantifying the Efficiency of Exciton Dissociation, Charge Separation, and Extraction in Bulk Heterojunction Solar Cells with Fluorine-Substituted Polymer Donors

    KAUST Repository

    Gorenflot, Julien; Paulke, Andreas; Piersimoni, Fortunato; Wolf, Jannic Sebastian; Kan, Zhipeng; Cruciani, Federico; El Labban, Abdulrahman; Neher, Dieter; Beaujuge, Pierre; Laquai, Fré dé ric

    2017-01-01

    An original set of experimental and modeling tools is used to quantify the yield of each of the physical processes leading to photocurrent generation in organic bulk heterojunction solar cells, enabling evaluation of materials and processing condition beyond the trivial comparison of device performances. Transient absorption spectroscopy, “the” technique to monitor all intermediate states over the entire relevant timescale, is combined with time-delayed collection field experiments, transfer matrix simulations, spectral deconvolution, and parametrization of the charge carrier recombination by a two-pool model, allowing quantification of densities of excitons and charges and extrapolation of their kinetics to device-relevant conditions. Photon absorption, charge transfer, charge separation, and charge extraction are all quantified for two recently developed wide-bandgap donor polymers: poly(4,8-bis((2-ethylhexyl)oxy)benzo[1,2-b:4,5-b′]dithiophene-3,4-difluorothiophene) (PBDT[2F]T) and its nonfluorinated counterpart poly(4,8-bis((2-ethylhexyl)oxy)benzo[1,2-b:4,5-b′]dithiophene-3,4-thiophene) (PBDT[2H]T) combined with PC71BM in bulk heterojunctions. The product of these yields is shown to agree well with the devices' external quantum efficiency. This methodology elucidates in the specific case studied here the origin of improved photocurrents obtained when using PBDT[2F]T instead of PBDT[2H]T as well as upon using solvent additives. Furthermore, a higher charge transfer (CT)-state energy is shown to lead to significantly lower energy losses (resulting in higher VOC) during charge generation compared to P3HT:PCBM.

  7. In-situ study of pn-heterojunction interface states in organic thin film transistors

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ye, Rongbin; Ohta, Koji; Baba, Mamoru

    2014-01-01

    In this paper, we have investigated the density of pn-heterojunction interface states by evaluating the threshold voltage shift with in-situ measurement of electrical characteristics of a sandwich fluorinated copper phthalocyanine/pentacene thin film transistor with various thicknesses of pentacene thin films. A threshold voltage (V T ) undergoes a significant shift from + 20.6 to + 0.53 V with increasing the thickness of pentacene. When the thickness of pentacene is more than a critical thickness of 15 nm, V T undergoes hardly any shift. On the other hand, the value of mobility is lightly decreased with increasing the thickness of pentacene due to the effect of the bulk current. Thus the V T shift is attributed to the increase of drain current in the sandwich device. In order to explain the V T shift, a model was assumed in the linear region of thin film transistor operation and the V T shift agrees with a tan −1 function of film thickness. The total charge density (Q 0 ) of 1.53 × 10 −7 C/cm 2 (9.56 × 10 11 electrons or holes/cm 2 ) was obtained. Furthermore, the V T shift and Q 0 could be adjusted by selecting a p-type semiconductor. - Highlights: • A threshold voltage was in-situ measured in an organic sandwich thin film transistor. • Density of pn-heterojunction interface states by evaluating the threshold voltage shift. • The threshold voltage shift attributes to the increase of drain current. • In order to explain the threshold voltage shift, a model was assumed

  8. Ultraviolet photoelectron spectroscopy reveals energy-band dispersion for π-stacked 7,8,15,16-tetraazaterrylene thin films in a donor–acceptor bulk heterojunction

    Science.gov (United States)

    Aghdassi, Nabi; Wang, Qi; Ji, Ru-Ru; Wang, Bin; Fan, Jian; Duhm, Steffen

    2018-05-01

    7,8,15,16-tetraazaterrylene (TAT) thin films grown on highly oriented pyrolytic graphite (HOPG) substrates were studied extensively with regard to their intrinsic and interfacial electronic properties by means of ultraviolet photoelectron spectroscopy (UPS). Merely weak substrate–adsorbate interaction occurs at the TAT/HOPG interface, with interface energetics being only little affected by the nominal film thickness. Photon energy-dependent UPS performed perpendicular to the molecular planes of TAT multilayer films at room temperature clearly reveals band-like intermolecular dispersion of the TAT highest occupied molecular orbital (HOMO) energy. Based on a comparison with a tight-binding model, a relatively narrow bandwidth of 54 meV is derived, which points to the presence of an intermediate regime between hopping and band-like hole transport. Upon additional deposition of 2,2‧:5‧,2″:5″,2″‧-quaterthiophene (4T), a 4T:TAT donor–acceptor bulk heterojunction with a considerable HOMO-level offset at the donor–acceptor interface is formed. The 4T:TAT bulk heterojunction likewise exhibits intermolecular dispersion of the TAT HOMO energy, yet with a significant decreased bandwidth.

  9. A van der Waals pn heterojunction with organic/inorganic semiconductors

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    He, Daowei; Yang, Ziyi; Wu, Bing; Xu, Bingchen; Zhang, Yuhan; Li, Yun; Shi, Yi; Wang, Xinran; Pan, Yiming; Wang, Baigeng; Nan, Haiyan; Luo, Xiaoguang; Ni, Zhenhua; Gu, Shuai; Zhu, Jia; Chai, Yang

    2015-01-01

    van der Waals (vdW) heterojunctions formed by two-dimensional (2D) materials have attracted tremendous attention due to their excellent electrical/optical properties and device applications. However, current 2D heterojunctions are largely limited to atomic crystals, and hybrid organic/inorganic structures are rarely explored. Here, we fabricate the hybrid 2D heterostructures with p-type dioctylbenzothienobenzothiophene (C 8 -BTBT) and n-type MoS 2 . We find that few-layer C 8 -BTBT molecular crystals can be grown on monolayer MoS 2 by vdW epitaxy, with pristine interface and controllable thickness down to monolayer. The operation of the C 8 -BTBT/MoS 2 vertical heterojunction devices is highly tunable by bias and gate voltages between three different regimes: interfacial recombination, tunneling, and blocking. The pn junction shows diode-like behavior with rectifying ratio up to 10 5 at the room temperature. Our devices also exhibit photovoltaic responses with a power conversion efficiency of 0.31% and a photoresponsivity of 22 mA/W. With wide material combinations, such hybrid 2D structures will offer possibilities for opto-electronic devices that are not possible from individual constituents

  10. A van der Waals pn heterojunction with organic/inorganic semiconductors

    Science.gov (United States)

    He, Daowei; Pan, Yiming; Nan, Haiyan; Gu, Shuai; Yang, Ziyi; Wu, Bing; Luo, Xiaoguang; Xu, Bingchen; Zhang, Yuhan; Li, Yun; Ni, Zhenhua; Wang, Baigeng; Zhu, Jia; Chai, Yang; Shi, Yi; Wang, Xinran

    2015-11-01

    van der Waals (vdW) heterojunctions formed by two-dimensional (2D) materials have attracted tremendous attention due to their excellent electrical/optical properties and device applications. However, current 2D heterojunctions are largely limited to atomic crystals, and hybrid organic/inorganic structures are rarely explored. Here, we fabricate the hybrid 2D heterostructures with p-type dioctylbenzothienobenzothiophene (C8-BTBT) and n-type MoS2. We find that few-layer C8-BTBT molecular crystals can be grown on monolayer MoS2 by vdW epitaxy, with pristine interface and controllable thickness down to monolayer. The operation of the C8-BTBT/MoS2 vertical heterojunction devices is highly tunable by bias and gate voltages between three different regimes: interfacial recombination, tunneling, and blocking. The pn junction shows diode-like behavior with rectifying ratio up to 105 at the room temperature. Our devices also exhibit photovoltaic responses with a power conversion efficiency of 0.31% and a photoresponsivity of 22 mA/W. With wide material combinations, such hybrid 2D structures will offer possibilities for opto-electronic devices that are not possible from individual constituents.

  11. A van der Waals pn heterojunction with organic/inorganic semiconductors

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    He, Daowei; Yang, Ziyi; Wu, Bing; Xu, Bingchen; Zhang, Yuhan; Li, Yun; Shi, Yi, E-mail: yshi@nju.edu.cn, E-mail: xrwang@nju.edu.cn; Wang, Xinran, E-mail: yshi@nju.edu.cn, E-mail: xrwang@nju.edu.cn [National Laboratory of Solid State Microstructures, School of Electronic Science and Engineering, and Collaborative Innovation Center of Advanced Microstructures, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210093 (China); Pan, Yiming; Wang, Baigeng [National Laboratory of Solid State Microstructures, School of Physics, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210093 (China); Nan, Haiyan; Luo, Xiaoguang; Ni, Zhenhua [Department of Physics, Southeast University, Nanjing 211189 (China); Gu, Shuai; Zhu, Jia [College of Engineering and Applied Science, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210093 (China); Chai, Yang [Department of Applied Physics, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hung Hom, Kowloon (Hong Kong)

    2015-11-02

    van der Waals (vdW) heterojunctions formed by two-dimensional (2D) materials have attracted tremendous attention due to their excellent electrical/optical properties and device applications. However, current 2D heterojunctions are largely limited to atomic crystals, and hybrid organic/inorganic structures are rarely explored. Here, we fabricate the hybrid 2D heterostructures with p-type dioctylbenzothienobenzothiophene (C{sub 8}-BTBT) and n-type MoS{sub 2}. We find that few-layer C{sub 8}-BTBT molecular crystals can be grown on monolayer MoS{sub 2} by vdW epitaxy, with pristine interface and controllable thickness down to monolayer. The operation of the C{sub 8}-BTBT/MoS{sub 2} vertical heterojunction devices is highly tunable by bias and gate voltages between three different regimes: interfacial recombination, tunneling, and blocking. The pn junction shows diode-like behavior with rectifying ratio up to 10{sup 5} at the room temperature. Our devices also exhibit photovoltaic responses with a power conversion efficiency of 0.31% and a photoresponsivity of 22 mA/W. With wide material combinations, such hybrid 2D structures will offer possibilities for opto-electronic devices that are not possible from individual constituents.

  12. 3-D modelling of a bilayer heterojunction organic solar cell based on ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    The thin film multilayer stacking theory is applied to the bilayer heterojunction organic solar cell, with the optical matrix of the Abeles theory leading to new expression of generation rate and density of exciton photogenerated in the organic photoactive layer of CuPc/C60. The excitons density is investigated considering the ...

  13. Influence of thermal annealing-induced molecular aggregation on film properties and photovoltaic performance of bulk heterojunction solar cells based on a squaraine dye

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhang, Pengpeng; Ling, Zhitian; Chen, Guo; Wei, Bin

    2018-04-01

    Squaraine (SQ) dyes have been considered as efficient photoactive materials for organic solar cells. In this work, we purposely controlled the molecular aggregation of an SQ dye, 2,4-bis[4-(N,N-dibutylamino)-2-dihydroxyphenyl] SQ (DBSQ-(OH)2) in the DBSQ(OH)2:[6,6]-phenyl-C61-butyric acid methyl ester (PCBM) blend film by using the thermal annealing method, to study the influence of the molecular aggregation on film properties as well as the photovoltaic performance of DBSQ(OH)2:PCBM-based bulk heterojunction (BHJ) solar cells. Our results demonstrate that thermal annealing may change the aggregation behavior of DBSQ(OH)2 in the DBSQ(OH)2:PCBM film, and thus significantly influence the surface morphology, optical and electrical properties of the blend film, as well as the photovoltaic performance of DBSQ(OH)2:PCBM BHJ cells.

  14. Correlation of heterojunction luminescence quenching and photocurrent in polymer-blend photovoltaic diodes

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Gonzalez-Rabade, Astrid; Morteani, Arne C.; Friend, Richard H. [Cavendish Laboratory, University of Cambridge (United Kingdom)

    2009-10-19

    Charge generation in organic solar cells proceeds via photogeneration of excitons in the bulk that form geminate electron-hole pairs at the heterojunction formed between electron donor and acceptors. It is shown that an externally applied electric field increases the number of free charges formed from the geminate pair, and quenches the luminescence from the relaxed exciplex with one-to-one correspondence. (Abstract Copyright [2009], Wiley Periodicals, Inc.)

  15. Buried MoO x/Ag Electrode Enables High-Efficiency Organic/Silicon Heterojunction Solar Cells with a High Fill Factor.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Xia, Zhouhui; Gao, Peng; Sun, Teng; Wu, Haihua; Tan, Yeshu; Song, Tao; Lee, Shuit-Tong; Sun, Baoquan

    2018-04-25

    Silicon (Si)/organic heterojunction solar cells based on poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene):poly(styrenesulfonate) (PEDOT:PSS) and n-type Si have attracted wide interests because they promise cost-effectiveness and high-efficiency. However, the limited conductivity of PEDOT:PSS leads to an inefficient hole transport efficiency for the heterojunction device. Therefore, a high dense top-contact metal grid electrode is required to assure the efficient charge collection efficiency. Unfortunately, the large metal grid coverage ratio electrode would lead to undesirable optical loss. Here, we develop a strategy to balance PEDOT:PSS conductivity and grid optical transmittance via a buried molybdenum oxide/silver grid electrode. In addition, the grid electrode coverage ratio is optimized to reduce its light shading effect. The buried electrode dramatically reduces the device series resistance, which leads to a higher fill factor (FF). With the optimized buried electrode, a record FF of 80% is achieved for flat Si/PEDOT:PSS heterojunction devices. With further enhancement adhesion between the PEDOT:PSS film and Si substrate by a chemical cross-linkable silance, a power conversion efficiency of 16.3% for organic/textured Si heterojunction devices is achieved. Our results provide a path to overcome the inferior organic semiconductor property to enhance the organic/Si heterojunction solar cell.

  16. Electron and Hole Transport Layers: Their Use in Inverted Bulk Heterojunction Polymer Solar Cells

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sandro Lattante

    2014-03-01

    Full Text Available Bulk heterojunction polymer solar cells (BHJ PSCs are very promising organic-based devices for low-cost solar energy conversion, compatible with roll-to-roll or general printing methods for mass production. Nevertheless, to date, many issues should still be addressed, one of these being the poor stability in ambient conditions. One elegant way to overcome such an issue is the so-called “inverted” BHJ PSC, a device geometry in which the charge collection is reverted in comparison with the standard geometry device, i.e., the electrons are collected by the bottom electrode and the holes by the top electrode (in contact with air. This reverted geometry allows one to use a high work function top metal electrode, like silver or gold (thus avoiding its fast oxidation and degradation, and eliminates the need of a polymeric hole transport layer, typically of an acidic nature, on top of the transparent metal oxide bottom electrode. Moreover, this geometry is fully compatible with standard roll-to-roll manufacturing in air and is less demanding for a good post-production encapsulation process. To date, the external power conversion efficiencies of the inverted devices are generally comparable to their standard analogues, once both the electron transport layer and the hole transport layer are fully optimized for the particular device. Here, the most recent results on this particular optimization process will be reviewed, and a general outlook regarding the inverted BHJ PSC will be depicted.

  17. Schottky diodes between Bi2S3 nanorods and metal nanoparticles in a polymer matrix as hybrid bulk-heterojunction solar cells

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Saha, Sudip K.; Pal, Amlan J.

    2015-01-01

    We report the use of metal-semiconductor Schottky junctions in a conjugated polymer matrix as solar cells. The Schottky diodes, which were formed between Bi 2 S 3 nanorods and gold nanoparticles, efficiently dissociated photogenerated excitons. The bulk-heterojunction (BHJ) devices based on such metal-semiconductor Schottky diodes in a polymer matrix therefore acted as an efficient solar cell as compared to the devices based on only the semiconductor nanorods in the polymer matrix or when gold nanoparticles were added separately to the BHJs. In the latter device, gold nanoparticles offered plasmonic enhancement due to an increased cross-section of optical absorption. We report growth and characteristics of the Schottky junctions formed through an intimate contact between Bi 2 S 3 nanorods and gold nanoparticles. We also report fabrication and characterization of BHJ solar cells based on such heterojunctions. We highlight the benefit of using metal-semiconductor Schottky diodes over only inorganic semiconductor nanorods or quantum dots in a polymer matrix in forming hybrid BHJ solar cells

  18. Nanostructured Organic Solar Cells

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Radziwon, Michal Jędrzej; Rubahn, Horst-Günter; Madsen, Morten

    Recent forecasts for alternative energy generation predict emerging importance of supporting state of art photovoltaic solar cells with their organic equivalents. Despite their significantly lower efficiency, number of application niches are suitable for organic solar cells. This work reveals...... the principles of bulk heterojunction organic solar cells fabrication as well as summarises major differences in physics of their operation....

  19. In-situ study of pn-heterojunction interface states in organic thin film transistors

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Ye, Rongbin, E-mail: ye@iwate-u.ac.jp; Ohta, Koji; Baba, Mamoru

    2014-03-03

    In this paper, we have investigated the density of pn-heterojunction interface states by evaluating the threshold voltage shift with in-situ measurement of electrical characteristics of a sandwich fluorinated copper phthalocyanine/pentacene thin film transistor with various thicknesses of pentacene thin films. A threshold voltage (V{sub T}) undergoes a significant shift from + 20.6 to + 0.53 V with increasing the thickness of pentacene. When the thickness of pentacene is more than a critical thickness of 15 nm, V{sub T} undergoes hardly any shift. On the other hand, the value of mobility is lightly decreased with increasing the thickness of pentacene due to the effect of the bulk current. Thus the V{sub T} shift is attributed to the increase of drain current in the sandwich device. In order to explain the V{sub T} shift, a model was assumed in the linear region of thin film transistor operation and the V{sub T} shift agrees with a tan{sup −1} function of film thickness. The total charge density (Q{sub 0}) of 1.53 × 10{sup −7} C/cm{sup 2} (9.56 × 10{sup 11} electrons or holes/cm{sup 2}) was obtained. Furthermore, the V{sub T} shift and Q{sub 0} could be adjusted by selecting a p-type semiconductor. - Highlights: • A threshold voltage was in-situ measured in an organic sandwich thin film transistor. • Density of pn-heterojunction interface states by evaluating the threshold voltage shift. • The threshold voltage shift attributes to the increase of drain current. • In order to explain the threshold voltage shift, a model was assumed.

  20. Photovoltaic and Electroluminescence Characters in Hybrid ZnO and Conjugated Polymer Bulk Heterojunction Devices

    Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

    LIU Jun-Peng; QU Sheng-Chun; XU Ying; CHEN Yong-Hai; ZENG Xiang-Bo; WANG Zhi-Jie; ZHOU Hui-Ying; WANG Zhan-Guo

    2007-01-01

    We report electroluminescence in hybrid ZnO and conjugated polymer poly[2-methoxy-5-(3',7'-dimethyloctyloxy)-1,4-phenylenevinylene] (MDMO-PPV) bulk heterojunction photovoltaic cells. Photoluminescence quenching experimental results indicate that the ultrafast photoinduced electron transfer occurs from MDMO-PPV to ZnO under illumination. The ultrafast photoinduced electron transfer effect is induced because ZnO has an electron affinity about 1.2 eV greater than that of MDMO-PPV. Electron 'back transfer' can occur if the interfacial barrier between ZnO and MDMO-PPV can be overcome by applying a substantial electric field. Therefore, electroluminescence action due to the fact that the back transfer effect can be observed in the ZnO: MDMO-PPV devices since a forward bias is applied. The photovoltaic and electroluminescence actions in the same ZnO: MDMO-PPV device can be induced by different injection ways: photoinjection and electrical injection. The devices are expected to provide an opportunity for dual functionality devices with photovoltaic effect and electroluminescence character.

  1. Homogeneous PCBM layers fabricated by horizontal-dip coating for efficient bilayer heterojunction organic photovoltaic cells.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Huh, Yoon Ho; Bae, In-Gon; Jeon, Hong Goo; Park, Byoungchoo

    2016-10-31

    We herein report a homogeneous [6,6]-phenyl C61 butyric acid methyl ester (PCBM) layer, produced by a solution process of horizontal-dipping (H-dipping) to improve the photovoltaic (PV) effects of bilayer heterojunction organic photovoltaic cells (OPVs) based on a bi-stacked poly(3-hexylthiophene) (P3HT) electron donor layer and a PCBM electron acceptor layer (P3HT/PCBM). It was shown that a homogeneous and uniform coating of PCBM layers in the P3HT/PCBM bilayer OPVs resulted in reliable and reproducible device performance. We recorded a power conversion efficiency (PCE) of 2.89%, which is higher than that (2.00%) of bilayer OPVs with a spin-coated PCBM layer. Moreover, introducing surfactant additives of poly(oxyethylene tridecyl ether) (PTE) into the homogeneous P3HT/PCBM PV layers resulted in the bilayer OPVs showing a PCE value of 3.95%, which is comparable to those of conventional bulk-heterojunction (BHJ) OPVs (3.57-4.13%) fabricated by conventional spin-coating. This improved device performance may be attributed to the selective collection of charge carriers at the interfaces among the active layers and electrodes due to the PTE additives as well as the homogeneous formation of the functional PCBM layer on the P3HT layer. Furthermore, H-dip-coated PCBM layers were deposited onto aligned P3HT layers by a rubbing technique, and the rubbed bilayer OPV exhibited improved in-plane anisotropic PV effects with PCE anisotropy as high as 1.81, which is also higher than that (1.54) of conventional rubbed BHJ OPVs. Our results suggest that the use of the H-dip-coating process in the fabrication of PCBM layers with the PTE interface-engineering additive could be of considerable interest to those seeking to improve PCBM-based opto-electrical organic thin-film devices.

  2. Tandem-type organic solar cells by stacking different heterojunction materials

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Triyana, Kuwat; Yasuda, Takeshi; Fujita, Katsuhiko; Tsutsui, Tetsuo

    2005-01-01

    Three layers of phthalocyanine/perylene heterojunction (HJ) components were stacked and sandwiched by an indium tin oxide (ITO) and a top metal electrode, which is denoted by a triple-HJ organic solar cell. The organic material in the middle-HJ component second from the ITO was varied to investigate the photovoltaic properties. The power conversion efficiency (PCE) was improved by the more balanced photo-generated carrier by use of the appropriate material for the second-HJ component. The optimized device showed higher PCE (1.38%) than the reference device (0.98%)

  3. Probing the Energy Level Alignment and the Correlation with Open-Circuit Voltage in Solution-Processed Polymeric Bulk Heterojunction Photovoltaic Devices.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yang, Qing-Dan; Li, Ho-Wa; Cheng, Yuanhang; Guan, Zhiqiang; Liu, Taili; Ng, Tsz-Wai; Lee, Chun-Sing; Tsang, Sai-Wing

    2016-03-23

    Energy level alignment at the organic donor and acceptor interface is a key to determine the photovoltaic performance in organic solar cells, but direct probing of such energy alignment is still challenging especially for solution-processed bulk heterojunction (BHJ) thin films. Here we report a systematic investigation on probing the energy level alignment with different approaches in five commonly used polymer:[6,6]-phenyl-C71-butyric acid methyl ester (PCBM) BHJ systems. We find that by tuning the weight ratio of polymer to PCBM the electronic features from both polymer and PCBM can be obtained by photoemission spectroscopy. Using this approach, we find that some of the BHJ blends simply follow vacuum level alignment, but others show strong energy level shifting as a result of Fermi level pinning. Independently, by measuring the temperature-dependent open-circuit voltage (VOC), we find that the effective energy gap (Eeff), the energy difference between the highest occupied molecular orbital of the polymer donor (EHOMO-D) and lowest unoccupied molecular orbital of the PCBM acceptor (ELUMO-A), obtained by photoemission spectroscopy in all polymer:PCBM blends has an excellent agreement with the extrapolated VOC at 0 K. Consequently, the photovoltage loss of various organic BHJ photovoltaic devices at room temperature is in a range of 0.3-0.6 V. It is believed that the demonstrated direct measurement approach of the energy level alignment in solution-processed organic BHJ will bring deeper insight into the origin of the VOC and the corresponding photovoltage loss mechanism in organic photovoltaic cells.

  4. Film morphology effects on the electrical and optical properties of bulk heterojunction organic solar cells based on MEH-PPV/C60 composite

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ltaief, A.; Davenas, J.; Bouazizi, A.; Ben Chaabane, R.; Alcouffe, P.; Ben Ouada, H.

    2005-01-01

    The influence of film morphology on the electrical behaviour of an MEH-PPV/C 60 organic solar cells has been investigated. The dissociation of photogenerated charge pairs in composites of buckminsterfullerenes (C 60 ) in a conjugated polymer matrix (MEH-PPV) forming dispersed heterojunctions was studied at low C 60 acceptor concentrations to separate electron transfer from charge transport effects. The motivation of this study was to analyse the strong dependence of organic solar cell efficiencies on the morphology of the composite. Two effects controlling film morphology have been investigated; the first one being the influence of the fullerene concentration and the second one is the effect of the organic solvent used to deposit the photoactive layer. The sample morphology was studied using atomic force microscopy (AFM). Photoluminescence (PL) experiments and current-voltage (I-V) measurements were performed on the deposited photovoltaic film to investigate the influence of dispersion on the charge transfer process between MEH-PPV and C 60 . An attempt to explain all the results will be presented

  5. Amorphous Tin Oxide as a Low-Temperature-Processed Electron-Transport Layer for Organic and Hybrid Perovskite Solar Cells

    KAUST Repository

    Barbe, Jeremy; Tietze, Max Lutz; Neophytou, Marios; Banavoth, Murali; Alarousu, Erkki; El Labban, Abdulrahman; Abulikemu, Mutalifu; Yue, Wan; Mohammed, Omar F.; McCulloch, Iain; Amassian, Aram; Del Gobbo, Silvano

    2017-01-01

    Chemical bath deposition (CBD) of tin oxide (SnO) thin films as an electron-transport layer (ETL) in a planar-heterojunction n-i-p organohalide lead perovskite and organic bulk-heterojunction (BHJ) solar cells is reported. The amorphous SnO (a

  6. Solution-Processed Organic Solar Cells from Dye Molecules: An Investigation of Diketopyrrolopyrrole:Vinazene Heterojunctions

    KAUST Repository

    Walker, Bright

    2012-01-25

    Although one of the most attractive aspects of organic solar cells is their low cost and ease of fabrication, the active materials incorporated into the vast majority of reported bulk heterojunction (BHJ) solar cells include a semiconducting polymer and a fullerene derivative, classes of materials which are both typically difficult and expensive to prepare. In this study, we demonstrate that effective BHJs can be fabricated from two easily synthesized dye molecules. Solar cells incorporating a diketopyrrolopyrrole (DPP)-based molecule as a donor and a dicyanoimidazole (Vinazene) acceptor function as an active layer in BHJ solar cells, producing relatively high open circuit voltages and power conversion efficiencies (PCEs) up to 1.1%. Atomic force microscope images of the films show that active layers are rough and apparently have large donor and acceptor domains on the surface, whereas photoluminescence of the blends is incompletely quenched, suggesting that higher PCEs might be obtained if the morphology could be improved to yield smaller domain sizes and a larger interfacial area between donor and acceptor phases. © 2011 American Chemical Society.

  7. Bulk Heterojunction Solar Cell with Nitrogen-Doped Carbon Nanotubes in the Active Layer: Effect of Nanocomposite Synthesis Technique on Photovoltaic Properties

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Godfrey Keru

    2015-05-01

    Full Text Available Nanocomposites of poly(3-hexylthiophene (P3HT and nitrogen-doped carbon nanotubes (N-CNTs have been synthesized by two methods; specifically, direct solution mixing and in situ polymerization. The nanocomposites were characterized by means of transmission electron microscopy (TEM, scanning electron microscopy (SEM, X-ray dispersive spectroscopy, UV-Vis spectrophotometry, photoluminescence spectrophotometry (PL, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR, Raman spectroscopy, thermogravimetric analysis, and dispersive surface energy analysis. The nanocomposites were used in the active layer of a bulk heterojunction organic solar cell with the composition ITO/PEDOT:PSS/P3HT:N-CNTS:PCBM/LiF/Al. TEM and SEM analysis showed that the polymer successfully wrapped the N-CNTs. FTIR results indicated good π-π interaction within the nanocomposite synthesized by in situ polymerization as opposed to samples made by direct solution mixing. Dispersive surface energies of the N-CNTs and nanocomposites supported the fact that polymer covered the N-CNTs well. J-V analysis show that good devices were formed from the two nanocomposites, however, the in situ polymerization nanocomposite showed better photovoltaic characteristics.

  8. Development of Efficient and Stable Inverted Bulk Heterojunction (BHJ) Solar Cells Using Different Metal Oxide Interfaces.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Litzov, Ivan; Brabec, Christoph J

    2013-12-10

    Solution-processed inverted bulk heterojunction (BHJ) solar cells have gained much more attention during the last decade, because of their significantly better environmental stability compared to the normal architecture BHJ solar cells. Transparent metal oxides (MeO x ) play an important role as the dominant class for solution-processed interface materials in this development, due to their excellent optical transparency, their relatively high electrical conductivity and their tunable work function. This article reviews the advantages and disadvantages of the most common synthesis methods used for the wet chemical preparation of the most relevant n -type- and p -type-like MeO x interface materials consisting of binary compounds A x B y . Their performance for applications as electron transport/extraction layers (ETL/EEL) and as hole transport/extraction layers (HTL/HEL) in inverted BHJ solar cells will be reviewed and discussed.

  9. Development of Efficient and Stable Inverted Bulk Heterojunction (BHJ Solar Cells Using Different Metal Oxide Interfaces

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ivan Litzov

    2013-12-01

    Full Text Available Solution-processed inverted bulk heterojunction (BHJ solar cells have gained much more attention during the last decade, because of their significantly better environmental stability compared to the normal architecture BHJ solar cells. Transparent metal oxides (MeOx play an important role as the dominant class for solution-processed interface materials in this development, due to their excellent optical transparency, their relatively high electrical conductivity and their tunable work function. This article reviews the advantages and disadvantages of the most common synthesis methods used for the wet chemical preparation of the most relevant n-type- and p-type-like MeOx interface materials consisting of binary compounds AxBy. Their performance for applications as electron transport/extraction layers (ETL/EEL and as hole transport/extraction layers (HTL/HEL in inverted BHJ solar cells will be reviewed and discussed.

  10. Development of Efficient and Stable Inverted Bulk Heterojunction (BHJ) Solar Cells Using Different Metal Oxide Interfaces

    Science.gov (United States)

    Litzov, Ivan; Brabec, Christoph J.

    2013-01-01

    Solution-processed inverted bulk heterojunction (BHJ) solar cells have gained much more attention during the last decade, because of their significantly better environmental stability compared to the normal architecture BHJ solar cells. Transparent metal oxides (MeOx) play an important role as the dominant class for solution-processed interface materials in this development, due to their excellent optical transparency, their relatively high electrical conductivity and their tunable work function. This article reviews the advantages and disadvantages of the most common synthesis methods used for the wet chemical preparation of the most relevant n-type- and p-type-like MeOx interface materials consisting of binary compounds AxBy. Their performance for applications as electron transport/extraction layers (ETL/EEL) and as hole transport/extraction layers (HTL/HEL) in inverted BHJ solar cells will be reviewed and discussed. PMID:28788423

  11. Manipulating the Morphology of P3HT–PCBM Bulk Heterojunction Blends with Solvent Vapor Annealing

    KAUST Repository

    Verploegen, Eric; Miller, Chad E.; Schmidt, Kristin; Bao, Zhenan; Toney, Michael F.

    2012-01-01

    Using grazing incidence X-ray scattering, we observe the effects of solvent vapors upon the morphology of poly(3-hexylthiophene)-phenyl-C 61-butyric acid methyl ester (P3HT-PCBM) bulk heterojunction thin film blends in real time; allowing us to observe morphological rearrangements that occur during this process as a function of solvent. We detail the swelling of the P3HT crystallites upon the introduction of solvent and the resulting changes in the P3HT crystallite morphology. We also demonstrate the ability for tetrahydrofuran vapor to induce crystallinity in PCBM domains. Additionally, we measure the nanoscale phase segregated domain size as a function of solvent vapor annealing and correlate this to the changes observed in the crystallite morphology of each component. Finally, we discuss the implications of the morphological changes induced by solvent vapor annealing on the device properties of BHJ solar cells. © 2012 American Chemical Society.

  12. Manipulating the Morphology of P3HT–PCBM Bulk Heterojunction Blends with Solvent Vapor Annealing

    KAUST Repository

    Verploegen, Eric

    2012-10-23

    Using grazing incidence X-ray scattering, we observe the effects of solvent vapors upon the morphology of poly(3-hexylthiophene)-phenyl-C 61-butyric acid methyl ester (P3HT-PCBM) bulk heterojunction thin film blends in real time; allowing us to observe morphological rearrangements that occur during this process as a function of solvent. We detail the swelling of the P3HT crystallites upon the introduction of solvent and the resulting changes in the P3HT crystallite morphology. We also demonstrate the ability for tetrahydrofuran vapor to induce crystallinity in PCBM domains. Additionally, we measure the nanoscale phase segregated domain size as a function of solvent vapor annealing and correlate this to the changes observed in the crystallite morphology of each component. Finally, we discuss the implications of the morphological changes induced by solvent vapor annealing on the device properties of BHJ solar cells. © 2012 American Chemical Society.

  13. Organic tandem and multi-junction solar cells

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Hadipour, Afshin; de Boer, Bert; Blom, Paul W. M.

    2008-01-01

    The emerging field of stacked layers (double- and even multi-layers) in organic photovoltaic cells is reviewed. Owing to the limited absorption width of organic molecules and polymers, only a small fraction of the solar flux can be harvested by a single-layer bulk hetero-junction photovoltaic cell.

  14. Efficient solution-processed small molecule: Cadmium selenide quantum dot bulk heterojunction solar cells

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Gupta, Vinay; Upreti, Tanvi; Chand, Suresh

    2013-01-01

    We report bulk heterojunction solar cells based on blends of solution-processed small molecule [7,7′-(4,4-bis(2-ethylhexyl)-4H-silolo[3,2-b:4,5-b′]dithiophene-2,6-diyl) bis(6-fluoro-4-(5′-hexyl-[2,2′-bithiophen]-5yl)benzo[c] [1,2,5] thiadiazole)] p-DTS(FBTTh 2 ) 2 : Cadmium Selenide (CdSe) (70:30, 60:40, 50:50, and 40:60) in the device configuration: Indium Tin Oxide /poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene):poly(styrenesulfonate) (PEDOT:PSS)/p-DTS(FBTTh 2 ) 2 : CdSe/Ca/Al. The optimized ratio of p-DTS(FBTTh 2 ) 2 :CdSe::60:40 leads to a short circuit current density (J sc ) = 5.45 mA/cm 2 , open circuit voltage (V oc ) = 0.727 V, and fill factor (FF) = 51%, and a power conversion efficiency = 2.02% at 100 mW/cm 2 under AM1.5G illumination. The J sc and FF are sensitive to the ratio of p-DTS(FBTTh 2 ) 2 :CdSe, which is a crucial factor for the device performance

  15. Electronic properties of Mn-phthalocyanine–C60 bulk heterojunctions: Combining photoemission and electron energy-loss spectroscopy

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Roth, Friedrich; Herzig, Melanie; Knupfer, Martin; Lupulescu, Cosmin; Darlatt, Erik; Gottwald, Alexander; Eberhardt, Wolfgang

    2015-01-01

    The electronic properties of co-evaporated mixtures (blends) of manganese phthalocyanine and the fullerene C 60 (MnPc:C 60 ) have been studied as a function of the concentration of the two constituents using two supplementary electron spectroscopic methods, photoemission spectroscopy (PES) and electron energy-loss spectroscopy (EELS) in transmission. Our PES measurements provide a detailed picture of the electronic structure measured with different excitation energies as well as different mixing ratios between MnPc and C 60 . Besides a relative energy shift, the occupied electronic states of the two materials remain essentially unchanged. The observed energy level alignment is different compared to that of the related CuPc:C 60 bulk heterojunction. Moreover, the results from our EELS investigations show that, despite the rather small interface interaction, the MnPc related electronic excitation spectrum changes significantly by admixing C 60 to MnPc thin films

  16. In situ morphology studies of the mechanism for solution additive effects on the formation of bulk heterojunction films

    KAUST Repository

    Richter, Lee J.

    2014-09-29

    The most successful active film morphology in organic photovoltaics is the bulk heterojunction (BHJ). The performance of a BHJ arises from a complex interplay of the spatial organization of the segregated donor and acceptor phases and the local order/quality of the respective phases. These critical morphological features develop dynamically during film formation, and it has become common practice to control them by the introduction of processing additives. Here, in situ grazing incidence X-ray diffraction (GIXD) and grazing incidence small angle X-ray scattering (GISAXS) studies of the development of order in BHJ films formed from the donor polymer poly(3-hexylthiophene) and acceptor phenyl-C61-butyric acid methyl ester under the influence of two common additives, 1,8-octanedithiol and 1-chloronaphthalene, are reported. By comparing optical aggregation to crystallization and using GISAXS to determine the number and nature of phases present during drying, two common mechanisms by which the additives increase P3HT crystallinity are identified. Additives accelerate the appearance of pre-crystalline nuclei by controlling solvent quality and allow for extended crystal growth by delaying the onset of PCBM-induced vitrification. The glass transition effects vary system-to-system and may be correlated to the number and composition of phases present during drying. Synchrotron X-ray scattering measurements of nanoscale structure evolution during the drying of polymer-fullerene photovoltaic films are described. Changes in the number and nature of phases, as well as the order within them, reveals the mechanisms by which formulation additives promote structural characteristics leading to higher power conversion efficiencies.

  17. In situ morphology studies of the mechanism for solution additive effects on the formation of bulk heterojunction films

    KAUST Repository

    Richter, Lee J.; DeLongchamp., Dean M.; Bokel, Felicia A.; Engmann, Sebastian; Chou, Kang Wei; Amassian, Aram; Schaible, Eric G.; Hexemer, Alexander

    2014-01-01

    The most successful active film morphology in organic photovoltaics is the bulk heterojunction (BHJ). The performance of a BHJ arises from a complex interplay of the spatial organization of the segregated donor and acceptor phases and the local order/quality of the respective phases. These critical morphological features develop dynamically during film formation, and it has become common practice to control them by the introduction of processing additives. Here, in situ grazing incidence X-ray diffraction (GIXD) and grazing incidence small angle X-ray scattering (GISAXS) studies of the development of order in BHJ films formed from the donor polymer poly(3-hexylthiophene) and acceptor phenyl-C61-butyric acid methyl ester under the influence of two common additives, 1,8-octanedithiol and 1-chloronaphthalene, are reported. By comparing optical aggregation to crystallization and using GISAXS to determine the number and nature of phases present during drying, two common mechanisms by which the additives increase P3HT crystallinity are identified. Additives accelerate the appearance of pre-crystalline nuclei by controlling solvent quality and allow for extended crystal growth by delaying the onset of PCBM-induced vitrification. The glass transition effects vary system-to-system and may be correlated to the number and composition of phases present during drying. Synchrotron X-ray scattering measurements of nanoscale structure evolution during the drying of polymer-fullerene photovoltaic films are described. Changes in the number and nature of phases, as well as the order within them, reveals the mechanisms by which formulation additives promote structural characteristics leading to higher power conversion efficiencies.

  18. Effects of alkyl chain length and substituent pattern of fullerene bis-adducts on film structures and photovoltaic properties of bulk heterojunction solar cells.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tao, Ran; Umeyama, Tomokazu; Kurotobi, Kei; Imahori, Hiroshi

    2014-10-08

    A series of alkoxycarbonyl-substituted dihydronaphthyl-based [60]fullerene bis-adduct derivatives (denoted as C2BA, C4BA, and C6BA with the alkyl chain of ethyl, n-butyl, and n-hexyl, respectively) have been synthesized to investigate the effects of alkyl chain length and substituent pattern of fullerene bis-adducts on the film structures and photovoltaic properties of bulk heterojunction polymer solar cells. The shorter alkyl chain length caused lower solubility of the fullerene bis-adducts (C6BA > C4BA > C2BA), thereby resulting in the increased separation difficulty of respective bis-adduct isomers. The device performance based on poly(3-hexylthiophene) (P3HT) and the fullerene bis-adduct regioisomer mixtures was enhanced by shortening the alkyl chain length. When using the regioisomerically separated fullerene bis-adducts, the devices based on trans-2 and a mixture of trans-4 and e of C4BA exhibited the highest power conversion efficiencies of ca. 2.4%, which are considerably higher than those of the C6BA counterparts (ca. 1.4%) and the C4BA regioisomer mixture (1.10%). The film morphologies as well as electron mobilities of the P3HT:bis-adduct blend films were found to affect the photovoltaic properties considerably. These results reveal that the alkyl chain length and substituent pattern of fullerene bis-adducts significantly influence the photovoltaic properties as well as the film structures of bulk heterojunction solar cells.

  19. Triplet energy transfer and triplet exciton recycling in singlet fission sensitized organic heterojunctions

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hamid, Tasnuva; Yambem, Soniya D.; Crawford, Ross; Roberts, Jonathan; Pandey, Ajay K.

    2017-08-01

    Singlet exciton fission is a process where an excited singlet state splits into two triplets, thus leading to generation of multiple excitons per absorbed photon in organic semiconductors. Herein, we report a detailed exciton management approach for multiexciton harvesting over a broadband region of the solar spectrum in singlet fission sensitized organic photodiodes. Through systematic studies on the model cascade of pentacene/rubrene/C60, we found that efficient photocurrent generation from pentacene can still occur despite the presence of a >10nm thick interlayer of rubrene in between the pentacene/C60 heterojunction. Our results show that thin rubrene interlayers of thickness pentacene despite having a reasonably thick rubrene interlayer, that too with higher triplet energy (T1=1.12 eV) than pentacene (T1= 0.86 eV), makes its operation a rather interesting result. We discuss the role of rubrene interlayer film discontinuity, triplet exciton reflection from rubrene interlayer and triplet energy transfer from rubrene to pentacene layer followed by diffusion of triplet excitons through rubrene as plausible mechanisms that would enable triplet excitons from pentacene to generate significant photocurrent in a multilayer organic heterojunction.

  20. Chemical engineering in the electronics industry: progress towards the rational design of organic semiconductor heterojunctions

    KAUST Repository

    Clancy, Paulette

    2012-05-01

    We review the current status of heterojunction design for combinations of organic semiconductor materials, given its central role in affecting the device performance for electronic devices and solar cell applications. We provide an emphasis on recent progress towards the rational design of heterojunctions that may lead to higher performance of charge separation and mobility. We also play particular attention to the role played by computational approaches and its potential to help define the best choice of materials for solar cell development in the future. We report the current status of the field with respect to such goals. © 2012 Elsevier Ltd.

  1. Chemical engineering in the electronics industry: progress towards the rational design of organic semiconductor heterojunctions

    KAUST Repository

    Clancy, Paulette

    2012-01-01

    We review the current status of heterojunction design for combinations of organic semiconductor materials, given its central role in affecting the device performance for electronic devices and solar cell applications. We provide an emphasis on recent progress towards the rational design of heterojunctions that may lead to higher performance of charge separation and mobility. We also play particular attention to the role played by computational approaches and its potential to help define the best choice of materials for solar cell development in the future. We report the current status of the field with respect to such goals. © 2012 Elsevier Ltd.

  2. Hybrid tandem quantum dot/organic photovoltaic cells with complementary near infrared absorption

    KAUST Repository

    Kim, Taesoo; Palmiano, Elenita; Liang, Ru-Ze; Hu, Hanlin; Banavoth, Murali; Kirmani, Ahmad R.; Firdaus, Yuliar; Gao, Yangqin; Sheikh, Arif D.; Yuan, Mingjian; Mohammed, Omar F.; Hoogland, Sjoerd; Beaujuge, Pierre; Sargent, Edward H.; Amassian, Aram

    2017-01-01

    Monolithically integrated hybrid tandem solar cells that effectively combine solution-processed colloidal quantum dot (CQD) and organic bulk heterojunction subcells to achieve tandem performance that surpasses the individual subcell efficiencies

  3. Organic molecules based on dithienyl-2,1,3-benzothiadiazole as new donor materials for solution-processed organic photovoltaic cells

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Wu, Zhonglian; Fan, Benhu; Ouyang, Jianyong [Department of Materials Science and Engineering, National University of Singapore, Singapore 117574 (Singapore); Xue, Feng [Department of Chemistry, National University of Singapore, Singapore 117573 (Singapore); Adachi, Chihaya [Center for Future Chemistry, Kyushu University, 744 Motooka, Nishi, Fukuoka 819-0395 (Japan)

    2010-12-15

    Polymers based on dithienyl-2,1,3-benzothiadiazole (TBT) have received strong attention as the donor materials of polymer photovoltaic cells (PVs), since they can have a low band gap. But soluble small organic molecules based on TBT have been rarely studied. This paper reports the synthesis of two small organic molecules based on TBT and their application as the donor materials of solution-processed bulk heterojunction organic photovoltaic cells (OPVs). These compounds were soluble in common organic solvents, such as chloroform, chlorobenzene and tetrahydrofuran. They have band gaps comparable to poly(3-hexylthiophene) (P3HT) and lower HOMO and LUMO (HOMO: highest occupied molecular orbital, LUMO: lowest unoccupied molecular orbital) levels than P3HT. These molecules and [6,6]-phenyl-C61-butyric acid methyl ester (PCBM) were used as the donors and acceptor to fabricate bulk heterojunction OPVs through solution processing. After optimization of the experimental conditions, power conversion efficiency (PCE) of 0.66% was achieved on the solution-processed OPVs under AM 1.5G, 100 mW cm{sup -2} illumination. (author)

  4. Efficient solution-processed small molecule: Cadmium selenide quantum dot bulk heterojunction solar cells

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Gupta, Vinay, E-mail: drvinaygupta@netscape.net [Physics of Energy Harvesting Division, Organic and Hybrid Solar Cell Group, CSIR-National Physical Laboratory, New Delhi-110012 (India); Department of Physics, University of California, Santa Barbara, California 93106 (United States); Upreti, Tanvi; Chand, Suresh [Physics of Energy Harvesting Division, Organic and Hybrid Solar Cell Group, CSIR-National Physical Laboratory, New Delhi-110012 (India)

    2013-12-16

    We report bulk heterojunction solar cells based on blends of solution-processed small molecule [7,7′-(4,4-bis(2-ethylhexyl)-4H-silolo[3,2-b:4,5-b′]dithiophene-2,6-diyl) bis(6-fluoro-4-(5′-hexyl-[2,2′-bithiophen]-5yl)benzo[c] [1,2,5] thiadiazole)] p-DTS(FBTTh{sub 2}){sub 2}: Cadmium Selenide (CdSe) (70:30, 60:40, 50:50, and 40:60) in the device configuration: Indium Tin Oxide /poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene):poly(styrenesulfonate) (PEDOT:PSS)/p-DTS(FBTTh{sub 2}){sub 2}: CdSe/Ca/Al. The optimized ratio of p-DTS(FBTTh{sub 2}){sub 2}:CdSe::60:40 leads to a short circuit current density (J{sub sc}) = 5.45 mA/cm{sup 2}, open circuit voltage (V{sub oc}) = 0.727 V, and fill factor (FF) = 51%, and a power conversion efficiency = 2.02% at 100 mW/cm{sup 2} under AM1.5G illumination. The J{sub sc} and FF are sensitive to the ratio of p-DTS(FBTTh{sub 2}){sub 2}:CdSe, which is a crucial factor for the device performance.

  5. High-performance tandem organic light-emitting diodes based on a buffer-modified p/n-type planar organic heterojunction as charge generation layer

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wu, Yukun; Sun, Ying; Qin, Houyun; Hu, Shoucheng; Wu, Qingyang; Zhao, Yi

    2017-04-01

    High-performance tandem organic light-emitting diodes (TOLEDs) were realized using a buffer-modified p/n-type planar organic heterojunction (OHJ) as charge generation layer (CGL) consisting of common organic materials, and the configuration of this p/n-type CGL was "LiF/N,N'-diphenyl-N,N'-bis(1-napthyl)-1,1'-biphenyl-4,4'-diamine (NPB)/4,7-diphenyl-1,10-phenanthroline (Bphen)/molybdenum oxide (MoOx)". The optimized TOLED exhibited a maximum current efficiency of 77.6 cd/A without any out-coupling techniques, and the efficiency roll-off was greatly improved compared to the single-unit OLED. The working mechanism of the p/n-type CGL was discussed in detail. It is found that the NPB/Bphen heterojunction generated enough charges under a forward applied voltage and the carrier extraction was a tunneling process. These results could provide a new method to fabricate high-performance TOLEDs.

  6. Effects of concentrated sunlight on organic photovoltaics

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Tromholt, Thomas; Katz, Eugene A.; Hirsch, Baruch

    2010-01-01

    We report the effects of concentrated sunlight on key photovoltaic parameters and stability of organic photovoltaics (OPV). Sunlight collected and concentrated outdoors was focused into an optical fiber and delivered onto a 1 cm2 bulk-heterojunction cell. Sunlight concentration C was varied gradu...

  7. Significantly improved photovoltaic performance in polymer bulk heterojunction solar cells with graphene oxide /PEDOT:PSS double decked hole transport layer

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rafique, Saqib; Abdullah, Shahino Mah; Shahid, Muhammad Mehmood; Ansari, Mohammad Omaish; Sulaiman, Khaulah

    2017-01-01

    This work demonstrates the high performance graphene oxide (GO)/PEDOT:PSS doubled decked hole transport layer (HTL) in the PCDTBT:PC71BM based bulk heterojunction organic photovoltaic device. The devices were tested on merits of their power conversion efficiency (PCE), reproducibility, stability and further compared with the devices with individual GO or PEDOT:PSS HTLs. Solar cells employing GO/PEDOT:PSS HTL yielded a PCE of 4.28% as compared to either of individual GO or PEDOT:PSS HTLs where they demonstrated PCEs of 2.77 and 3.57%, respectively. In case of single GO HTL, an inhomogeneous coating of ITO caused the poor performance whereas PEDOT:PSS is known to be hygroscopic and acidic which upon direct contact with ITO reduced the device performance. The improvement in the photovoltaic performance is mainly ascribed to the increased charge carriers mobility, short circuit current, open circuit voltage, fill factor, and decreased series resistance. The well matched work function of GO and PEDOT:PSS is likely to facilitate the charge transportation and an overall reduction in the series resistance. Moreover, GO could effectively block the electrons due to its large band-gap of ~3.6 eV, leading to an increased shunt resistance. In addition, we also observed the improvement in the reproducibility and stability.

  8. Significantly improved photovoltaic performance in polymer bulk heterojunction solar cells with graphene oxide /PEDOT:PSS double decked hole transport layer.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rafique, Saqib; Abdullah, Shahino Mah; Shahid, Muhammad Mehmood; Ansari, Mohammad Omaish; Sulaiman, Khaulah

    2017-01-13

    This work demonstrates the high performance graphene oxide (GO)/PEDOT:PSS doubled decked hole transport layer (HTL) in the PCDTBT:PC 71 BM based bulk heterojunction organic photovoltaic device. The devices were tested on merits of their power conversion efficiency (PCE), reproducibility, stability and further compared with the devices with individual GO or PEDOT:PSS HTLs. Solar cells employing GO/PEDOT:PSS HTL yielded a PCE of 4.28% as compared to either of individual GO or PEDOT:PSS HTLs where they demonstrated PCEs of 2.77 and 3.57%, respectively. In case of single GO HTL, an inhomogeneous coating of ITO caused the poor performance whereas PEDOT:PSS is known to be hygroscopic and acidic which upon direct contact with ITO reduced the device performance. The improvement in the photovoltaic performance is mainly ascribed to the increased charge carriers mobility, short circuit current, open circuit voltage, fill factor, and decreased series resistance. The well matched work function of GO and PEDOT:PSS is likely to facilitate the charge transportation and an overall reduction in the series resistance. Moreover, GO could effectively block the electrons due to its large band-gap of ~3.6 eV, leading to an increased shunt resistance. In addition, we also observed the improvement in the reproducibility and stability.

  9. Red light sensitive heterojunction organic field-effect transistors based on neodymium phthalocyanine as photosensitive layer

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Lv, Wenli; Tang, Yu [Institute of Microelectronics, School of Physical Science and Technology, Lanzhou University, South Tianshui Road 222#, Lanzhou 730000 (China); Yao, Bo [Institute of Microelectronics, School of Physical Science and Technology, Lanzhou University, South Tianshui Road 222#, Lanzhou 730000 (China); Department of Physics, Shaoxing University, Shaoxing 312000 (China); Zhou, Maoqing; Luo, Xiao; Li, Yao; Zhong, Junkang; Sun, Lei [Institute of Microelectronics, School of Physical Science and Technology, Lanzhou University, South Tianshui Road 222#, Lanzhou 730000 (China); Peng, Yingquan, E-mail: yqpeng@lzu.edu.cn [Institute of Microelectronics, School of Physical Science and Technology, Lanzhou University, South Tianshui Road 222#, Lanzhou 730000 (China); Key Laboratory for Magnetism and Magnetic Materials of the Ministry of Education, Lanzhou University, South Tianshui Road 222#, Lanzhou 730000 (China)

    2015-08-31

    Compared with organic photodiodes, photoresponsive organic field-effect transistors (photOFETs) exhibit higher sensitivity and lower noise. The performance of photOFETs based on conventional single layer structure is generally poor due to the low carrier mobility of the active channel materials. We demonstrate a high performance photOFET operating in red light with a structure of C60/neodymium phthalocyanine (NdPc{sub 2}) planar heterojunction. PhotOFETs based on single-layer NdPc{sub 2} and C60/NdPc{sub 2} heterojunction (denoted as NdPc{sub 2}-photOFETs and C60/NdPc{sub 2}-photOFETs, respectively) were fabricated and characterized. It is concluded that the photOFETs with heterojunction structure showed superior performance compared to that of single layer photOFETs. And for red light with a wavelength of 655 nm, C60/NdPc{sub 2}-photOFETs exhibited a large photoresponsivity of ~ 0.8 A/W, which is approximately 62 times larger than that of NdPc{sub 2}-photOFETs under the same conditions. The high performance of C60/NdPc{sub 2}-photOFETs is attributed to its high light absorption coefficient, high exciton dissociation efficiency and high carrier mobility. - Highlights: • The mobility of light-sensitive organic materials is generally low. • We fabricated C60/NdPc{sub 2} photoresponsive organic field-effect transistors (photOFETs). • The performance of C60/NdPc{sub 2} photOFETs is superior than single-layer NdPc{sub 2} photOFETs. • C60/NdPc{sub 2} photOFETs exhibited a large photoresponsivity of ~ 0.8 A/W for red light.

  10. Laterally Ordered Bulk Heterojunction of Conjugated Polymers : Nanoskiving a Jelly Roll

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Lipomi, Darren J.; Chiechi, Ryan C.; Reus, William F.; Whitesides, George M.

    2008-01-01

    This paper describes the fabrication of a nanostructured heterojunction of two conjugated polymers by a three-step process: i) spin-coating a multilayered film of the two polymers, ii) rolling the film into a cylinder (a ‘‘jelly roll’’) and iii) sectioning the film perpendicular to the axis of the

  11. Bulk Heterojunction versus Diffused Bilayer: The Role of Device Geometry in Solution p-Doped Polymer-Based Solar Cells.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Loiudice, Anna; Rizzo, Aurora; Biasiucci, Mariano; Gigli, Giuseppe

    2012-07-19

    We exploit the effect of molecular p-type doping of P3HT in diffused bilayer (DB) polymer solar cells. In this alternative device geometry, the p-doping is accomplished in solution by blending the F4-TCNQ with P3HT. The p-doping both increases the film conductivity and reduces the potential barrier at the interface with the electrode. This results in an excellent power conversion efficiency of 4.02%, which is an improvement of ∼48% over the p-doped standard bulk heterojunction (BHJ) device. Combined VOC-light intensity dependence measurements and Kelvin probe force microscopy reveal that the DB device configuration is particularly advantageous, if compared to the conventional BHJ, because it enables optimization of the donor and acceptor layers independently to minimize the effect of trapping and to fully exploit the improved transport properties.

  12. Light Harvesting for Organic Photovoltaics

    Science.gov (United States)

    2016-01-01

    The field of organic photovoltaics has developed rapidly over the last 2 decades, and small solar cells with power conversion efficiencies of 13% have been demonstrated. Light absorbed in the organic layers forms tightly bound excitons that are split into free electrons and holes using heterojunctions of electron donor and acceptor materials, which are then extracted at electrodes to give useful electrical power. This review gives a concise description of the fundamental processes in photovoltaic devices, with the main emphasis on the characterization of energy transfer and its role in dictating device architecture, including multilayer planar heterojunctions, and on the factors that impact free carrier generation from dissociated excitons. We briefly discuss harvesting of triplet excitons, which now attracts substantial interest when used in conjunction with singlet fission. Finally, we introduce the techniques used by researchers for characterization and engineering of bulk heterojunctions to realize large photocurrents, and examine the formed morphology in three prototypical blends. PMID:27951633

  13. A self-powered nano-photodetector based on PFH/ZnO nanorods organic/inorganic heterojunction

    Science.gov (United States)

    Li, Xiaoyun; Liu, Wei; Li, Peigang; Song, Jia; An, Yuehua; Shen, Jingqin; Wang, Shunli; Guo, Daoyou

    2018-03-01

    PFH/ZnO nanorods heterojunctions were fabricated by spin-coating p-type Poly (9,9-dihexylfluorene) (PFH) on n-type vertically aligned ZnO nanorod arrays grown by a facile hydrothermal method on indium tin oxide (ITO) transparent conductive glass. A typical p-n junction behavior was observed in the fabricated heterojunction. The current of heterojunction increases and decreases dramatically by switching the illumination on and off at zero bias, showing potential self-powered photodetector applications. The heterojunction were capable of generating negative current when illuminated under an appropriate wavelength. The photoresponse properties of the heterojunction can be tuned by the applied bias. In vacuum, the rectifying behavior disappeared, and show only simple semiconductor behavior. Band structure of the heterojunction was schematic drawn and explain the mechanism of the properties of PFH/ZnO nanorods heterojunctions.

  14. A self-powered nano-photodetector based on PFH/ZnO nanorods organic/inorganic heterojunction

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Xiaoyun Li

    2018-03-01

    Full Text Available PFH/ZnO nanorods heterojunctions were fabricated by spin-coating p-type Poly (9,9-dihexylfluorene (PFH on n-type vertically aligned ZnO nanorod arrays grown by a facile hydrothermal method on indium tin oxide (ITO transparent conductive glass. A typical p-n junction behavior was observed in the fabricated heterojunction. The current of heterojunction increases and decreases dramatically by switching the illumination on and off at zero bias, showing potential self-powered photodetector applications. The heterojunction were capable of generating negative current when illuminated under an appropriate wavelength. The photoresponse properties of the heterojunction can be tuned by the applied bias. In vacuum, the rectifying behavior disappeared, and show only simple semiconductor behavior. Band structure of the heterojunction was schematic drawn and explain the mechanism of the properties of PFH/ZnO nanorods heterojunctions.

  15. Film stresses and electrode buckling in organic solar cells

    KAUST Repository

    Brand, Vitali; Levi, Kemal; McGehee, Michae D.; Dauskardt, Reinhold H.

    2012-01-01

    We investigate the film stresses that develop in the polymer films and metal electrodes of poly(3-hexyl thiophene) (P3HT) and [6,6]-phenyl C61-butyric acid methyl ester (PCBM) bulk heterojunction (BHJ) organic solar cells. A compressive biaxial

  16. Fabrication of InP-pentacene inorganic-organic hybrid heterojunction using MOCVD grown InP for photodetector application

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sarkar, Kalyan Jyoti; Pal, B.; Banerji, P.

    2018-04-01

    We fabricated inorganic-organic hybrid heterojunction between indium phosphide (InP) and pentacene for photodetector application. InP layer was grown on n-Si substrate by atmospheric pressure metal organic chemical vapour deposition (MOCVD) technique. Morphological properties of InP and pentacene thin film were characterized by atomic force microscopy (AFM). Current-voltage characteristics were investigated in dark and under illumination condition at room temperature. During illumination, different wavelengths of visible and infrared light source were employed to perform the electrical measurement. Enhancement of photocurrent was observed with decreasing in wavelength of incident photo radiation. Ideality factor was found to be 1.92. High rectification ratio of 225 was found at ± 3 V in presence of infrared light source. This study provides new insights of inorganic-organic hybrid heterojunction for broadband photoresponse in visible to near infrared (IR) region under low reverse bias condition.

  17. Electron-selective contacts via ultra-thin organic interface dipoles for silicon organic heterojunction solar cells

    Science.gov (United States)

    Reichel, Christian; Würfel, Uli; Winkler, Kristina; Schleiermacher, Hans-Frieder; Kohlstädt, Markus; Unmüssig, Moritz; Messmer, Christoph A.; Hermle, Martin; Glunz, Stefan W.

    2018-01-01

    In the last years, novel materials for the formation of electron-selective contacts on n-type crystalline silicon (c-Si) heterojunction solar cells were explored as an interfacial layer between the metal electrode and the c-Si wafer. Besides inorganic materials like transition metal oxides or alkali metal fluorides, also interfacial layers based on organic molecules with a permanent dipole moment are promising candidates to improve the contact properties. Here, the dipole effect plays an essential role in the modification of the interface and effective work function of the contact. The amino acids L-histidine, L-tryptophan, L-phenylalanine, glycine, and sarcosine, the nucleobase adenine, and the heterocycle 4-hydroxypyridine were investigated as dipole materials for an electron-selective contact on the back of p- and n-type c-Si with a metal electrode based on aluminum (Al). Furthermore, the effect of an added fluorosurfactant on the resulting contact properties was examined. The performance of n-type c-Si solar cells with a boron diffusion on the front was significantly increased when L-histidine and/or the fluorosurfactant was applied as a full-area back surface field. This improvement was attributed to the modification of the interface and the effective work function of the contact by the dipole material which was corroborated by numerical device simulations. For these solar cells, conversion efficiencies of 17.5% were obtained with open-circuit voltages (Voc) of 625 mV and fill factors of 76.3%, showing the potential of organic interface dipoles for silicon organic heterojunction solar cells due to their simple formation by solution processing and their low thermal budget requirements.

  18. Structure–property relationships of oligothiophene–isoindigo polymers for efficient bulk-heterojunction solar cells

    KAUST Repository

    Ma, Zaifei

    2014-01-01

    A series of alternating oligothiophene (nT)-isoindigo (I) copolymers (PnTI) were synthesized to investigate the influence of the oligothiophene block length on the photovoltaic (PV) properties of PnTI:PCBM bulk-heterojunction blends. Our study indicates that the number of thiophene rings (n) in the repeating unit alters both polymer crystallinity and polymer-fullerene interfacial energetics, which results in a decreasing open-circuit voltage (Voc) of the solar cells with increasing n. The short-circuit current density (Jsc) of P1TI:PCBM devices is limited by the absence of a significant driving force for electron transfer. Instead, blends based on P5TI and P6TI feature large polymer domains, which limit charge generation and thus Jsc. The best PV performance with a power conversion efficiency of up to 6.9% was achieved with devices based on P3TI, where a combination of a favorable morphology and an optimal interfacial energy level offset ensures efficient exciton separation and charge generation. The structure-property relationship demonstrated in this work would be a valuable guideline for the design of high performance polymers with small energy losses during the charge generation process, allowing for the fabrication of efficient solar cells that combine a minimal loss in Voc with a high Jsc. © 2014 The Royal Society of Chemistry.

  19. Bulk Heterojunction Organic Solar Cell Area-Dependent Parameter Fluctuation

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    A. J. Trindade

    2017-01-01

    Full Text Available Organic solar cell efficiency is known to be active area dependent and is usually a problem in the upscale factor for market applications. In this work, a detailed study of organic photovoltaic devices with active layer based on poly(3-hexylthiophene (P3HT and 1-(3-methoxycarbonyl-propyl-1-phenyl-(6,6C61 (PCBM is made, evaluating the effect of the change on the active area from 10−2 to 4 cm4. The device structure was kept simple in order to allow the understanding of the physical effects involved. Device figures of merit were extracted from the equivalent circuit using a genetic-based algorithm, and their relationship with the active area was compared. It is observed that the efficiency drops significantly with the active area increase (as the fill factor while the parallel and series resistance, adjusted to the active area, seems to be relatively constant and increases linearly, respectively. The short circuit current and the generated photocurrent also drop significantly with the active area increase. The open circuit voltage does not show major changes. These results are discussed considering the main influences for the observed efficiency data. Particularly, as the basic circuit model seems to fail to explain the macroscopic results, the behavior can be related with the enlargement of defect interaction.

  20. Roles of binding energy and diffusion length of singlet and triplet excitons in organic heterojunction solar cells

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Narayan, Monishka Rita; Singh, Jai

    2012-01-01

    The influence of binding energy and diffusion length on the dissociation of excitons in organic solids is studied. The binding energy and excitonic Bohr radius of singlet and triplet excitons are calculated and compared using the dissociation energy of 0.3 eV, which is provided by the lowest unoccupied molecular orbital offset in heterojunction organic solar cells. A relation between the diffusion coefficient and diffusion length of singlet and triplet excitons is derived using the Foerster and Dexter transfer processes and are plotted as a function of the donor-acceptor separation. The diffusion length reduces nearly to a zero if the distance between donor and acceptor is increased to more than 1.5 nm. It is found that the donor-acceptor separation needs to be ≤ 1.5 nm for easy dissociation on singlet excitons leading to better conversion efficiency in heterojunction organic solar cells. (copyright 2012 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH and Co. KGaA, Weinheim) (orig.)

  1. Roles of binding energy and diffusion length of singlet and triplet excitons in organic heterojunction solar cells

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Narayan, Monishka Rita [Centre for Renewable Energy and Low Emission Technology, Charles Darwin University, Darwin, NT 0909 (Australia); Singh, Jai [School of Engineering and IT, Charles Darwin University, Darwin, NT 0909 (Australia)

    2012-12-15

    The influence of binding energy and diffusion length on the dissociation of excitons in organic solids is studied. The binding energy and excitonic Bohr radius of singlet and triplet excitons are calculated and compared using the dissociation energy of 0.3 eV, which is provided by the lowest unoccupied molecular orbital offset in heterojunction organic solar cells. A relation between the diffusion coefficient and diffusion length of singlet and triplet excitons is derived using the Foerster and Dexter transfer processes and are plotted as a function of the donor-acceptor separation. The diffusion length reduces nearly to a zero if the distance between donor and acceptor is increased to more than 1.5 nm. It is found that the donor-acceptor separation needs to be {<=} 1.5 nm for easy dissociation on singlet excitons leading to better conversion efficiency in heterojunction organic solar cells. (copyright 2012 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH and Co. KGaA, Weinheim) (orig.)

  2. Charge transport and recombination in bulk heterojunction solar cells studied by the photoinduced charge extraction in linearly increasing voltage technique

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mozer, A. J.; Sariciftci, N. S.; Lutsen, L.; Vanderzande, D.; Österbacka, R.; Westerling, M.; Juška, G.

    2005-03-01

    Charge carrier mobility and recombination in a bulk heterojunction solar cell based on the mixture of poly[2-methoxy-5-(3,7-dimethyloctyloxy)-phenylene vinylene] (MDMO-PPV) and 1-(3-methoxycarbonyl)propyl-1-phenyl-(6,6)-C61 (PCBM) has been studied using the novel technique of photoinduced charge carrier extraction in a linearly increasing voltage (Photo-CELIV). In this technique, charge carriers are photogenerated by a short laser flash, and extracted under a reverse bias voltage ramp after an adjustable delay time (tdel). The Photo-CELIV mobility at room temperature is found to be μ =2×10-4cm2V-1s-1, which is almost independent on charge carrier density, but slightly dependent on tdel. Furthermore, determination of charge carrier lifetime and demonstration of an electric field dependent mobility is presented.

  3. Offset energies at organic semiconductor heterojunctions and their influence on the open-circuit voltage of thin-film solar cells

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rand, Barry P.; Burk, Diana P.; Forrest, Stephen R.

    2007-03-01

    Organic semiconductor heterojunction (HJ) energy level offsets are modeled using a combination of Marcus theory for electron transfer, and generalized Shockley theory of the dark current density vs voltage (J-V) characteristics. This model is used to fit the J-V characteristics of several donor-acceptor combinations commonly used in thin film organic photovoltaic cells. In combination with measurements of the energetics of donor-acceptor junctions, the model predicts tradeoffs between the junction open-circuit voltage (VOC) and short-circuit current density (JSC) . The VOC is found to increase with light intensity and inversely with temperature for 14 donor-acceptor HJ materials pairs. In particular, we find that VOC reaches a maximum at low temperature (˜175K) for many of the heterojunctions studied. The maximum value of VOC is a function of the difference between the donor ionization potential and acceptor electron affinity, minus the binding energy of the dissociated, geminate electron-hole pair: a general relationship that has implications on the charge transfer mechanism at organic heterojunctions. The fundamental understanding provided by this model leads us to infer that the maximum power conversion efficiency of double heterostructure organic photovoltaic cells can be as high as 12%. When combined with mixed layers to increase photocurrent and stacked cells to increase VOC , efficiencies approaching 16% are within reach.

  4. Theoretical insights into multiscale electronic processes in organic photovoltaics

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tretiak, Sergei

    Present day electronic devices are enabled by design and implementation of precise interfaces that control the flow of charge carriers. This requires robust and predictive multiscale approaches for theoretical description of underlining complex phenomena. Combined with thorough experimental studies such approaches provide a reliable estimate of physical properties of nanostructured materials and enable a rational design of devices. From this perspective I will discuss first principle modeling of small-molecule bulk-heterojunction organic solar cells and push-pull chromophores for tunable-color organic light emitters. The emphasis is on electronic processes involving intra- and intermolecular energy or charge transfer driven by strong electron-phonon coupling inherent to pi-conjugated systems. Finally I will describe how precise manipulation and control of organic-organic interfaces in a photovoltaic device can increase its power conversion efficiency by 2-5 times in a model bilayer system. Applications of these design principles to practical architectures like bulk heterojunction devices lead to an enhancement in power conversion efficiency from 4.0% to 7.0%. These interface manipulation strategies are universally applicable to any donor-acceptor interface, making them both fundamentally interesting and technologically important for achieving high efficiency organic electronic devices.

  5. Photo-induced absorption spectroscopy on organic, photovoltaically active donor-acceptor heterojunctions; Photoinduzierte Absorptionsspektroskopie an organischen, photovoltaisch aktiven Donor-Akzeptor-Heterouebergaengen

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Schueppel, Rico

    2007-07-01

    Starting from some general considerations about organic semiconductors first the foundations of molecular crystals, their spectroscopic properties, as well as the mechanisms, on which the exharge-carrier generation is based, are presented. The functionality of the organic solar cells is then explained. The applied experimental techniques are thereafter explained. Special regards gets the photo-induced and transient absorption. Thed the dicyanovinyl-oligothiophene studied in this thesis are presented, whereby the characteristics fitted to the heterojunction with the fullerene C{sub 60} are discussed. Then the photo-induced absorption in this system is presented. In these studies an indirect occupation of the triplet starte of the oligothiophene derivates at the heterojunction with C{sub 60} is observed. The application of the oligothiophene derivates in organic solar cells is thereafter described. Thereby especially the correlation between reached zero voltage and the fitting of the energy levels at the DCVnT:C{sub 60} junction is considered. Furthermore the data of the solar cells are discussed in view of the statements on the charge-carrier separation at the heterojunction with C{sub 60} obtained from the photo-induced absorption.

  6. Computational Methodologies for Developing Structure–Morphology–Performance Relationships in Organic Solar Cells: A Protocol Review

    KAUST Repository

    Do, Khanh

    2016-09-08

    We outline a step-by-step protocol that incorporates a number of theoretical and computational methodologies to evaluate the structural and electronic properties of pi-conjugated semiconducting materials in the condensed phase. Our focus is on methodologies appropriate for the characterization, at the molecular level, of the morphology in blend systems consisting of an electron donor and electron acceptor, of importance for understanding the performance properties of bulk-heterojunction organic solar cells. The protocol is formulated as an introductory manual for investigators who aim to study the bulk-heterojunction morphology in molecular details, thereby facilitating the development of structure morphology property relationships when used in tandem with experimental results.

  7. Enhancing the photovoltaic performance of bulk heterojunction polymer solar cells by adding Rhodamine B laser dye as co-sensitizer.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kazemifard, Sholeh; Naji, Leila; Afshar Taromi, Faramarz

    2018-04-01

    Ternary blend (TB) strategy has been considered as an effective method to enhance the photovoltaic performance of bulk heterojunction (BHJ) polymer solar cells (PSCs). Here, we report on TB-based PSCs containing two donor materials; poly-3-hexylthiophene (P3HT) and Rhodamine B (RhB) laser organic dye, and [6,6]-phenyl C 61 butyric acid methyl ester (PC 61 BM) as an acceptor. The influence of RhB weight percentage and injection volume was extensively studied. To gain insight into the influences of RhB on the photovoltaic performance of PSCs, physicochemical and optical properties of TBs were compared with those of BHJ binary blend as a standard. RhB broadened the light absorption properties of the active layer and played a bridging role between P3HT and PC 61 BM. The PCE and short-circuit current density (Jsc) of the optimized TB-based PSCs comprising of 0.5 wt% RhB reached 5% and 12.12 mA/cm 2 , respectively. Compared to BHJ standard cell, the PCE and the generated current was improved by two orders of magnitude due to higher photon harvest of the active layer, cascade energy level structure of TB components and a considerable decrease in the charge carrier recombination. The results suggest that RhB can be considered as an effective material for application in PSCs to attain high photovoltaic performance. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  8. Organic carbon organic matter and bulk density relationships in arid ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Soil organic matter (SOM) and soil organic carbon (SOC) constitute usually a small portion of soil, but they are one of the most important components of ecosystems. Bulk density (dB or BD) value is necessary to convert organic carbon (OC) content per unit area. Relationships between SOM, SOC and BD were established ...

  9. Origin of size effect on efficiency of organic photovoltaics

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Manor, Assaf; Katz, Eugene A.; Tromholt, Thomas

    2011-01-01

    It is widely accepted that efficiency of organic solar cells could be limited by their size. However, the published data on this effect are very limited and none of them includes analysis of light intensity dependence of the key cell parameters. We report such analysis for bulk heterojunction sol...

  10. Organic Light-Emitting Transistors: Materials, Device Configurations, and Operations.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhang, Congcong; Chen, Penglei; Hu, Wenping

    2016-03-09

    Organic light-emitting transistors (OLETs) represent an emerging class of organic optoelectronic devices, wherein the electrical switching capability of organic field-effect transistors (OFETs) and the light-generation capability of organic light-emitting diodes (OLEDs) are inherently incorporated in a single device. In contrast to conventional OFETs and OLEDs, the planar device geometry and the versatile multifunctional nature of OLETs not only endow them with numerous technological opportunities in the frontier fields of highly integrated organic electronics, but also render them ideal scientific scaffolds to address the fundamental physical events of organic semiconductors and devices. This review article summarizes the recent advancements on OLETs in light of materials, device configurations, operation conditions, etc. Diverse state-of-the-art protocols, including bulk heterojunction, layered heterojunction and laterally arranged heterojunction structures, as well as asymmetric source-drain electrodes, and innovative dielectric layers, which have been developed for the construction of qualified OLETs and for shedding new and deep light on the working principles of OLETs, are highlighted by addressing representative paradigms. This review intends to provide readers with a deeper understanding of the design of future OLETs. © 2016 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  11. Difluorobenzothiadiazole based two-dimensional conjugated polymers with triphenylamine substituted moieties as pendants for bulk heterojunction solar cells

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    W. H. Lee

    2017-11-01

    Full Text Available Three donor/acceptor (D/A-type two-dimensional polythiophenes (PTs; PBTFA13, PBTFA12, PBTFA11 featuring difluorobenzothiadiazole (DFBT derivatives as the conjugated (acceptor units in the polymer backbone and tertbutyl–substituted triphenylamine (tTPA-containing moieties as (donor pendants have been synthesized and characterized. These PTs exhibited good thermal stabilities, broad absorption spectra, and narrow optical band gaps. The cutoff wavelength of the UV–Vis absorption band was red-shifted upon increasing the content of the DFBT units in the PTs. Bulk heterojunction solar cells having an active layer comprising blends of the PTs and fullerene derivatives [6,6] phenyl-C61/71-butyric acid methyl ester (PC61BM/PC71BM were fabricated; their photovoltaic performance was strongly dependent on the content of the DFBT derivative in the PT. Incorporating a suitable content of the DFBT derivative in the polymer backbone enhanced the solar absorption ability and conjugation length of the PTs. The photovoltaic properties of the PBTFA13-based solar cells were superior to those of the PBTFA11- and PBTFA12-based solar cells.

  12. Thin film solar cells grown by organic vapor phase deposition

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yang, Fan

    Organic solar cells have the potential to provide low-cost photovoltaic devices as a clean and renewable energy resource. In this thesis, we focus on understanding the energy conversion process in organic solar cells, and improving the power conversion efficiencies via controlled growth of organic nanostructures. First, we explain the unique optical and electrical properties of organic materials used for photovoltaics, and the excitonic energy conversion process in donor-acceptor heterojunction solar cells that place several limiting factors of their power conversion efficiency. Then, strategies for improving exciton diffusion and carrier collection are analyzed using dynamical Monte Carlo models for several nanostructure morphologies. Organic vapor phase deposition is used for controlling materials crystallization and film morphology. We improve the exciton diffusion efficiency while maintaining good carrier conduction in a bulk heterojunction solar cell. Further efficiency improvement is obtained in a novel nanocrystalline network structure with a thick absorbing layer, leading to the demonstration of an organic solar cell with 4.6% efficiency. In addition, solar cells using simultaneously active heterojunctions with broad spectral response are presented. We also analyze the efficiency limits of single and multiple junction organic solar cells, and discuss the challenges facing their practical implementations.

  13. Effects of acetone-soaking treatment on the performance of polymer solar cells based on P3HT/PCBM bulk heterojunction

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Liu Yu-Xuan; Lü Long-Feng; Ning Yu; Lu Yun-Zhang; Lu Qi-Peng; Zhang Chun-Mei; Fang Yi; Hu Yu-Feng; Lou Zhi-Dong; Teng Feng; Hou Yan-Bing; Tang Ai-Wei

    2014-01-01

    The improvement of the acetone-soaking treatment to the performance of polymer solar cells based on the P3HT/PCBM bulk heterojunction is reported. Undergoing acetone-soaking, the PCBM does not distribute uniformly in the vertical direction, a PCBM enrichment layer forms on the top of the active layer, which is beneficial to the collection of the carriers and blocking the inverting diffusion carriers. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) analysis reveals that the PCBM weight ratio on the top of the active layer increases by 20% after the acetone-soaking treatment. Due to the nonuniform distribution of PCBM, the short-circuit current density, the open-circuit voltage, and the fill factor are enhanced significantly. Finally, the power conversion efficiency of the acetone-soaking device increases by 31% compared with the control device. (interdisciplinary physics and related areas of science and technology)

  14. Light-induced EPR study of charge transfer in P3HT/bis-PCBM bulk heterojunctions

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Victor I. Krinichnyi

    2011-06-01

    Full Text Available Radical pairs, polarons and fullerene anion radicals photoinduced by photons with energy of 1.98 – 2.73 eV in bulk heterojunctions formed by poly(3-hexylthiophene (P3HT with bis(1-[3-(methoxycarbonylpropyl]-1-phenyl-[6.6]C62 (bis-PCBM fullerene derivative have been studied by direct light-induced EPR (LEPR method in a wide temperature range. A part of photoinduced polarons are pinned in trap sites which number and depth are governed by an ordering of the polymer/fullerene system and energy of initiating photons. It was shown that dynamics and recombination of mobile polarons and counter fullerene anion radicals are governed by their exchange- and multi-trap assisted diffusion. Relaxation and dynamics parameters of both the charge carriers were determined separately by the steady-state saturation method. These parameters are governed by structure and conformation of the carriers’ microenvironment as well as by the energy of irradiating photons. Longitudinal diffusion of polarons was shown to depend on lattice phonons of crystalline domains embedded into an amorphous polymer matrix. The energy barrier required for polaron interchain hopping is higher than that its intrachain diffusion. Pseudorotation of fullerene derivatives in a polymer matrix was shown to follow the activation Pike model.

  15. Ambient Layer-by-Layer ZnO Assembly for Highly Efficient Polymer Bulk Heterojunction Solar Cells

    KAUST Repository

    Eita, Mohamed Samir

    2015-02-04

    The use of metal oxide interlayers in polymer solar cells has great potential because metal oxides are abundant, thermally stable, and can be used in fl exible devices. Here, a layer-by-layer (LbL) protocol is reported as a facile, room-temperature, solution-processed method to prepare electron transport layers from commercial ZnO nanoparticles and polyacrylic acid (PAA) with a controlled and tunable porous structure, which provides large interfacial contacts with the active layer. Applying the LbL approach to bulk heterojunction polymer solar cells with an optimized ZnO layer thickness of H25 nm yields solar cell power-conversion effi ciencies (PCEs) of ≈6%, exceeding the effi ciency of amorphous ZnO interlayers formed by conventional sputtering methods. Interestingly, annealing the ZnO/PAA interlayers in nitrogen and air environments in the range of 60-300 ° C reduces the device PCEs by almost 20% to 50%, indicating the importance of conformational changes inherent to the PAA polymer in the LbL-deposited fi lms to solar cell performance. This protocol suggests a new fabrication method for solution-processed polymer solar cell devices that does not require postprocessing thermal annealing treatments and that is applicable to fl exible devices printed on plastic substrates.

  16. Dipyrrolidinyl-substituted perylene diimide as additive for poly(3-hexylthiophene): [6,6]-Phenyl C61 butyric acid methylester bulk-heterojunction blends

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Vivo, Paola; Dubey, Rajeev; Lehtonen, Elina; Kivistö, Hannele; Vuorinen, Tommi; Lemmetyinen, Helge

    2013-01-01

    The effects of the addition of 1,7-dipyrrolidinyl-substituted perylene diimide (1,7-PyPDI) to a traditional poly(3-hexylthiophene) (P3HT):[6,6]-phenyl C61-butyric acid methylester (PCBM) bulk-heterojunction blend on the performance of organic solar cells, are described. When the 1,7-PyPDI amount in the mixture is accurately tuned, the power conversion efficiency (η) of the 1,7-PyPDI-doped cells is enhanced compared to a reference non-doped device. Cells fabricated by spin-coating blends from chloroform solution with P3HT (monomer):PCBM:1,7-PyPDI molar ratio of 6.85:1:0.03 resulted in 39.6% higher power conversion efficiency than P3HT:PCBM blend. The efficiency improvement is attributed to possible photochemical interactions between the three components of the blend, which contribute to enhance the charge separation, and minimize the charge recombination processes. Moreover, the increased absorption and the microstructural implications induced by the introduction of 1,7-PyPDI contribute to explain the enhancement of the solar cell performance. - Highlights: • The solar cell active layer is doped with perylene derivative in different ratios. • The addition of the dopant significantly enhances the solar cell efficiency. • The possible role of the dopant in the heart of the solar cell is discussed

  17. Dipyrrolidinyl-substituted perylene diimide as additive for poly(3-hexylthiophene): [6,6]-Phenyl C61 butyric acid methylester bulk-heterojunction blends

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Vivo, Paola, E-mail: paola.vivo@tut.fi [Department of Chemistry and Bioengineering, Tampere University of Technology, P.O. Box 541, FI-33101 Tampere (Finland); Dubey, Rajeev; Lehtonen, Elina; Kivistö, Hannele [Department of Chemistry and Bioengineering, Tampere University of Technology, P.O. Box 541, FI-33101 Tampere (Finland); Vuorinen, Tommi [VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland, P.O. Box 1300, FI-33101 Tampere (Finland); Lemmetyinen, Helge [Department of Chemistry and Bioengineering, Tampere University of Technology, P.O. Box 541, FI-33101 Tampere (Finland)

    2013-12-02

    The effects of the addition of 1,7-dipyrrolidinyl-substituted perylene diimide (1,7-PyPDI) to a traditional poly(3-hexylthiophene) (P3HT):[6,6]-phenyl C61-butyric acid methylester (PCBM) bulk-heterojunction blend on the performance of organic solar cells, are described. When the 1,7-PyPDI amount in the mixture is accurately tuned, the power conversion efficiency (η) of the 1,7-PyPDI-doped cells is enhanced compared to a reference non-doped device. Cells fabricated by spin-coating blends from chloroform solution with P3HT (monomer):PCBM:1,7-PyPDI molar ratio of 6.85:1:0.03 resulted in 39.6% higher power conversion efficiency than P3HT:PCBM blend. The efficiency improvement is attributed to possible photochemical interactions between the three components of the blend, which contribute to enhance the charge separation, and minimize the charge recombination processes. Moreover, the increased absorption and the microstructural implications induced by the introduction of 1,7-PyPDI contribute to explain the enhancement of the solar cell performance. - Highlights: • The solar cell active layer is doped with perylene derivative in different ratios. • The addition of the dopant significantly enhances the solar cell efficiency. • The possible role of the dopant in the heart of the solar cell is discussed.

  18. Photovoltaic effect on the performance enhancement of organic light-emitting diodes with planar heterojunction architecture

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Zhao, Dan; Huang, Wei; Guo, Hao [State Key Laboratory of Electronic Thin Films and Integrated Devices, School of Optoelectronic Information, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China (UESTC), Chengdu 610054 (China); Wang, Hua, E-mail: wanghua001@tyut.edu.cn [Research Center of Advanced Materials Science and Technology, Taiyuan University of Technology (TYUT), Taiyuan 030024 (China); Yu, Junsheng, E-mail: jsyu@uestc.edu.cn [State Key Laboratory of Electronic Thin Films and Integrated Devices, School of Optoelectronic Information, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China (UESTC), Chengdu 610054 (China)

    2017-04-15

    Highlights: • The photovoltaic effect on the performance of OLEDs was studied. • The device performance with different planar heterojunctions was investigated. • The mechanism relies on the overlap of electroluminescence and absorption spectrum. - Abstract: Organic light-emitting diodes (OLEDs) with planar heterojunction (PHJ) architecture consisting of photovoltaic organic materials of fullerene carbon 60 (C{sub 60}) and copper (II) phthalocyanine (CuPc) inserted between emitting unit and cathode were constructed, and the photovoltaic effect on OLEDs performance was studied. The electroluminescent (EL) characteristics and mechanism of device performance variation without and with different PHJs (herein including C{sub 60}/CuPc, CuPc/C{sub 60} and CuPc) were systematically investigated in red, green and blue OLEDs. Of the three combinations, OLEDs with C{sub 60}/CuPc showed the highest efficiency. It is revealed that the photovoltaic C{sub 60}/CuPc PHJ can absorb part of photons, which are radiated from emission zone, then form excitons, and dissociated into free charges. Consequently, the high device efficiency of OLEDs performance improvement was acquired. This research demonstrates that PHJ consisting of two n- and p-type photovoltaic organic materials could be a promising methodology for high performance OLEDs.

  19. Photovoltaic effect on the performance enhancement of organic light-emitting diodes with planar heterojunction architecture

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Zhao, Dan; Huang, Wei; Guo, Hao; Wang, Hua; Yu, Junsheng

    2017-01-01

    Highlights: • The photovoltaic effect on the performance of OLEDs was studied. • The device performance with different planar heterojunctions was investigated. • The mechanism relies on the overlap of electroluminescence and absorption spectrum. - Abstract: Organic light-emitting diodes (OLEDs) with planar heterojunction (PHJ) architecture consisting of photovoltaic organic materials of fullerene carbon 60 (C_6_0) and copper (II) phthalocyanine (CuPc) inserted between emitting unit and cathode were constructed, and the photovoltaic effect on OLEDs performance was studied. The electroluminescent (EL) characteristics and mechanism of device performance variation without and with different PHJs (herein including C_6_0/CuPc, CuPc/C_6_0 and CuPc) were systematically investigated in red, green and blue OLEDs. Of the three combinations, OLEDs with C_6_0/CuPc showed the highest efficiency. It is revealed that the photovoltaic C_6_0/CuPc PHJ can absorb part of photons, which are radiated from emission zone, then form excitons, and dissociated into free charges. Consequently, the high device efficiency of OLEDs performance improvement was acquired. This research demonstrates that PHJ consisting of two n- and p-type photovoltaic organic materials could be a promising methodology for high performance OLEDs.

  20. Morphology-Dependent Trap Formation in High Performance Polymer Bulk Heterojunction Solar Cells

    KAUST Repository

    Beiley, Zach M.

    2011-06-28

    Bulk heterojunction solar cells (BHJs) based on poly[N-9″-hepta- decanyl-2,7-carbazole- alt -5,5-(4′,7′-di-2-thienyl-2′, 1′,3′-benzothiadiazole)] (PCDTBT) can have internal quantum efficiencies approaching 100% but require active layers that are too thin to absorb more than ∼70% of the above band gap light. When the active layer thickness is increased so that the cell absorbs more light, the fi ll factor and open circuit voltage decrease rapidly, so that the overall power conversion efficiency decreases. We fi nd that hole-traps in the polymer, which we characterize using space-charge limited current measurements, play an important role in the performance of PCDTBT-based BHJs and may limit the active layer thickness. Recombination due to carrier trapping is not often considered in BHJs because it is not believed to be a dominant loss mechanism in the "fruit-fl y" P3HT system. Furthermore, we show that in contrast to P3HT, PCDTBT has only weak short-range molecular order, and that annealing at temperatures above the glass transition decreases the order in the π-π stacking. The decrease in structural order is matched by the movement of hole-traps deeper into the band gap, so that thermal annealing worsens hole transport in the polymer and reduces the efficiency of PCDTBTbased BHJs. These fi ndings suggest that P3HT is not prototypical of the new class of high efficiency polymers, and that further improvement of BHJ efficiencies will necessitate the study of high efficiency polymers with low structural order. © 2011 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  1. Morphology-Dependent Trap Formation in High Performance Polymer Bulk Heterojunction Solar Cells

    KAUST Repository

    Beiley, Zach M.; Hoke, Eric T.; Noriega, Rodrigo; Dacuñ a, Javier; Burkhard, George F.; Bartelt, Jonathan A.; Salleo, Alberto; Toney, Michael F.; McGehee, Michael D.

    2011-01-01

    Bulk heterojunction solar cells (BHJs) based on poly[N-9″-hepta- decanyl-2,7-carbazole- alt -5,5-(4′,7′-di-2-thienyl-2′, 1′,3′-benzothiadiazole)] (PCDTBT) can have internal quantum efficiencies approaching 100% but require active layers that are too thin to absorb more than ∼70% of the above band gap light. When the active layer thickness is increased so that the cell absorbs more light, the fi ll factor and open circuit voltage decrease rapidly, so that the overall power conversion efficiency decreases. We fi nd that hole-traps in the polymer, which we characterize using space-charge limited current measurements, play an important role in the performance of PCDTBT-based BHJs and may limit the active layer thickness. Recombination due to carrier trapping is not often considered in BHJs because it is not believed to be a dominant loss mechanism in the "fruit-fl y" P3HT system. Furthermore, we show that in contrast to P3HT, PCDTBT has only weak short-range molecular order, and that annealing at temperatures above the glass transition decreases the order in the π-π stacking. The decrease in structural order is matched by the movement of hole-traps deeper into the band gap, so that thermal annealing worsens hole transport in the polymer and reduces the efficiency of PCDTBTbased BHJs. These fi ndings suggest that P3HT is not prototypical of the new class of high efficiency polymers, and that further improvement of BHJ efficiencies will necessitate the study of high efficiency polymers with low structural order. © 2011 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  2. Effect of the Phosphorus Gettering on Si Heterojunction Solar Cells

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Hyomin Park

    2012-01-01

    Full Text Available To improve the efficiency of crystalline silicon solar cells, should be collected the excess carrier as much as possible. Therefore, minimizing the recombination both at the bulk and surface regions is important. Impurities make recombination sites and they are the major reason for recombination. Phosphorus (P gettering was introduced to reduce metal impurities in the bulk region of Si wafers and then to improve the efficiency of Si heterojunction solar cells fabricated on the wafers. Resistivity of wafers was measured by a four-point probe method. Fill factor of solar cells was measured by a solar simulator. Saturation current and ideality factor were calculated from a dark current density-voltage graph. External quantum efficiency was analyzed to assess the effect of P gettering on the performance of solar cells. Minority bulk lifetime measured by microwave photoconductance decay increases from 368.3 to 660.8 μs. Open-circuit voltage and short-circuit current density increase from 577 to 598 mV and 27.8 to 29.8 mA/cm2, respectively. The efficiency of solar cells increases from 11.9 to 13.4%. P gettering will be feasible to improve the efficiency of Si heterojunction solar cells fabricated on P-doped Si wafers.

  3. Enhanced photovoltaic performance of inverted hybrid bulk-heterojunction solar cells using TiO2/reduced graphene oxide films as electron transport layers

    Science.gov (United States)

    Morais, Andreia; Alves, João Paulo C.; Lima, Francisco Anderson S.; Lira-Cantu, Monica; Nogueira, Ana Flavia

    2015-01-01

    In this study, we investigated inverted hybrid bulk-heterojunction solar cells with the following configuration: fluorine-doped tin oxide (FTO) |TiO2/RGO|P3HT:PC61BM|V2O5 or PEDOT:PSS|Ag. The TiO2/GO dispersions were prepared by sol-gel method, employing titanium isopropoxide and graphene oxide (GO) as starting materials. The GO concentration was varied from 0.1 to 4.0 wt%. The corresponding dispersions were spin-coated onto FTO substrates and a thermal treatment was performed to remove organic materials and to reduce GO to reduced graphene oxide (RGO). The TiO2/RGO films were characterized by x-ray diffraction, Raman spectroscopy, and microscopy techniques. Atomic force microscopy (AFM) images showed that the addition of RGO significantly changes the morphology of the TiO2 films, with loss of uniformity and increase in surface roughness. Independent of the use of V2O5 or PEDOT: PSS films as the hole transport layer, the incorporation of 2.0 wt% of RGO into TiO2 films was the optimal concentration for the best organic photovoltaic performance. The solar cells based on TiO2/RGO (2.0 wt%) electrode exhibited a ˜22.3% and ˜28.9% short circuit current density (Jsc) and a power conversion efficiency enhancement, respectively, if compared with the devices based on pure TiO2 films. Kelvin probe force microscopy images suggest that the incorporation of RGO into TiO2 films can promote the appearance of regions with different charge dissipation capacities.

  4. Organic solar cells fundamentals, devices, and upscaling

    CERN Document Server

    Rand, Barry P

    2014-01-01

    Solution-Processed DonorsB. Burkhart, B. C. ThompsonSmall-Molecule and Vapor-Deposited Organic Photovoltaics R. R. Lunt, R. J. HolmesAcceptor Materials for Solution-Processed Solar Cells Y. HeInterfacial Layers R. Po, C. Carbonera, A. BernardiElectrodes in Organic Photovoltaic Cells S. Yoo, J.-Y. Lee, H. Kim, J. LeeTandem and Multi-Junction Organic Solar Cells J. Gilot, R. A. J. JanssenBulk Heterojunction Morphology Control and Characterization T. Wang, D. G. LidzeyOptical Modeling and Light Management

  5. The effect of mesomorphology upon the performance of nanoparticulate organic photovoltaic devices

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Dam, Henrik Friis; Holmes, Natalie P.; Andersen, Thomas Rieks

    2015-01-01

    :PCBM and PSBTBT:PCBM NP organic photovoltaic (OPV) devices have been fabricated and exhibit similar device efficiencies, despite the PSBTBT being a much higher performing low band gap material. By comparing the measured NP shell and core compositions with the optimized bulk hetero-junction (BHJ) compositions, we...

  6. Semitransparent ZnO/poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) based hybrid inorganic/organic heterojunction thin film diodes prepared by combined radio-frequency magnetron-sputtering and electrodeposition techniques

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Rodríguez-Moreno, Jorge; Navarrete-Astorga, Elena; Martín, Francisco; Schrebler, Ricardo; Ramos-Barrado, José R.; Dalchiele, Enrique A.

    2012-01-01

    n-ZnO/p-poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) (PEDOT) semitransparent inorganic–organic hybrid vertical heterojunction thin film diodes have been fabricated with PEDOT and ZnO thin films grown by electrodeposition and radio-frequency magnetron-sputtering respectively, onto a tin doped indium oxide coated glass substrate. The diode exhibited an optical transmission of ∼ 40% to ∼ 50% in the visible region between 450 and 700 nm. The current–voltage (I–V) characteristics of the heterojunction show good rectifying diode characteristics, with a ratio of forward current to the reverse current as high as 35 in the range − 4 V to + 4 V. The I–V characteristic was examined in the framework of the thermionic emission model. The ideality factor and barrier height were obtained as 4.0 and 0.88 eV respectively. - Highlights: ► Semitransparent inorganic–organic heterojunction thin film diodes investigated ► n-ZnO/p-poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythipohene) used for the heterojunction ► Diodes exhibited an optical transmission of ∼ 40%–∼ 50% in the visible region ► Heterojunction current–voltage features show good rectifying diode characteristics ► A forward to reverse current ratio as high as 35 (− 4 V to + 4 V range) was attained

  7. Hole-transport limited S-shaped I-V curves in planar heterojunction organic photovoltaic cells

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhang, Minlu; Wang, Hui; Tang, C. W.

    2011-11-01

    Current-voltage (I-V) characteristics of planar heterojunction organic photovoltaic cells based on N',N'-Di-[(1-naphthyl)-N',N'-diphenyl]-1,1'-biphenyl)-4,4'-diamine (NPB) and C60 are investigated. Through variation of the layer thickness and composition, specifically chemical doping NPB with MoOx, we show that the hole-transport limitation in the NPB layer is the determining factor in shaping the I-V characteristics of NPB/C60 cells.

  8. Overcoming the efficiency limitations of SnS2 nanoparticle-based bulk heterojunction solar cells

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tam Nguyen Truong, Nguyen; Kieu Trinh, Thanh; Thanh Hau Pham, Viet; Smith, Ryan P.; Park, Chinho

    2018-04-01

    This study examined the effects of heat treatment, the electron transport layer, and [6,6]-phenyl C61 butyric acid methyl ester (PCBM) incorporation on the performance of hybrid bulk heterojunction (BHJ) solar cells composed of tin disulfide (SnS2) nanoparticles (NPs) and low band gap energy polymers poly[2,6-(4,4-bis(2-ethylhexyl)-4H-cyclopenta[2,1-b3,4-b‧]dithiophene)-alt-4,7(2,1,3-benzothiadiazole)] (PCPDTBT) or poly({4,8-bis[(2-ethylhexyl)oxy]benzo[1,2-b:4,5-b‧]dithiophene-2,6-diyl}{3-fluoro-2-[(2-ethylhexyl)carbonyl]thieno[3,4-b]thiophenediyl}) (PBT7). Inserting an electron transport layer (ETL) (i.e., ZnO) on the top of the photoactive layer improved the surface morphology of the photoactive layer, which led to an improvement in charge transport. Moreover, adding a suitable amount of PCBM to the SnS2/polymer active layer enhanced the device performance, such as short circuit current density (J sc) and power conversion efficiency (PCE). In particular, adding 0.5 mg of PCBM to the composite solution led to a 25% and 1.5% improvement in the J sc value and PCE, respectively. The enhanced performance was due mainly to the improvements in the surface morphology of the photoactive layer, charge carrier mobility within the donor-acceptor interface, and carrier collection efficiency at the cathode.

  9. Transparent conductive electrodes of mixed TiO2−x–indium tin oxide for organic photovoltaics

    KAUST Repository

    Lee, Kyu-Sung; Lim, Jong-Wook; Kim, Han-Ki; Alford, T. L.; Jabbour, Ghassan E.

    2012-01-01

    A transparent conductive electrode of mixed titanium dioxide (TiO2−x)–indium tin oxide (ITO) with an overall reduction in the use of indium metal is demonstrated. When used in organic photovoltaicdevices based on bulk heterojunction photoactive

  10. Ring substituents mediate the morphology of PBDTTPD-PCBM bulk-heterojunction solar cells

    KAUST Repository

    Warnan, Julien

    2014-04-08

    Among π-conjugated polymer donors for efficient bulk-heterojunction (BHJ) solar cell applications, poly(benzo[1,2-b:4,5-b′]dithiophene- thieno[3,4-c]pyrrole-4,6-dione) (PBDTTPD) polymers yield some of the highest open-circuit voltages (VOC, ca. 0.9 V) and fill-factors (FF, ca. 70%) in conventional (single-cell) BHJ devices with PCBM acceptors. In PBDTTPD, side chains of varying size and branching affect polymer self-assembly, nanostructural order, and impact material performance. However, the role of the polymer side-chain pattern in the intimate mixing between polymer donors and PCBM acceptors, and on the development of the BHJ morphology is in general less understood. In this contribution, we show that ring substituents such as furan (F), thiophene (T) and selenophene (S)-incorporated into the side chains of PBDTTPD polymers-can induce significant and, of importance, very different morphological effects in BHJs with PCBM. A combination of experimental and theoretical (via density functional theory) characterizations sheds light on how varying the heteroatom of the ring substituents impacts (i) the preferred side-chain configurations and (ii) the ionization, electronic, and optical properties of the PBDTTPD polymers. In parallel, we find that the PBDT(X)TPD analogs (with X = F, T, or S) span a broad range of power conversion efficiencies (PCEs, 3-6.5%) in optimized devices with improved thin-film morphologies via the use of 1,8-diiodooctane (DIO), and discuss that persistent morphological impediments at the nanoscale can be at the origin of the spread in PCE across optimized PBDT(X)TPD-based devices. With their high VOC ∼1 V, PBDT(X)TPD polymers are promising candidates for use in the high-band gap cell of tandem solar cells. © 2014 American Chemical Society.

  11. Ring substituents mediate the morphology of PBDTTPD-PCBM bulk-heterojunction solar cells

    KAUST Repository

    Warnan, Julien; El Labban, Abdulrahman; Cabanetos, Clement; Hoke, Eric T.; Shukla, Pradeep Kumar; Risko, Chad; Bré das, Jean Luc; McGehee, Michael D.; Beaujuge, Pierre

    2014-01-01

    Among π-conjugated polymer donors for efficient bulk-heterojunction (BHJ) solar cell applications, poly(benzo[1,2-b:4,5-b′]dithiophene- thieno[3,4-c]pyrrole-4,6-dione) (PBDTTPD) polymers yield some of the highest open-circuit voltages (VOC, ca. 0.9 V) and fill-factors (FF, ca. 70%) in conventional (single-cell) BHJ devices with PCBM acceptors. In PBDTTPD, side chains of varying size and branching affect polymer self-assembly, nanostructural order, and impact material performance. However, the role of the polymer side-chain pattern in the intimate mixing between polymer donors and PCBM acceptors, and on the development of the BHJ morphology is in general less understood. In this contribution, we show that ring substituents such as furan (F), thiophene (T) and selenophene (S)-incorporated into the side chains of PBDTTPD polymers-can induce significant and, of importance, very different morphological effects in BHJs with PCBM. A combination of experimental and theoretical (via density functional theory) characterizations sheds light on how varying the heteroatom of the ring substituents impacts (i) the preferred side-chain configurations and (ii) the ionization, electronic, and optical properties of the PBDTTPD polymers. In parallel, we find that the PBDT(X)TPD analogs (with X = F, T, or S) span a broad range of power conversion efficiencies (PCEs, 3-6.5%) in optimized devices with improved thin-film morphologies via the use of 1,8-diiodooctane (DIO), and discuss that persistent morphological impediments at the nanoscale can be at the origin of the spread in PCE across optimized PBDT(X)TPD-based devices. With their high VOC ∼1 V, PBDT(X)TPD polymers are promising candidates for use in the high-band gap cell of tandem solar cells. © 2014 American Chemical Society.

  12. 75 FR 72909 - Revision to Electric Reliability Organization Definition of Bulk Electric System

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-11-26

    ... Bulk-Power System. See Rules Concerning Certification of the Electric Reliability Organization; and... Bulk-Power System in North America because it protects the reliability of the bulk electric system and... Electric Reliability Organization Definition of Bulk Electric System; Final Rule #0;#0;Federal Register...

  13. Topological insulator nanowires and nanowire hetero-junctions

    Science.gov (United States)

    Deng, Haiming; Zhao, Lukas; Wade, Travis; Konczykowski, Marcin; Krusin-Elbaum, Lia

    2014-03-01

    The existing topological insulator materials (TIs) continue to present a number of challenges to complete understanding of the physics of topological spin-helical Dirac surface conduction channels, owing to a relatively large charge conduction in the bulk. One way to reduce the bulk contribution and to increase surface-to-volume ratio is by nanostructuring. Here we report on the synthesis and characterization of Sb2Te3, Bi2Te3 nanowires and nanotubes and Sb2Te3/Bi2Te3 heterojunctions electrochemically grown in porous anodic aluminum oxide (AAO) membranes with varied (from 50 to 150 nm) pore diameters. Stoichiometric rigid polycrystalline nanowires with controllable cross-sections were obtained using cell voltages in the 30 - 150 mV range. Transport measurements in up to 14 T magnetic fields applied along the nanowires show Aharonov-Bohm (A-B) quantum oscillations with periods corresponding to the nanowire diameters. All nanowires were found to exhibit sharp weak anti-localization (WAL) cusps, a characteristic signature of TIs. In addition to A-B oscillations, new quantization plateaus in magnetoresistance (MR) at low fields (< 0 . 7T) were observed. The analysis of MR as well as I - V characteristics of heterojunctions will be presented. Supported in part by NSF-DMR-1122594, NSF-DMR-1312483-MWN, and DOD-W911NF-13-1-0159.

  14. Exploitation of inimitable properties of CuInS2 quantum dots for energy conversion in bulk heterojunction hybrid solar cell

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jindal, Shikha; Giripunje, Sushama M.

    2017-11-01

    Quantum dots (QDs) are the suitable material for solar cell devices owing to its distinctive optical, electrical and electronic properties. Currently, the most efficient devices have employed the toxic QDs which cause destructive impact on environment. In the present article, we have used environment benign CuInS2 QDs as an acceptor material in bulk heterojunction device of P3HT and QDs. The energy level positions corroborated from UPS spectra substantiates the acceptor property of CuInS2. We scrutinized the hybrid solar cell by tailoring the acceptor content in active layer. The increased acceptor content intensifies the performance of device. The enhancement in photovoltaic parameters is mainly due to the fast dissociation and extraction of photogenerated excitons which occurs with the larger wt% of acceptor QDs. Current density-voltage characteristics describes the greater V oc and I sc in the 60 wt% CuInS2 QDs based solar cell as compared to the low wt% of QDs in the active layer.

  15. Black phosphorus induced photo-doping for high-performance organic-silicon heterojunction photovoltaics

    Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

    Zhouhui Xia; Pengfei Li; Yuqiang Liu; Tao Song; Qiaoliang Bao; Shuit-Tong Lee; Baoquan Sun

    2017-01-01

    In conventional crystalline silicon (Si) homojunction solar cells,a strategy of doping by transporting phosphorus or boron impurities into Si is commonly used to build Ohmic contacts at rear electrodes.However,this technique involves an energy intensive,high temperature (~ 800 ℃) process and toxic doping materials.Black phosphorus (BP) is a two-dimensional,narrow bandgap semiconductor with high carrier mobility that exhibits broad light harvesting properties.Here,we place BP:zinc oxide (ZnO) composite films between Si and aluminum (Al) to improve their contact.Once the BP harvests photons with energies below 1.1 eV from the crystalline Si,the ZnO carrier concentration increases dramatically due to charge injection.This photo-induced doping results in a high carrier concentration in the ZnO film,mimicking the modulated doping technique used in semiconductor heterojunctions.We show that photo-induced carriers dramatically increase the conductivities of the BP-modified ZnO films,thus reducing the contact resistance between Si and Al.A photovoltaic power conversion efficiency of 15.2% is achieved in organic-Si heterojunction solar cells that use a ZnO:BP layer.These findings demonstrate an effective way of improving Si/metal contact via a simple,low temperature process.

  16. Semitransparent ZnO/poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) based hybrid inorganic/organic heterojunction thin film diodes prepared by combined radio-frequency magnetron-sputtering and electrodeposition techniques

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Rodriguez-Moreno, Jorge; Navarrete-Astorga, Elena; Martin, Francisco [Laboratorio de Materiales y Superficies (Unidad Asociada al CSIC), Departamentos de Fisica Aplicada and Ing. Quimica, Universidad de Malaga, E29071 Malaga (Spain); Schrebler, Ricardo [Instituto de Quimica, Facultad de Ciencias, Pontificia Universidad Catolica de Valparaiso, Casilla 4059, Valparaiso (Chile); Ramos-Barrado, Jose R. [Laboratorio de Materiales y Superficies (Unidad Asociada al CSIC), Departamentos de Fisica Aplicada and Ing. Quimica, Universidad de Malaga, E29071 Malaga (Spain); Dalchiele, Enrique A., E-mail: dalchiel@fing.edu.uy [Instituto de Fisica, Facultad de Ingenieria, Herrera y Reissig 565, C.C. 30, 11000 Montevideo (Uruguay)

    2012-12-15

    n-ZnO/p-poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) (PEDOT) semitransparent inorganic-organic hybrid vertical heterojunction thin film diodes have been fabricated with PEDOT and ZnO thin films grown by electrodeposition and radio-frequency magnetron-sputtering respectively, onto a tin doped indium oxide coated glass substrate. The diode exhibited an optical transmission of {approx} 40% to {approx} 50% in the visible region between 450 and 700 nm. The current-voltage (I-V) characteristics of the heterojunction show good rectifying diode characteristics, with a ratio of forward current to the reverse current as high as 35 in the range - 4 V to + 4 V. The I-V characteristic was examined in the framework of the thermionic emission model. The ideality factor and barrier height were obtained as 4.0 and 0.88 eV respectively. - Highlights: Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Semitransparent inorganic-organic heterojunction thin film diodes investigated Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer n-ZnO/p-poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythipohene) used for the heterojunction Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Diodes exhibited an optical transmission of {approx} 40%-{approx} 50% in the visible region Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Heterojunction current-voltage features show good rectifying diode characteristics Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer A forward to reverse current ratio as high as 35 (- 4 V to + 4 V range) was attained.

  17. Electroluminescence from GaN-polymer heterojunction

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Chitara, Basant; Lal, Nidhi; Krupanidhi, S.B.; Rao, C.N.R.

    2011-01-01

    Inorganic and organic semiconductor devices are generally viewed as distinct and separate technologies. Herein we report a hybrid inorganic-organic light-emitting device employing the use of an air stable polymer, Poly (9,9-dioctylfluorene-alt-benzothiadiazole) as a p-type layer to create a heterojunction, avoiding the use of p-type GaN, which is difficult to grow, being prone to the complex and expensive fabrication techniques that characterises it. I-V characteristics of the GaN-polymer heterojunction fabricated by us exhibits excellent rectification. The luminescence onset voltage is typically about 8-10 V. The device emits yellowish white electroluminescence with CIE coordinates (0.42, 0.44). - Highlights: → We use a polymer Poly (9,9-dioctylfluorene-alt-benzothiadiazole) as a p-type layer to create a heterojunction. → I-V characteristics of the device fabricated by us exhibits excellent rectification. → The p-type polymer also emits yellow light, which when combined in proper composition with GaN, give rise to white light. → Device can be readily fabricated by just spin coating the polymer over GaN reducing the cost of the device.

  18. Charge carriers at organic heterojunction interface: Exciplex emission or electroplex emission?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yang, Shengyi; Zhang, Xiulong; Hou, Yanbing; Deng, Zhenbo; Xu, Xurong

    2007-05-01

    We report the electroluminescence (EL) of organic heterojunction devices based on N ,N'-diphenyl-N ,N'-bis(3-methylphenyl)-(1,1'-biphenyl)-4,4',-diamine (TPD) and 2-(4'-biphenyl)-5-(4″-tert-butylphenyl)-1,3,4-oxadiazole (PBD). Besides monomolecular emissions from TPD, there are two additional EL peaks at around 460 and 480nm from the bilayer device indium tin oxide (ITO)/TPD(100nm )/PBD(45nm)/Al. Our experimental data confirmed that the EL emission maximized at around 460nm is from electroplex as the result of charge carriers cross recombination at the TPD/PBD interface and the EL emission maximized at around 480nm originates from (TPD*PBD)-type exciplex.

  19. Interfacial Energy Alignment at the ITO/Ultra-Thin Electron Selective Dielectric Layer Interface and Its Effect on the Efficiency of Bulk-Heterojunction Organic Solar Cells.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Itoh, Eiji; Goto, Yoshinori; Saka, Yusuke; Fukuda, Katsutoshi

    2016-04-01

    We have investigated the photovoltaic properties of an inverted bulk heterojunction (BHJ) cell in a device with an indium-tin-oxide (ITO)/electron selective layer (ESL)/P3HT:PCBM active layer/MoOx/Ag multilayered structure. The insertion of only single layer of poly(diallyl-dimethyl-ammonium chloride) (PDDA) cationic polymer film (or poly(ethyleneimine) (PEI) polymeric interfacial dipole layer) and titanium oxide nanosheet (TN) films as an ESL effectively improved cell performance. Abnormal S-shaped curves were observed in the inverted BHJ cells owing to the contact resistance across the ITO/active layer interface and the ITO/PDDA/TN/active layer interface. The series resistance across the ITO/ESL interface in the inverted BHJ cell was successfully reduced using an interfacial layer with a positively charged surface potential with respect to ITO base electrode. The positive dipole in PEI and the electronic charge phenomena at the electrophoretic deposited TN (ED-TN) films on ITO contributed to the reduction of the contact resistance at the electrode interface. The surface potential measurement revealed that the energy alignment by the transfer of electronic charges from the ED-TN to the base electrodes. The insertion of the ESL with a large positive surface potential reduced the potential barrier for the electron injection at ITO/TN interface and it improved the photovoltaic properties of the inverted cell with an ITO/TN/active layer/MoOx/Ag structure.

  20. Fluorene-based narrow-band-gap copolymers for red light- emitting diodes and bulk heterojunction photovoltaic cells

    Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

    Mingliang SUN; Li WANG; Yangjun XIA; Bin DU; Ransheng LIU; Yong CAO

    2008-01-01

    A series of narrow band-gap conjugated copo-lymers (PFO-DDQ) derived from 9,9-dioctylfluorene (DOF) and 2,3-dimethyl-5,8-dithien-2-yl-quinoxalines (DDQ) is prepaid by the palladium-catalyzed Suzuki coupling reaction with the molar feed ratio of DDQ at around 1%,5%,15%,30% and 50%,respectively.The obtained polymers are readily soluble in common organic solvents.The solutions and the thin solid films of the copolymers absorb light from 300-590 nm with two absorbance.peaks at around 380 and 490 nm.The intens-ity of 490 nm peak increases with the increasing DDQ content in the polymers.Efficient energy transfer due to exciton trapping on narrow-band-gap DDQ sites has been observed.The PL emission consists exclusively of DDQ unit emission at around 591 643 nm depending on the DDQ content in solid film.The EL emission peaks are red-shifted from 580 nm for PFO-DDQ1 to 635 nm for PFO-DDQ50.The highest external quantum efficiency achieved with the device configuration ITO/PEDOT/ PVK/PFO-DDQt5/Ba/A1 is 1.33% with a luminous effi-ciency 1.54 cd/A.Bulk heterojunction photovoltaic cells fabricated from composite films of PFO-DDQ30 copoly-mer and [6,6]-phenyl C61 butyric acid methyl ester (PCBM) as electron donor and electron acceptor,respect-ively in device configuration:ITO/PEDOT:PSS/PFO-DDQ30:PCBM/PFPNBr/Al shows power conversion effi-ciencies of 1.18% with open-circuit voltage (Voc) of 0.90 V and short-circuit current density (Jsc) of 2.66 mA/cm2 under an AM1.5 solar simulator (100 mW/cm2).The photocurrent response wavelengths of the PVCs based on PFO-DDQ30/PCBM blends covers 300-700 nm.This indicates that these kinds of low band-gap polymers are promising candidates for polymeric solar cells and red light-emitting diodes.

  1. Understanding the phase separation evolution in efficient P3HT:IC70BA-based bulk-heterojunction polymer solar cells

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Fan Xi; Guo Shishang; Fang Guojia; Li Songzhan

    2013-01-01

    The effects of solvent and thermal annealing on the morphology of the active layers and the photovoltaic performance of bulk-heterojunction (BHJ) polymer solar cells (PSCs) are investigated systematically, for PSCs based on a blend of poly(3-hexylthiophene) (P3HT) as a donor and indene-C 70 bisadduct (IC 70 BA) as an acceptor. IC 70 BA crystallites are found reasonably well dispersed in the P3HT matrix after spin-coating. However, the IC 70 BA crystallites coarsen in size after annealing, which are clearly evidenced by transmission electron microscopy. Simultaneously, space charge limited current measurements demonstrate that solvent and thermal annealing can improve the hole and electron mobility, which reduces charge-carrier recombination and improves charge-carrier transport in the P3HT and IC 70 BA blend layers. The corresponding current-voltage curves are measured in quantity and we propose a model to show the variation of the ordered structure of P3HT domains and IC 70 BA crystallite characteristics in the phase separation process, expressing a viewpoint on the high performance of BHJ PSCs.

  2. Ti-dopant-enhanced photocatalytic activity of a CaFe{sub 2}O{sub 4}/MgFe{sub 2}O{sub 4} bulk heterojunction under visible-light irradiation

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Borse, Pramod H. [International Advanced Research Center for Powder Metallurgy and New Materials, Hyderabad (India); Kim, Jae Y.; Lee, Jae S. [Pohang University of Science and Technology, Pohang (Korea, Republic of); Lim, Kwon T. [Pukyong National University, Busan (Korea, Republic of); Jeong, Euh D.; Bae, Jong S.; Yoon, Jang H.; Yu, Seong M.; Kim, Hyun G. [Korea Basic Science Institute, Busan (Korea, Republic of)

    2012-07-15

    The effect substitution of Ti{sup 4+} at the Fe{sup 3+} site in a CaFe{sub 2}O{sub 4{sup -}}MgFe{sub 2}O{sub 4} bulk hetero-junction (BH) lattice photocatalyst was explored and the Ti ion concentration was optimized to fabricate an efficient photocatalyst. A BH consisting of an optimum dopant concentration (Ti{sup +4}) level of x = 0.03 exhibited an increased band gap and generated a 1.5 times higher photocurrent. The newly fabricated Ti ion doped photocatalyst showed an enhanced quantum yield (up to ∼13.3%) for photodecomposition of a H{sub 2}O-CH{sub 3}OH mixture, as compared to its undoped BH counterpart under visible light (λ ≥ 420 nm). In contrast, the material doped with a very high Ti-dopant concentration displayed deteriorated photochemical properties. An efficient charge-separation induced by Ti-ion doping seems to be responsible for the higher photocatalytic activity in a doped bulk BH.

  3. Graphene-based heterojunction photocatalysts

    Science.gov (United States)

    Li, Xin; Shen, Rongchen; Ma, Song; Chen, Xiaobo; Xie, Jun

    2018-02-01

    Due to their unique physicochemical, optical and electrical properties, 2D semimetallic or semiconducting graphene has been extensively utilized to construct highly efficient heterojunction photocatalysts for driving a variety of redox reactions under proper light irradiation. In this review, we carefully addressed the fundamental mechanism of heterogeneous photocatalysis, fundamental properties and advantages of graphene in photocatalysis, and classification and comparison of graphene-based heterojunction photocatalysts. Subsequently, we thoroughly highlighted and discussed various graphene-based heterojunction photocatalysts, including Schottky junctions, Type-II heterojunctions, Z-scheme heterojunctions, Van der Waals heterostructures, in plane heterojunctions and multicomponent heterojunctions. Several important photocatalytic applications, such as photocatalytic water splitting (H2 evolution and overall water splitting), degradation of pollutants, carbon dioxide reduction and bacteria disinfection, are also summarized. Through reviewing the important advances on this topic, it may inspire some new ideas for exploiting highly effective graphene-based heterojunction photocatalysts for a number of applications in photocatlysis and other fields, such as photovoltaic, (photo)electrocatalysis, lithium battery, fuel cell, supercapacitor and adsorption separation.

  4. Acceptor thickness effect of exciplex and electroplex emission at heterojunction interface in organic light-emitting diodes

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhang, Wei; Yu, Junsheng; Yuan, Kai; Jiang, Yadong; Zhang, Qing; Cao, Kangli

    2010-10-01

    Organic light-emitting diodes (OLEDs) consisted of a novel fluorene derivative of 5,6-bis(9,9-dihexyl-9H-fluoren-2-yl)- 2,3-diisocyano-2,3-dihydropyrazine (BDHFLCNPy) and a hole transporting material of N,N'-Di-[(1-naphthalenyl)- N,N'-diphenyl](1,1'-biphenyl)-4,4'-diamine (NPB) were fabricated, and electroluminescence (EL) spectrum of devices were investigated. It was found that light emission around 650 nm observed in devices came from exciplex generated at heterojunction interface by NPB molecules worked as electron donor and BDHFLCNPy molecules worked as electron acceptor. Moreover, a shoulder peak around 500 nm ascribed to BDHFLCNPy exciton was observed. To systemically study the effect of heterojunction structure in exciplex formation, OLEDs with different thickness of acceptor were fabricated. The results illustrated that a shoulder peak around 600 nm occurred in EL when acceptor thickness increases, and BDHFLCNPy exciton emitting strength is relatively altered. The emission band around 600 nm is due to electroplex. The L-V-J properties of OLEDs show that device with the thinnest acceptor layer has the highest luminance and current density. On the contrary, OLEDs with thicker acceptor layer have higher luminance efficiency. The different recombination mechanism of exciton, exciplex and electroplex in heterojunction were studied. Furthermore, the acceptor thickness effect of exciplex and electroplex generating mechanism and energy transferring mechanism between them was also discussed.

  5. Mixed Domains Enhance Charge Generation and Extraction in Bulk-Heterojunction Solar Cells with Small-Molecule Donors

    KAUST Repository

    Alqahtani, Obaid; Babics, Maxime; Gorenflot, Julien; Savikhin, Victoria; Ferron, Thomas; Balawi, Ahmed H.; Paulke, Andreas; Kan, Zhipeng; Pope, Michael; Clulow, Andrew J.; Wolf, Jannic Sebastian; Burn, Paul L.; Gentle, Ian R.; Neher, Dieter; Toney, Michael F.; Laquai, Fré dé ric; Beaujuge, Pierre; Collins, Brian A.

    2018-01-01

    The interplay between nanomorphology and efficiency of polymer-fullerene bulk-heterojunction (BHJ) solar cells has been the subject of intense research, but the generality of these concepts for small-molecule (SM) BHJs remains unclear. Here, the relation between performance; charge generation, recombination, and extraction dynamics; and nanomorphology achievable with two SM donors benzo[1,2-b:4,5-b]dithiophene-pyrido[3,4-b]-pyrazine BDT(PPTh), namely SM1 and SM2, differing by their side-chains, are examined as a function of solution additive composition. The results show that the additive 1,8-diiodooctane acts as a plasticizer in the blends, increases domain size, and promotes ordering/crystallinity. Surprisingly, the system with high domain purity (SM1) exhibits both poor exciton harvesting and severe charge trapping, alleviated only slightly with increased crystallinity. In contrast, the system consisting of mixed domains and lower crystallinity (SM2) shows both excellent exciton harvesting and low charge recombination losses. Importantly, the onset of large, pure crystallites in the latter (SM2) system reduces efficiency, pointing to possible differences in the ideal morphologies for SM-based BHJ solar cells compared with polymer-fullerene devices. In polymer-based systems, tie chains between pure polymer crystals establish a continuous charge transport network, whereas SM-based active layers may in some cases require mixed domains that enable both aggregation and charge percolation to the electrodes.

  6. Mixed Domains Enhance Charge Generation and Extraction in Bulk-Heterojunction Solar Cells with Small-Molecule Donors

    KAUST Repository

    Alqahtani, Obaid

    2018-03-25

    The interplay between nanomorphology and efficiency of polymer-fullerene bulk-heterojunction (BHJ) solar cells has been the subject of intense research, but the generality of these concepts for small-molecule (SM) BHJs remains unclear. Here, the relation between performance; charge generation, recombination, and extraction dynamics; and nanomorphology achievable with two SM donors benzo[1,2-b:4,5-b]dithiophene-pyrido[3,4-b]-pyrazine BDT(PPTh), namely SM1 and SM2, differing by their side-chains, are examined as a function of solution additive composition. The results show that the additive 1,8-diiodooctane acts as a plasticizer in the blends, increases domain size, and promotes ordering/crystallinity. Surprisingly, the system with high domain purity (SM1) exhibits both poor exciton harvesting and severe charge trapping, alleviated only slightly with increased crystallinity. In contrast, the system consisting of mixed domains and lower crystallinity (SM2) shows both excellent exciton harvesting and low charge recombination losses. Importantly, the onset of large, pure crystallites in the latter (SM2) system reduces efficiency, pointing to possible differences in the ideal morphologies for SM-based BHJ solar cells compared with polymer-fullerene devices. In polymer-based systems, tie chains between pure polymer crystals establish a continuous charge transport network, whereas SM-based active layers may in some cases require mixed domains that enable both aggregation and charge percolation to the electrodes.

  7. Fast-Response Photonic Device Based on Organic-Crystal Heterojunctions Assembled into a Vertical-Yet-Open Asymmetric Architecture.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhang, Lei; Pavlica, Egon; Zhong, Xiaolan; Liscio, Fabiola; Li, Songlin; Bratina, Gvido; Orgiu, Emanuele; Samorì, Paolo

    2017-03-01

    Crystalline dioctyl-3,4,9,10-perylenedicarboximide nanowires and 6,13-bis(triisopropylsilylethynyl) pentacene microplates are integrated into a vertical-yet-open asymmetrical heterojunction for the realization of a high-performance organic photovoltaic detector, which shows fast photoresponse, ultrahigh signal-to-noise ratio, and high sensitivity to weak light. © 2017 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  8. Bulk Soil Organic Matter d2H as a Precipitation Proxy

    Science.gov (United States)

    Williams, E. K.; Terwilliger, V. J.; Nakamoto, B. J.; Berhe, A. A.; Fogel, M. L.

    2016-12-01

    The stable hydrogen isotopic composition (d2H) of leaf waxes have traditionally been used to infer modern and paleoclimate precipitation sources. However, the extent to which evapotranspiration of leaf waters affects the d2H of plant leaf waxes remains hotly contested with offsets varying between species. Because of the relative importance of root organic matter contribution to bulk soil pools compared to litter/leaves and the minimal fractionation between soil water and root material, it is plausible that bulk soil organic matter d2H may be an option for modern and paleoclimate precipitation reconstructions. In this study, we analyzed the non-exchangeable d2H composition of roots, litter, leaves, and bulk soils along an elevation gradient in the southern Sierra Nevada range (USA). Our results show a consistent offset of 30 ± 3‰ in bulk soil organic matter in surface soils from the measured precipitation. This consistent relationship with precipitation was not found in any of the other organic materials that we measured and implies that d2H bulk soil organic matter can record precipitation signals regardless of above-ground species composition. Additionally, we utilized physical density fractionation to determine which fractions (which vary in level of mineral association and in turnover time) of the soil control this relationship. These findings and how this relationship holds with depth will be presented in conjunction with data from a soil profile on the Ethiopian plateau spanning 6000 years.

  9. Lifetime improvement mechanism in organic light-emitting diodes with mixed materials at a heterojunction interface

    Science.gov (United States)

    Minagawa, Masahiro; Takahashi, Noriko

    2016-02-01

    To investigate the lifetime improvement mechanism caused by mixing at the heterojunction interface, organic light-emitting diodes (OLEDs) with stacked and mixed 4,4‧-bis[N-(1-naphthyl)-N-phenyl-amino]-biphenyl (α-NPD)/tris(8-hydroxyquinoline)aluminum (Alq3) interfaces were fabricated, and changes in their displacement current due to continuous operation were measured. A decrease in accumulated holes at the α-NPD/Alq3 interface was observed in the stacked configuration devices over longer operations. These results indicate that the injected hole density was reduced during continuous operation, implying that the carrier balance became uneven in the emission region. However, few accumulated holes and changes in the displacement current due to continuous operation were observed in the devices having the mixed layer. Therefore, it was deduced that the number of holes concentrated between the α-NPD and Alq3 layers was decreased by mixing at the heterojunction interface, and that the change in the number of holes was smaller during continuous operation, resulting in less degradation.

  10. Flexible organic solar cells including efficiency enhancing grating structures

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Oliveira Hansen, Roana Melina de; Liu, Yinghui; Madsen, Morten

    2013-01-01

    , such as photolithography and electron-beam lithography, besides the steps required for the bulk-heterojunction organic solar cell fabrication. After the production steps, the solar cells on polyimide are peeled off the silicon support substrates, resulting in flexible devices containing nanostructures for light absorption......In this work, a new method for the fabrication of organic solar cells containing functional light-trapping nanostructures on flexible substrates is presented. Polyimide is spin-coated on silicon support substrates, enabling standard micro- and nanotechnology fabrication techniques...

  11. Electrical properties of a charge-transfer interlayer modified organic heterojunction

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Yu, Shuwen; Salzmann, Ingo; Koch, Norbert [Humboldt-Universitaet zu Berlin (Germany). Institut f. Physik; Vollmer, Antje [HZB-BESSY, Berlin (Germany)

    2010-07-01

    We investigated the effect of a thin interlayer (ca. monolayer) of tetrafluoro-tetracyanoquinodimethane (F4-TCNQ) between prototypical hole and electron transport layers (HTL and ETL) on interface energetics and current transport. As HTL we used 4,4{sup '},4''-tris(N,N-diphenyl-amino)triphenylamine (TDATA) and tris (8-hydroxyquinoline)aluminium (Alq{sub 3}) as ETL, which are commonly employed in organic light emitting diodes. The hole injection barrier into TDATA is 0.5 eV, as measured by photoemission spectroscopy. Deposition of an F4-TCNQ interlayer on top of TDATA does not further change the energy level position. However, after applying the F4-TCNQ interlayer the energy levels of Alq3 deposited on top of TDATA are 0.15 eV closer to the Fermi-level than without the interlayer. Diodes fabricated without interlayer had a 0.6 V higher onset-voltage one order of magnitude lower current density than those with F4-TCNQ. These observations can be rationalized by an increased (non-radiative) electron-hole recombination rate at the modified organic heterojunction and a changed internal electric field distribution.

  12. Exciplex-Sensitized Triplet-Triplet Annihilation in Heterojunction Organic Thin-Film.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lin, Bo-Yen; Easley, Connor J; Chen, Chia-Hsun; Tseng, Po-Chen; Lee, Ming-Zer; Sher, Pin-Hao; Wang, Juen-Kai; Chiu, Tien-Lung; Lin, Chi-Feng; Bardeen, Christopher J; Lee, Jiun-Haw

    2017-03-29

    A new concept for organic light-emitting diodes (OLEDs) is presented, which is called exciplex-sensitized triplet-triplet annihilation (ESTTA). The exciplex formed at the organic heterojunction interface of 4,4',4″-tris(N-3-methyphenyl-N-phenyl-amino) triphenylamine and 9,10-bis(2'-naphthyl) anthracene (ADN) is used to sensitize the triplet-triplet annihilation (TTA) process on the ADN molecules. This results in a turn-on voltage (2.2 V) of the blue emission from the OLED below the bandgap (2.9 eV). From the transient electroluminescence measurement, blue emission totally came from the TTA process without direct recombination on the ADN molecules. The blue singlet exciton from the TTA process can be quenched by energy transfer to the exciplex, as revealed by transient photoluminescence measurements. This can be prevented by blocking the energy transfer path and improving the radiative recombination rate of blue emission. With the insertion of the "triplet diffusion and singlet blocking (TDSB)" layer and the incorporation of the dopant material, an ESTTA-OLED with external quantum efficiency of 5.1% was achieved, which consists of yellow and blue emission coming from the exciplex and ESTTA process, respectively.

  13. Solution-processed zinc oxide/polyethylenimine nanocomposites as tunable electron transport layers for highly efficient bulk heterojunction polymer solar cells.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chen, Hsiu-Cheng; Lin, Shu-Wei; Jiang, Jian-Ming; Su, Yu-Wei; Wei, Kung-Hwa

    2015-03-25

    In this study, we employed polyethylenimine-doped sol-gel-processed zinc oxide composites (ZnO:PEI) as efficient electron transport layers (ETL) for facilitating electron extraction in inverted polymer solar cells. Using ultraviolet photoelectron spectroscopy, synchrotron grazing-incidence small-angle X-ray scattering and transmission electron microscopy, we observed that ZnO:PEI composite films' energy bands could be tuned considerably by varying the content of PEI up to 7 wt %-the conduction band ranged from 4.32 to 4.0 eV-and the structural order of ZnO in the ZnO:PEI thin films would be enhanced to align perpendicular to the ITO electrode, particularly at 7 wt % PEI, facilitating electron transport vertically. We then prepared two types of bulk heterojunction systems-based on poly(3-hexylthiophene) (P3HT):phenyl-C61-butryric acid methyl ester (PC61BM) and benzo[1,2-b:4,5-b́]dithiophene-thiophene-2,1,3-benzooxadiazole (PBDTTBO):phenyl-C71-butryric acid methyl ester (PC71BM)-that incorporated the ZnO:PEI composite layers. When using a composite of ZnO:PEI (93:7, w/w) as the ETL, the power conversion efficiency (PCE) of the P3HT:PC61BM (1:1, w/w) device improved to 4.6% from a value of 3.7% for the corresponding device that incorporated pristine ZnO as the ETL-a relative increase of 24%. For the PBDTTBO:PC71BM (1:2, w/w) device featuring the same amount of PEI blended in the ETL, the PCE improved to 8.7% from a value of 7.3% for the corresponding device that featured pure ZnO as its ETL-a relative increase of 20%. Accordingly, ZnO:PEI composites can be effective ETLs within organic photovoltaics.

  14. Effect of Aggregation on Squaraine Fullerene Bulk-Heterojunction Organic Photovoltaic Devices

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jalan, Ishita

    Organic photovoltaics (OPV) offer great promise as a low-cost renewable energy source, the relative low efficiency still challenges its commercialization potential. Small conjugated molecules like Squaraine (SQ) molecules show promising advancement in organic photovoltaics (OPV). Advantages of SQ over other materials is that it has a high extinction coefficient (>105), decent photo-stability, good synthetic reproducibility, and tunable molecular structure. With small chemical modifications, the squaraines can have substantial impact on photophysical properties and aggregation pattern, and thus on operational OPV efficiency. The squaraine molecule that will be studied in this work is a symmetric aniline-based squaraine with n-hexyl chain on the molecular arm with di hydroxyl substituents on the aniline, this will be referred to DHSQ(OH) 2. In this work, the assignment of the monomer and aggregate peak is discussed. It is known that crystallinity is important for efficient charge transport and exciton diffusion in the BHJ, this thesis focuses on thermal and solvent vapor annealing the as-cast films to reduce the amorphous regions. It is observed that crystallinity is improved but often at the expense of larger crystal size. Therefore, to achieve optimal OPV efficiency, this tradeoff is controlled to improve the crystallinity while maintaining a small, highly mixed BHJ morphology.

  15. Efficient polymer:fullerene bulk heterojunction solar cells with n-type doped titanium oxide as an electron transport layer

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Choi, Youna [Heeger Center for Advanced Material & Research Institute of Solar and Sustainable Energies, Gwangju Institute of Science and Technology, Gwangju 500-712 (Korea, Republic of); Kim, Geunjin [School of Materials Science and Engineering, Gwangju Institute of Science and Technology, Gwangju 500-712 (Korea, Republic of); Kim, Heejoo, E-mail: heejook@gist.ac.kr [Heeger Center for Advanced Material & Research Institute of Solar and Sustainable Energies, Gwangju Institute of Science and Technology, Gwangju 500-712 (Korea, Republic of); Kim, Sun Hee [School of Materials Science and Engineering, Gwangju Institute of Science and Technology, Gwangju 500-712 (Korea, Republic of); Lee, Kwanghee, E-mail: klee@gist.ac.kr [Heeger Center for Advanced Material & Research Institute of Solar and Sustainable Energies, Gwangju Institute of Science and Technology, Gwangju 500-712 (Korea, Republic of); School of Materials Science and Engineering, Gwangju Institute of Science and Technology, Gwangju 500-712 (Korea, Republic of)

    2015-05-29

    We have reported a highly n-type doped solution-processed titanium metal oxide (TiO{sub x}) for use as an efficient electron-transport layer (ETL) in polymer:fullerene bulk heterojunction (BHJ) solar cells. When the metal ions (Ti) in TiO{sub x} are partially substituted by niobium (Nb), the charge carrier density increased, by an order of magnitude, because of the large electronegativity of Nb compared to that of Ti. Therefore, the work function (WF) of Nb-doped metal oxide (Nb-TiO{sub x}) decreases from 4.75 eV (TiO{sub x}) to 4.66 eV (Nb-TiO{sub x}), leading to an enhancement in the power conversion efficiency (PCE) of BHJ solar cells with a Nb-TiO{sub x} ETL (from 7.99% to 8.40%). - Highlights: • Solution processable Nb-doped TiO{sub x} was developed by simple sol-gel synthesis. • Charge carrier density in TiO{sub x} is significantly increased by introducing Nb element. • The work function value of Nb-doped TiO{sub x} is reduced by introducing Nb element. • A charge recombination inside of PSC with Nb-TiO{sub x} was effectively suppressed.

  16. Interplay Between Side Chain Pattern, Polymer Aggregation, and Charge Carrier Dynamics in PBDTTPD:PCBM Bulk-Heterojunction Solar Cells

    KAUST Repository

    Dyer-Smith, Clare

    2015-05-01

    Poly(benzo[1,2-b:4,5-b′]dithiophene–alt–thieno[3,4-c]pyrrole-4,6-dione) (PBDTTPD) polymer donors with linear side-chains yield bulk-heterojunction (BHJ) solar cell power conversion efficiencies (PCEs) of about 4% with phenyl-C71-butyric acid methyl ester (PC71BM) as the acceptor, while a PBDTTPD polymer with a combination of branched and linear substituents yields a doubling of the PCE to 8%. Using transient optical spectroscopy it is shown that while the exciton dissociation and ultrafast charge generation steps are not strongly affected by the side chain modifications, the polymer with branched side chains exhibits a decreased rate of nongeminate recombination and a lower fraction of sub-nanosecond geminate recombination. In turn the yield of long-lived charge carriers increases, resulting in a 33% increase in short circuit current (J sc). In parallel, the two polymers show distinct grazing incidence X-ray scattering spectra indicative of the presence of stacks with different orientation patterns in optimized thin-film BHJ devices. Independent of the packing pattern the spectroscopic data also reveals the existence of polymer aggregates in the pristine polymer films as well as in both blends which trap excitons and hinder their dissociation.

  17. The Effect of Molecular Structure and Environment on the Miscibility and Diffusivity in Polythiophene-Methanofullerene Bulk Heterojunctions: Theory and Modeling with the RISM Approach

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Alexander E. Kobryn

    2016-04-01

    Full Text Available Although better means to model the properties of bulk heterojunction molecular blends are much needed in the field of organic optoelectronics, only a small subset of methods based on molecular dynamics- and Monte Carlo-based approaches have been hitherto employed to guide or replace empirical characterization and testing. Here, we present the first use of the integral equation theory of molecular liquids in modelling the structural properties of blends of phenyl-C61-butyric acid methyl ester (PCBM with poly(3-hexylthiophene (P3HT and a carboxylated poly(3-butylthiophene (P3BT, respectively. For this, we use the Reference Interaction Site Model (RISM with the Universal Force Field (UFF to compute the microscopic structure of blends and obtain insight into the miscibility of its components. Input parameters for RISM, such as optimized molecular geometries and charge distribution of interaction sites, are derived by the Density Functional Theory (DFT methods. We also run Molecular Dynamics (MD simulation to compare the diffusivity of the PCBM in binary blends with P3HT and P3BT, respectively. A remarkably good agreement with available experimental data and results of alternative modelling/simulation is observed for PCBM in the P3HT system. We interpret this as a step in the validation of the use of our approach for organic photovoltaics and support of its results for new systems that do not have reference data for comparison or calibration. In particular, for the less-studied P3BT, our results show that expectations about its performance in binary blends with PCBM may be overestimated, as it does not demonstrate the required level of miscibility and short-range structural organization. In addition, the simulated mobility of PCBM in P3BT is somewhat higher than what is expected for polymer blends and falls into a range typical for fluids. The significance of our predictive multi-scale modelling lies in the insights it offers into nanoscale

  18. Silicon heterojunction transistor

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Matsushita, T.; Oh-uchi, N.; Hayashi, H.; Yamoto, H.

    1979-01-01

    SIPOS (Semi-insulating polycrystalline silicon) which is used as a surface passivation layer for highly reliable silicon devices constitutes a good heterojunction for silicon. P- or B-doped SIPOS has been used as the emitter material of a heterojunction transistor with the base and collector of silicon. An npn SIPOS-Si heterojunction transistor showing 50 times the current gain of an npn silicon homojunction transistor has been realized by high-temperature treatments in nitrogen and low-temperature annealing in hydrogen or forming gas

  19. Development of the morphology during functional stack build-up of P3HT:PCBM bulk heterojunction solar cells with inverted geometry.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wang, Weijia; Pröller, Stephan; Niedermeier, Martin A; Körstgens, Volker; Philipp, Martine; Su, Bo; Moseguí González, Daniel; Yu, Shun; Roth, Stephan V; Müller-Buschbaum, Peter

    2015-01-14

    Highly efficient poly(3-hexylthiophene-2,5-diyl) (P3HT):phenyl-C61-butyric acid methyl ester (PCBM) bulk heterojunction solar cells are achieved by using an inverted geometry. The development of the morphology is investigated as a function of the multilayer stack assembling during the inverted solar cell preparation. Atomic force microscopy is used to reveal the surface morphology of each stack, and the inner structure is probed with grazing incidence small-angle X-ray scattering. It is found that the smallest domain size of P3HT is introduced by replicating the fluorine-doped tin oxide structure underneath. The structure sizes of the P3HT:PCBM active layer are further optimized after thermal annealing. Compared to devices with standard geometry, the P3HT:PCBM layer in the inverted solar cells shows smaller domain sizes, which are much closer to the exciton diffusion length in the polymer. The decrease in domain sizes is identified as the main reason for the improvement of the device performance.

  20. Increased short circuit current in an azafullerene-based organic solar cell.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cambarau, Werther; Fritze, Urs F; Viterisi, Aurélien; Palomares, Emilio; von Delius, Max

    2015-01-21

    We report the synthesis of a solution-processable, dodecyloxyphenyl-substituted azafullerene monoadduct (DPC59N) and its application as electron acceptor in bulk heterojunction organic solar cells (BHJ-OSCs). Due to its relatively strong absorption of visible light, DPC59N outperforms PC60BM in respect to short circuit current (JSC) and external quantum efficiency (EQE) in blends with donor P3HT.

  1. Crystallinity of the epitaxial heterojunction of C60 on single crystal pentacene

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tsuruta, Ryohei; Mizuno, Yuta; Hosokai, Takuya; Koganezawa, Tomoyuki; Ishii, Hisao; Nakayama, Yasuo

    2017-06-01

    The structure of pn heterojunctions is an important subject in the field of organic semiconductor devices. In this work, the crystallinity of an epitaxial pn heterojunction of C60 on single crystal pentacene is investigated by non-contact mode atomic force microscopy and high-resolution grazing incidence x-ray diffraction. Analysis shows that the C60 molecules assemble into grains consisting of single crystallites on the pentacene single crystal surface. The in-plane mean crystallite size exceeds 0.1 μm, which is at least five time larger than the size of crystallites deposited onto polycrystalline pentacene thin films grown on SiO2. The results indicate that improvement in the crystal quality of the underlying molecular substrate leads to drastic promotion of the crystallinity at the organic semiconductor heterojunction.

  2. 76 FR 16263 - Revision to Electric Reliability Organization Definition of Bulk Electric System

    Science.gov (United States)

    2011-03-23

    ...; Order No. 743-A] Revision to Electric Reliability Organization Definition of Bulk Electric System AGENCY... certain provisions of the Final Rule. Order No. 743 directed the Electric Reliability Organization (ERO) to revise the definition of the term ``bulk electric system'' through the ERO's Reliability Standards...

  3. "Plastic" solar cells: self-assembly of bulk heterojunction nanomaterials by spontaneous phase separation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Peet, Jeffrey; Heeger, Alan J; Bazan, Guillermo C

    2009-11-17

    As the global demand for low-cost renewable energy sources intensifies, interest in new routes for converting solar energy to electricity is rapidly increasing. Although photovoltaic cells have been commercially available for more than 50 years, only 0.1% of the total electricity generated in the United States comes directly from sunlight. The earliest commercial solar technology remains the basis for the most prevalent devices in current use, namely, highly-ordered crystalline, inorganic solar cells, commonly referred to as silicon cells. Another class of solar cells that has recently inspired significant academic and industrial excitement is the bulk heterojunction (BHJ) "plastic" solar cell. Research by a rapidly growing community of scientists across the globe is generating a steady stream of new insights into the fundamental physics, the materials design and synthesis, the film processing and morphology, and the device science and architecture of BHJ technology. Future progress in the fabrication of high-performance BHJ cells will depend on our ability to combine aspects of synthetic and physical chemistry, condensed matter physics, and materials science. In this Account, we use a combination of characterization tools to tie together recent advances in BHJ morphology characterization, device photophysics, and thin-film solution processing, illustrating how to identify the limiting factors in solar cell performance. We also highlight how new processing methods, which control both the BHJ phase separation and the internal order of the components, can be implemented to increase the power conversion efficiency (PCE). The failure of many innovative materials to achieve high performance in BHJ solar cell devices has been blamed on "poor morphology" without significant characterization of either the structure of the phase-separated morphology or the nature of the charge carrier recombination. We demonstrate how properly controlling the "nanomorphology", which is

  4. Rapid phase segregation of P3HT:PCBM composites by thermal annealing for high-performance bulk-heterojunction solar cells

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Fan, X.; Fang, G.J.; Qin, P.L.; Cheng, F.; Zhao, X.Z. [Wuhan University, Key Laboratory of Artificial Micro- and Nano-Structures of Ministry of Education, Department of Electronic Science and Technology, School of Physics and Technology, Wuhan (China)

    2011-12-15

    The performances of bulk-heterojunction (BHJ) solar cells are investigated for time-dependent thermal annealing with different morphology evolution scales, having special consideration for the diffusion and aggregation of fullerene derivative molecules based on blends of poly(3-hexylthiophene):[6,6]-phenyl-C{sub 61}-butyric acid methyl ester (P3HT:PCBM). Meaningfully, rapid formation of dot-like and needle-like crystalline PCBM structures of a few micrometers up to 60 {mu}m in size is obtained with thermal annealing treatment from 2 to 15 min, which dynamically reflects a fast process of PCBM molecule and cluster aggregation. Upon ultrasonic-assisted processing and annealing treatment, the scale of P3HT crystals is drastically increased in view of X-ray diffraction (XRD) patterns, leading to a high hole mobility. And, the P3HT domains can be gradually converted into larger P3HT crystals approved by the decreased full width at half-maximum in the XRD patterns. Corresponding current-voltage curves are measured in quantity and we propose a model to explain the effect of the crystalline degree of P3HT domains and aggregation of PCBM molecules and clusters on the phase segregation, expressing a viewpoint towards high performance of BHJ solar cells. (orig.)

  5. Sol-gel derived ZnO as an electron transport layer (ETL) for inverted organic solar cells

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tiwari, D. C.; Dwivedi, Shailendra Kumar; Dipak, Phukhrambam; Chandel, Tarun; Sharma, Rishi

    2017-05-01

    In this work, we present the study of the fabrication process of the sol-gel derived zinc oxide (ZnO) as an electron transport layer (ETL.). The solution processed inverted bulk heterojunction organic solar cells based on a thin film blend of poly (3-hexylthiophene 2, 5-diyl) and [6,6]-phenyl-C61-butyric acid methyl ester is prepared. ZnO thin films are annealed at different temperature to optimize the solar cell performance and their characterization for their structural and optical properties are carried out. We have observed Voc=70mV, Jsc=1.33 µA/cm2 and FF=26% from the inverted heterojunction solar cell.

  6. Stratigraphy, sedimentology and bulk organic geochemistry of black ...

    Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

    Stratigraphy, sedimentology and bulk organic geochemistry of black shales from the Proterozoic. Vindhyan Supergroup (central India). S Banerjee1,∗. , S Dutta. 2. , S Paikaray. 1 and U Mann. 2. 1. Department of Earth Sciences, Indian Institute of Technology Bombay, Powai, Mumbai 400 076, India. 2. Forschungszentrum ...

  7. An Organic D-π-A Dye for Record Efficiency Solid-State Sensitized Heterojunction Solar Cells

    KAUST Repository

    Cai, Ning

    2011-04-13

    The high molar absorption coefficient organic D-π-A dye C220 exhibits more than 6% certified electric power conversion efficiency at AM 1.5G solar irradiation (100 mW cm-2) in a solid-state dye-sensitized solar cell using 2,2′,7,7′-tetrakis(N,N-dimethoxyphenylamine)-9,9′- spirobifluorene (spiro-MeOTAD) as the organic hole-transporting material. This contributes to a new record (6.08% by NREL) for this type of sensitized heterojunction photovoltaic device. Efficient charge generation is proved by incident photon-to-current conversion efficiency spectra. Transient photovoltage and photocurrent decay measurements showed that the enhanced performance achieved with C220 partially stems from the high charge collection efficiency over a wide potential range. © 2011 American Chemical Society.

  8. Heterojunction Structures for Photon Detector Applications

    Science.gov (United States)

    2014-07-21

    IR: Fourier-transform infrared FTO: Fluorine doped tin oxide G-R: generation-recombination HEIWIP: heterojunction interfacial workfunction internal...SECURITY CLASSIFICATION OF: The work presented here report findings in (1) infrared detectors based on p-GaAs/AlGaAs heterojunctions , (2) J and H...aggregate sensitized heterojunctions for solar cell and photon detection applications, (3) heterojunctions sensitized with quantum dots as low cost

  9. Pronounced Effects of a Triazine Core on Photovoltaic Performance-Efficient Organic Solar Cells Enabled by a PDI Trimer-Based Small Molecular Acceptor.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Duan, Yuwei; Xu, Xiaopeng; Yan, He; Wu, Wenlin; Li, Zuojia; Peng, Qiang

    2017-02-01

    A novel-small molecular acceptor with electron-deficient 1,3,5-triazine as the core and perylene diimides as the arms is developed as the acceptor material for efficient bulk heterojunction organic solar cells with an efficiency of 9.15%. © 2016 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  10. Trap-mediated electronic transport properties of gate-tunable pentacene/MoS2 p-n heterojunction diodes.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kim, Jae-Keun; Cho, Kyungjune; Kim, Tae-Young; Pak, Jinsu; Jang, Jingon; Song, Younggul; Kim, Youngrok; Choi, Barbara Yuri; Chung, Seungjun; Hong, Woong-Ki; Lee, Takhee

    2016-11-10

    We investigated the trap-mediated electronic transport properties of pentacene/molybdenum disulphide (MoS 2 ) p-n heterojunction devices. We observed that the hybrid p-n heterojunctions were gate-tunable and were strongly affected by trap-assisted tunnelling through the van der Waals gap at the heterojunction interfaces between MoS 2 and pentacene. The pentacene/MoS 2 p-n heterojunction diodes had gate-tunable high ideality factor, which resulted from trap-mediated conduction nature of devices. From the temperature-variable current-voltage measurement, a space-charge-limited conduction and a variable range hopping conduction at a low temperature were suggested as the gate-tunable charge transport characteristics of these hybrid p-n heterojunctions. Our study provides a better understanding of the trap-mediated electronic transport properties in organic/2-dimensional material hybrid heterojunction devices.

  11. Performance of spray deposited poly [N-9″-hepta-decanyl-2,7-carbazole-alt-5,5-(4′,7′-di-2-thienyl-2′,1′, 3′-benzothiadiazole)]/[6,6]-phenyl-C61-butyric acid methyl ester blend active layer based bulk heterojunction organic solar cell devices

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Saitoh, Leona; Babu, R. Ramesh; Kannappan, Santhakumar; Kojima, Kenzo; Mizutani, Teruyoshi; Ochiai, Shizuyasu

    2012-01-01

    Bulk heterojunction organic solar cell devices were fabricated using the spray deposited poly [N-9″-hepta-decanyl-2,7-carbazole-alt-5,5-(4′,7′-di-2-thienyl-2′,1′, 3′-benzothiadiazole)]/[6,6]-phenyl-C61-butyric acid methyl ester blend active layer. The spray coating parameters such as spraying time, substrate-nozzle distance for the deposition of active layers were analyzed. Optical absorption of the active layers was analyzed using UV–visible spectral studies in the wavelength range from 300 to 800 nm. The surface morphology of the active layers deposited with different parameters was examined using atomic force microscopy. Surface morphology of the active layers deposited with the substrate-nozzle distance of 20 cm and for 20 s shows smooth morphology with peak-valley value of 4 nm. The devices fabricated using the selected active layer show overall power conversion efficiency of 1.08%. - Graphical abstract: Current–voltage (J–V) characteristics of spray deposited PCDTBT:PC 61 BM active layer based solar cell device under illumination of AM 1.5 G, 100 mW/cm 2 . Highlights: ► Organic solar cells were fabricated using a spray deposited PCDTBT:PC61BM active layer. ► The active layers deposited with spray conditions show flat morphology. ► Using the selected active layers power conversion efficiency of 1.08% is obtained.

  12. Impact of Microstructure on the Photostability of Organic Bulk Heterojunction Solar Cells

    OpenAIRE

    Heumueller, Thomas

    2016-01-01

    The aim of this thesis is to understand the mechanisms of burn-in degradation in organic solar cells and show pathways to reduce burn-in and increase device lifetime. The initial blend morphology is found to play a critical role during degradation and the main focus of this thesis is on the impact of microstructure on device stability. In order to reveal how morphology influences light induced losses of the characteristic photovoltaic parameters short circuit current and open circuit voltage ...

  13. Stimulated emission within the exciplex band by plasmonic-nanostructured polymeric heterojunctions

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhang, Xinping; Li, Hongwei; Wang, Yimeng; Liu, Feifei

    2015-03-01

    Organic heterojunctions have been extensively employed in the design of light-emitting diodes, photovoltaic devices, and thin-film field-effect transistors, which can be achieved by constructing a bilayer or a multi-layered thin-film deposition, or by blending two or more organic semiconductors with different charge-transport performances. Charge transfer excited states or exciplex may form on the heterointerfaces. Efficient light-emitting diodes have been demonstrated using exciplex emission. However, lasing or stimulated emission processes have not been observed with exciplex formation at organic heterojunctions. In this work, we demonstrate strong coherent interaction between photons and exciplex formation in the blends of poly-9,9'-dioctylfluorene-co-bis-N,N'-(4-butylphenyl)-bis-N,N'-phenyl-l,4-phenylenediamine (PFB) and poly-9,9'-dioctylfluorene-co-benzothiadiazole (F8BT), leading to transient stimulated exciplex emission. The responsible mechanisms involve plasmonic local-field enhancement and plasmonic feedback in a three-dimensional gold-nanoparticle matrix.Organic heterojunctions have been extensively employed in the design of light-emitting diodes, photovoltaic devices, and thin-film field-effect transistors, which can be achieved by constructing a bilayer or a multi-layered thin-film deposition, or by blending two or more organic semiconductors with different charge-transport performances. Charge transfer excited states or exciplex may form on the heterointerfaces. Efficient light-emitting diodes have been demonstrated using exciplex emission. However, lasing or stimulated emission processes have not been observed with exciplex formation at organic heterojunctions. In this work, we demonstrate strong coherent interaction between photons and exciplex formation in the blends of poly-9,9'-dioctylfluorene-co-bis-N,N'-(4-butylphenyl)-bis-N,N'-phenyl-l,4-phenylenediamine (PFB) and poly-9,9'-dioctylfluorene-co-benzothiadiazole (F8BT), leading to transient

  14. ZnO-graphene quantum dots heterojunctions for natural sunlight-driven photocatalytic environmental remediation

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kumar, Suneel; Dhiman, Ankita; Sudhagar, Pitchaimuthu; Krishnan, Venkata

    2018-07-01

    In this work, we report the formation of heterojunctions comprising of graphene quantum dots (GQD) decorated ZnO nanorods (NR) and its use as efficient photocatalysts for environmental remediation. The heterojunctions has been designed to be active both in the UV and visible light regions and anticipated utilize the maximum part of the solar light spectrum. In this view, we examined the photocatalytic performance of our heterojunctions towards the degradation of colored pollutant (methylene blue (MB) dye) and a colorless pollutant (carbendazim (CZ) fungicide) under sunlight irradiation. Compared to bare photocatalyst ZnO and GQD, the heterojunction with 2 wt% of GQD (ZGQD2) showed the best photocatalytic activity by effectively degrading (about 95%) of organic pollutants (MB and CZ) from water within a short span of 70 min. The superior photocatalytic activity of these ZnO-GQD heterojunctions could be attributed to efficient charge carrier separation lead suppressed recombination rate at photocatalyst interfaces. In addition to the enhanced light absorption from UV to visible region, the high specific surface area of ZGQD2 heterojunction (353.447 m2 g-1) also imparts strong adsorption capacity for pollutants over catalyst surface, resulting in high photoactivity. Based on the obtained results, band gap alignment at ZnO-GQD heterojunction and active species trapping experiments, a plausible mechanism is proposed for photocatalytic reaction. The excellent photostability and recyclability of the ZnO-GQD heterojunctions fostering as promising photocatalyst candidate for environmental remediation applications.

  15. Organic Photovoltaic Structures as Photo-active Electrodes

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Gustafson, Matthew P.; Clark, Noel; Winther-Jensen, Bjorn; MacFarlane, Douglas R.

    2014-01-01

    This study demonstrated the novel use of a bulk heterojunction (BHJ), as present in modern organic solar cells, as a light-assisted electrocatalyst for water electrolysis reactions. Two separate organic photo-voltaic electrode structures were designed for targeting both the reduction, (ITO-PET/PEDOT:PSS/P3HT:PCBM)* and oxidation, (ITO-PET/ZnO/P3HT:PCBM)* reactions of water, denoted as OPE-R and OPE-O respectively. The OPE-R electrode supported both the proton reduction reaction (PRR) and oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) achieving photocurrents of -0.04 mAcm −2 (ORR) and -0.03 mAcm −2 (PRR) and a photovoltage of 0.50 V (ORR) and onset photovoltage at -0.59 V (PRR). By comparison, the OPE-O electrode achieved photocurrents of 0.15 mAcm −2 and photovoltages of 0.35 V for the water oxidation reaction (WOR). Both BHJ designs confirmed evidence of photo-enhanced Bulk Heterojunction Electrode (BHE) activity. The stability and sources of electrode degradation were also studied, with the OPE-O electrode proving to be more stable than the OPE-R electrode, most likely due to the PEDOT:PSS layer and PSS migration in the presence of water. *Indium Tin Oxide (ITO), Polyethylene Terephthalate (PET), Poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) (PEDOT), Polystyrenesulfonate acid (PSS), Poly(3-hexylthiophene) (P3HT), Phenyl-C 61 -Butyric acid Methyl ester (PCBM), Zinc Oxide (ZnO)

  16. Basic aspects for improving the energy conversion efficiency of hetero-junction organic photovoltaic cells.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ryuzaki, Sou; Onoe, Jun

    2013-01-01

    Hetero-junction organic photovoltaic (OPV) cells consisting of donor (D) and acceptor (A) layers have been regarded as next-generation PV cells, because of their fascinating advantages, such as lightweight, low fabrication cost, resource free, and flexibility, when compared to those of conventional PV cells based on silicon and semiconductor compounds. However, the power conversion efficiency (η) of the OPV cells has been still around 8%, though more than 10% efficiency has been required for their practical use. To fully optimize these OPV cells, it is necessary that the low mobility of carriers/excitons in the OPV cells and the open circuit voltage (V OC), of which origin has not been understood well, should be improved. In this review, we address an improvement of the mobility of carriers/excitons by controlling the crystal structure of a donor layer and address how to increase the V OC for zinc octaethylporphyrin [Zn(OEP)]/C60 hetero-junction OPV cells [ITO/Zn(OEP)/C60/Al]. It was found that crystallization of Zn(OEP) films increases the number of inter-molecular charge transfer (IMCT) excitons and enlarges the mobility of carriers and IMCT excitons, thus significantly improving the external quantum efficiency (EQE) under illumination of the photoabsorption band due to the IMCT excitons. Conversely, charge accumulation of photo-generated carriers in the vicinity of the donor/acceptor (D/A) interface was found to play a key role in determining the V OC for the OPV cells.

  17. Dissolved organic and inorganic matter in bulk deposition of a coastal urban area: an integrated approach.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Santos, Patrícia S M; Santos, Eduarda B H; Duarte, Armando C

    2014-12-01

    Bulk deposition can remove atmospheric organic and inorganic pollutants that may be associated with gaseous, liquid or particulate phases. To the best of our knowledge, few studies have been carried out, which simultaneously analyse the presence of organic and inorganic fractions in rainwater. In the present work, the complementarity of organic and inorganic data was assessed, through crossing data of some organic [DOC (dissolved organic carbon), absorbance at 250 nm (UV250nm), integrated fluorescence] and inorganic [H(+), NH4(+), NO3(-), non sea salt sulphate (NSS-SO4(2-))] parameters measured in bulk deposition in the coastal urban area of Aveiro. The organic and inorganic parameters analysed were positively correlated (pCDOM) came from anthropogenic sources. Furthermore, the inverse correlations observed for the organic and inorganic parameters with the precipitation amount suggest that organic and inorganic fractions were incorporated into the rainwater partially by below-cloud scavenging of airborne particulate matter. This is in accordance with the high values of DOC and NO3(-) found in samples associated with marine air masses, which were linked in part to the contribution of local emissions from vehicular traffic. DOC of bulk deposition was the predominant constituent when compared with the constituents H(+), NH4(+), NO3(-) and NSS-SO4(2-), and consequently bulk deposition flux was also highest for DOC, highlighting the importance of DOC and of anthropogenic ions being simultaneously removed from the atmosphere by bulk deposition. However, it was verified that the contribution of anthropogenic sources to the DOC of bulk deposition may be different for distinct urban areas. Thus, it is recommended that organic and inorganic fractions of bulk deposition are studied together. Copyright © 2014. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

  18. A dewetting route to grow heterostructured nanoparticles based on thin film heterojunctions.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Li, Junjie; Yin, Deqiang; Li, Qiang; Chen, Chunlin; Huang, Sumei; Wang, Zhongchang

    2015-12-21

    Heterostructured nanoparticles have received considerable attention for their various applications due to their unique and tunable functionalities with respect to their individual bulk constituents. However, the current wet chemical synthesis of multicomponent heterostructured nanoparticles is rather complicated. Here, we report a simple and quick method to fabricate Co-Au dumbbell arrays by dewetting Co/Au heterojunctions on a Si substrate and demonstrate that the Co-Au dumbbells vary in size from 2 to 28 nm. We further show by chemical mapping that Co bells are covered by a pseudomorphic Au wetting layer of ∼4 Å, preventing the bells from oxidation. By controlling the thickness of metal heterojunctions and the annealing time, the morphology of the Co-Au nanoparticle is found to be transformed from the dumbbell to the core shell. This facile route is demonstrated to be useful for fabricating other metal-metal and metal-oxide heterostructures and hence holds technological promise for functional applications.

  19. Organic-inorganic Au/PVP/ZnO/Si/Al semiconductor heterojunction characteristics

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mokhtari, H.; Benhaliliba, M.

    2017-11-01

    The paper reports the fabrication and characterization of a novel Au/PVP/ZnO/Si/Al semiconductor heterojunction (HJ) diode. Both inorganic n type ZnO and organic polyvinyl pyrrolidone (PVP) layers have grown by sol-gel spin-coating route at 2000 rpm. The front and back metallic contacts are thermally evaporated in a vacuum at pressure of 10-6 Torr having a diameter of 1.5 mm and a thickness of 250 nm. The detailed analysis of the forward and reverse bias current-voltage characteristics has been provided. Consequently, many electronic parameters, such as ideality factor, rectification coefficient, carrier concentration, series resistance, are then extracted. Based upon our results a non-ideal diode behavior is revealed and ideality factor exceeds the unity (n > 4). A high rectifying (~4.6 × 10 4) device is demonstrated. According to Cheung-Cheung and Norde calculation models, the barrier height and series resitance are respectively of 0.57 eV and 30 kΩ. Ohmic and space charge limited current (SCLC) conduction mechanisms are demonstrated. Such devices will find applications as solar cell, photodiode and photoconductor.

  20. Materials and Devices Research of PPV-ZnO Nanowires for Heterojunction Solar Cells

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Zhang Xiao-Zhou

    2012-01-01

    Full Text Available Bulk heterojunction photovoltaic devices, which use the conjugated polymer poly(2-methoxyl-5-(2′-ethylhexyloxy-1,4-phenylenevinylene (MEH-PPV as the electron donor and crystalline ZnO nanowires as the electron acceptor, have been studied in this work. The ZnO nanowires were prepared through a chemical vapor deposition mechanism. The dissolved MEH-PPV polymer was spin-coated onto the nanowires. The scanning electron microscope images showed that the ZnO nanowires were covered with a single layer of the polymer, and these materials were used to design a heterojunction solar cell. This solar cell displayed improved performance compared with the devices that were made from only the MEH-PPV polymer. This observed improvement is correlated with the improved electron transport that is perpendicular to the plane of the film. A solar power conversion efficiency of 1.37% was achieved under an AM1.5 illumination.

  1. Significantly improved efficiency of organic solar cells incorporating Co3O4 NPs in the active layer

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yousaf, S. Amber; Ikram, M.; Ali, S.

    2018-03-01

    Effect of various concentrations of fabricated cobalt oxide (Co3O4) nanoparticles (NPs) in the active layer of different donors and acceptors based hybrid organic bulk heterojunction-BHJ devices were investigated using inverted architecture. The organic active layer comprising different donors P3HT (poly(3-hexylthiophene-2,5-diyl) and PTB7 (Poly[[4,8-bis[(2-ethylhexyl)oxy]benzo[1,2-b:4,5-b']dithiophene-2,6-diyl][3-fluoro-2-[(2-ethylhexyl)carbonyl]thieno[3,4-b] thiophenediyl

  2. The importance of fullerene percolation in the mixed regions of polymer-fullerene bulk heterojunction solar cells

    KAUST Repository

    Bartelt, Jonathan A.; Beiley, Zach M.; Hoke, Eric T.; Mateker, William R.; Douglas, Jessica D.; Collins, Brian A.; Tumbleston, John R.; Graham, Kenneth; Amassian, Aram; Ade, Harald W.; Frechet, Jean; Toney, Michael F.; McGehee, Michael D.

    2012-01-01

    Most optimized donor-acceptor (D-A) polymer bulk heterojunction (BHJ) solar cells have active layers too thin to absorb greater than - 80% of incident photons with energies above the polymer's band gap. If the thickness of these devices could be increased without sacrifi cing internal quantum effi ciency, the device power conversion effi ciency (PCE) could be signifi cantly enhanced. We examine the device characteristics of BHJ solar cells based on poly(di(2- ethylhexyloxy)benzo[1,2- b :4,5- b ' ]dithiophene- co -octylthieno[3,4- c ]pyrrole-4,6- dione) (PBDTTPD) and [6,6]-phenyl-C 61 -butyric acid methyl ester (PCBM) with 7.3% PCE and fi nd that bimolecular recombination limits the active layer thickness of these devices. Thermal annealing does not mitigate these bimolecular recombination losses and drastically decreases the PCE of PBDTTPD BHJ solar cells. We characterize the morphology of these BHJs before and after thermal annealing and determine that thermal annealing drastically reduces the concentration of PCBM in the mixed regions, which consist of PCBM dispersed in the amorphous portions of PBDTTPD. Decreasing the concentration of PCBM may reduce the number of percolating electron transport pathways within these mixed regions and create morphological electron traps that enhance charge-carrier recombination and limit device quantum effi ciency. These fi ndings suggest that (i) the concentration of PCBM in the mixed regions of polymer BHJs must be above the PCBM percolation threshold in order to attain high solar cell internal quantum effi ciency, and (ii) novel processing techniques, which improve polymer hole mobility while maintaining PCBM percolation within the mixed regions, should be developed in order to limit bimolecular recombination losses in optically thick devices and maximize the PCE of polymer BHJ solar cells. © 2013 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH and Co. © 2013 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co.

  3. The importance of fullerene percolation in the mixed regions of polymer-fullerene bulk heterojunction solar cells

    KAUST Repository

    Bartelt, Jonathan A.

    2012-10-26

    Most optimized donor-acceptor (D-A) polymer bulk heterojunction (BHJ) solar cells have active layers too thin to absorb greater than - 80% of incident photons with energies above the polymer\\'s band gap. If the thickness of these devices could be increased without sacrifi cing internal quantum effi ciency, the device power conversion effi ciency (PCE) could be signifi cantly enhanced. We examine the device characteristics of BHJ solar cells based on poly(di(2- ethylhexyloxy)benzo[1,2- b :4,5- b \\' ]dithiophene- co -octylthieno[3,4- c ]pyrrole-4,6- dione) (PBDTTPD) and [6,6]-phenyl-C 61 -butyric acid methyl ester (PCBM) with 7.3% PCE and fi nd that bimolecular recombination limits the active layer thickness of these devices. Thermal annealing does not mitigate these bimolecular recombination losses and drastically decreases the PCE of PBDTTPD BHJ solar cells. We characterize the morphology of these BHJs before and after thermal annealing and determine that thermal annealing drastically reduces the concentration of PCBM in the mixed regions, which consist of PCBM dispersed in the amorphous portions of PBDTTPD. Decreasing the concentration of PCBM may reduce the number of percolating electron transport pathways within these mixed regions and create morphological electron traps that enhance charge-carrier recombination and limit device quantum effi ciency. These fi ndings suggest that (i) the concentration of PCBM in the mixed regions of polymer BHJs must be above the PCBM percolation threshold in order to attain high solar cell internal quantum effi ciency, and (ii) novel processing techniques, which improve polymer hole mobility while maintaining PCBM percolation within the mixed regions, should be developed in order to limit bimolecular recombination losses in optically thick devices and maximize the PCE of polymer BHJ solar cells. © 2013 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH and Co. © 2013 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co.

  4. Effect of the Side Chains and Anode Material on Thermal Stability and Performance of Bulk-Heterojunction Solar Cells Using DPP(TBFu2 Derivatives as Donor Materials

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Alexander Kovalenko

    2015-01-01

    Full Text Available An optimized fabrication of bulk-heterojunction solar cells (BHJ SCs based on previously reported diketopyrrolopyrrole donor, ethyl-hexylated DPP(TBFu2, as well as two new DPP(TBFu2 derivatives with ethyl-hexyl acetate and diethyl acetal solubilizing side-chains and PC60BM as an acceptor is demonstrated. Slow gradual annealing of the solar cell causing the effective donor-acceptor reorganization, and as a result higher power conversion efficiency (PCE, is described. By replacing a hole transporting layer PEDOT:PSS with MoO3 we obtained higher PCE values as well as higher thermal stability of the anode contact interface. DPP(TBFu2 derivative containing ethyl-hexyl acetate solubilizing side-chains possessed the best as-cast self-assembly and high crystallinity. However, the presence of ethyl-hexyl acetate and diethyl acetal electrophilic side-chains stabilizes HOMO energy of isolated DPP(TBFu2 donors with respect to the ethyl-hexylated one, according to cyclic voltammetry.

  5. Performance optimization studies of solution processed bulk-heterojunction solar cells

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ali, Bakhtyar

    2011-12-01

    Organic Solar Cells (OSCs), which rely on the concept of bulk-heterojunction, stand out due primarily to their simple construction, mechanical flexibility and exceptional ease of processing. These characteristics make them potential candidates to substitute for the expensive photovoltaic counterparts. Among other OSCs, devices containing poly(3-hexylthiophene) (P3HT) and phenyl C61 butaric acid methyl ester (PCBM) as photo-active layer have shown promising results. However, the power conversion efficiency (PCE) is still lower than the required commercialization mark (˜10%). Devices with structure glass/ITO/PEDOT:PSS/P3HT:PCBM/LiF/Al, annealed and un-annealed with device area ˜0.4 cm2 (unless otherwise stated), have been studied. An investigation of the device processing variables has led to the conclusion that the optimum loading of PCBM in the blend for optimum performance is in the range of 1:1 to 1:2. Characterization of the active layer with UV-vis absorption, PL spectra and XRD reveal that the addition of PCBM to P3HT matrix is detrimental for the self-organization of P3HT chains (crystallinity) and it also increases the resistivity. Similarly, 1,2 dichlorobenzene (DCB) has been found to be the best solvent among other solvents such as chloroform (CF) and chlorobenzene (CB), for optimum PCE. The rho(T) data from the samples (pristine P3HT and P3HT/PCBM blends) exhibit anisotropy in conduction where it follows the variable range hoping (VRH) in the lateral (parallel to film) and polaronic behavior in vertical (perpendicular to film) transport. The activation energy obtained from the fit to polaronic model is 329 meV for P3HT/ PCBM blend (1:1). Furthermore, the photovoltaic parameters extracted from a lumped circuit analysis of voltage and temperature dependence of photocurrent, JL(V), in P3HT/PCBM OSCs, completely describe the illuminated J-V data from far reverse bias to beyond the open circuit voltage (Voc). A simple model for carrier collection has been

  6. Temperature dependent electrical characteristics of an organic-inorganic heterojunction obtained from a novel organometal Mn complex

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ocak, Y.S.; Ebeoglu, M.A.; Topal, G.; Kilicoglu, T.

    2010-01-01

    This study includes synthesizing a Mn hexaamide (MnHA) organometal compound (C 27 H 21 N 9 O 6 MnCl 2 ).(1/2H 2 O), fabrication of MnHA/n-Si organic-inorganic heterojunction and analysis of conduction mechanism of the device over the room temperature. After synthesizing the molecule, the structure of the compound was determined using spectroscopic methods. The Sn/MnHA/n-Si structure was constructed by forming a thin MnHA layer on n-Si inorganic semiconductor and evaporating Sn metal on organic complex. The structure has shown good rectifying behavior and obeys the thermionic emission theory. The current-voltage (I-V) characteristics of the diode have been measured at temperatures ranging from 300 to 380 K at 10 K intervals to determine the temperature dependent electrical characteristics of the device.

  7. Photonic crystal geometry for organic solar cells.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ko, Doo-Hyun; Tumbleston, John R; Zhang, Lei; Williams, Stuart; DeSimone, Joseph M; Lopez, Rene; Samulski, Edward T

    2009-07-01

    We report organic solar cells with a photonic crystal nanostructure embossed in the photoactive bulk heterojunction layer, a topography that exhibits a 3-fold enhancement of the absorption in specific regions of the solar spectrum in part through multiple excitation resonances. The photonic crystal geometry is fabricated using a materials-agnostic process called PRINT wherein highly ordered arrays of nanoscale features are readily made in a single processing step over wide areas (approximately 4 cm(2)) that is scalable. We show efficiency improvements of approximately 70% that result not only from greater absorption, but also from electrical enhancements. The methodology is generally applicable to organic solar cells and the experimental findings reported in our manuscript corroborate theoretical expectations.

  8. Self-Aligned van der Waals Heterojunction Diodes and Transistors.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sangwan, Vinod K; Beck, Megan E; Henning, Alex; Luo, Jiajia; Bergeron, Hadallia; Kang, Junmo; Balla, Itamar; Inbar, Hadass; Lauhon, Lincoln J; Hersam, Mark C

    2018-02-14

    A general self-aligned fabrication scheme is reported here for a diverse class of electronic devices based on van der Waals materials and heterojunctions. In particular, self-alignment enables the fabrication of source-gated transistors in monolayer MoS 2 with near-ideal current saturation characteristics and channel lengths down to 135 nm. Furthermore, self-alignment of van der Waals p-n heterojunction diodes achieves complete electrostatic control of both the p-type and n-type constituent semiconductors in a dual-gated geometry, resulting in gate-tunable mean and variance of antiambipolar Gaussian characteristics. Through finite-element device simulations, the operating principles of source-gated transistors and dual-gated antiambipolar devices are elucidated, thus providing design rules for additional devices that employ self-aligned geometries. For example, the versatility of this scheme is demonstrated via contact-doped MoS 2 homojunction diodes and mixed-dimensional heterojunctions based on organic semiconductors. The scalability of this approach is also shown by fabricating self-aligned short-channel transistors with subdiffraction channel lengths in the range of 150-800 nm using photolithography on large-area MoS 2 films grown by chemical vapor deposition. Overall, this self-aligned fabrication method represents an important step toward the scalable integration of van der Waals heterojunction devices into more sophisticated circuits and systems.

  9. 40 CFR 60.502 - Standard for Volatile Organic Compound (VOC) emissions from bulk gasoline terminals.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-07-01

    ... (VOC) emissions from bulk gasoline terminals. 60.502 Section 60.502 Protection of Environment... SOURCES Standards of Performance for Bulk Gasoline Terminals § 60.502 Standard for Volatile Organic Compound (VOC) emissions from bulk gasoline terminals. On and after the date on which § 60.8(a) requires a...

  10. Organic / IV, III-V Semiconductor Hybrid Solar Cells

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Pang-Leen Ong

    2010-03-01

    Full Text Available We present a review of the emerging class of hybrid solar cells based on organic-semiconductor (Group IV, III-V, nanocomposites, which states separately from dye synthesized, polymer-metal oxides and organic-inorganic (Group II-VI nanocomposite photovoltaics. The structure of such hybrid cell comprises of an organic active material (p-type deposited by coating, printing or spraying technique on the surface of bulk or nanostructured semiconductor (n-type forming a heterojunction between the two materials. Organic components include various photosensitive monomers (e.g., phtalocyanines or porphyrines, conjugated polymers, and carbon nanotubes. Mechanisms of the charge separation at the interface and their transport are discussed. Also, perspectives on the future development of such hybrid cells and comparative analysis with other classes of photovoltaics of third generation are presented.

  11. Design, fabrication, and characterization of polymer based bulk heterojunction solar cells with enhanced efficiencies

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lu, Haiwei

    Polymer based bulk heterojunction (BHJ) solar cells offer promising technological advantages for actualization of low-cost and large-area fabrication on flexible substrates. To reach the envisaged market entry figure of 10% power conversion efficiency (PCE), it is crucial that more solar energy is utilized in the active layer, requiring both higher energy conversion efficiency and expansion of the absorption spectrum of the active layer to near infrared (NIR) region. The research introduced in this dissertation is an effort to increase PCE of solar cells from the aforementioned two directions. In the first method, carbon nanotubes (CNTs) were incorporated into polymer-fullerene BHJ solar cells to increase the hole-collection efficiency. Devices with CNT monolayer networks placed at different positions were fabricated, and the impact of CNTs on device performance was studied. It was demonstrated that CNTs placed on the hole-collection side of the device resulted in optimized performance, with PCE increased from 4% to 4.9%. To realize the controlled deposition of a uniform layer of CNTs on different positions, a mild plasma treatment of the active-layer was employed, and the influence of plasma treatment on device performance was also studied. In the second strategy, I developed an approach to expand the absorption spectrum to NIR region. In this case, hybrid polymer based BHJ solar cells composed of pyridine-capped PbS (PbS-py) quantum dots (QDs) and poly(3-hexylthiophene) (P3HT) were proposed. With pyridines as capping ligands, devices showed superior performance compared to with conventionally used oleate agents. PbS QDs with bandgaps of ˜1.13-1.38 eV offered the advantage of energetically favorable charge separation between P3HT and PbS QDs for photoexcitons in both visible and NIR regions. It was also found that thermal annealing leads to the removal of excess and interfacial pyridine ligands in polymer/QDs composites, and thus provides intimate electrical

  12. Research on ZnO/Si heterojunction solar cells

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Chen, Li; Chen, Xinliang; Liu, Yiming

    2017-01-01

    We put forward an n-ZnO/p-Si heterojunction solar cell model based on AFORS-HET simulations and provide experimental support in this article. ZnO: B (B-doped ZnO) thin films deposited by metal-organic chemical vapor deposition (MOCVD) are planned to act as electrical emitter layer on p-type c...

  13. 78 FR 29209 - Revisions to Electric Reliability Organization Definition of Bulk Electric System and Rules of...

    Science.gov (United States)

    2013-05-17

    ... Commission 18 CFR Part 40 Revisions to Electric Reliability Organization Definition of Bulk Electric System... local distribution'' as set forth in the Federal Power Act (FPA). \\1\\ Revisions to Electric Reliability... Reliability Organization Definition of Bulk Electric System, Order No. 743, 133 FERC ] 61,150, at P 16 (2010...

  14. Required Equipment for Photo-Switchable Donor-Acceptor (D-A) Dyad Interfacial Self-Assembled Monolayers for Organic Photovoltaic Cells

    Science.gov (United States)

    2014-01-24

    Interfacial Tuning via Electron-Blocking/Hole-Transport Layers and Indium Tin Oxide Surface Treatment in Bulk- Heterojunction Organic Photovoltaic Cells...devices Figure 3 shows the compounds we prepared to assemble on gold (Au) surfaces. Results of TPA-C60 dyads (1 and 2) self-assembled on Au electrodes...surface hydroxyl groups, respectively, we decided to prepare compounds 5-7 to attach as SAMs, see Figure 5. Difficulties and unexpected problems

  15. 77 FR 39858 - Revisions to Electric Reliability Organization Definition of Bulk Electric System and Rules of...

    Science.gov (United States)

    2012-07-05

    ... bulk electric system reliability through steady state power flow, and contain a transient stability... Commission 18 CFR Part 40 Revisions to Electric Reliability Organization Definition of Bulk Electric System... definition of ``bulk electric system'' developed by the North American Electric Reliability Corporation (NERC...

  16. Influence of the morphology of organic heterojunction on the photovoltaic cell performance

    Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

    Podhájecká, Klára; Pfleger, Jiří

    2006-01-01

    Roč. 36, č. 3 (2006), s. 241-244 ISSN 1286-0042 R&D Projects: GA ČR GP203/06/P226; GA AV ČR IAA4050406 Institutional research plan: CEZ:AV0Z40500505 Keywords : photovoltaic cell * heterojunction * morphology Subject RIV: CD - Macromolecular Chemistry Impact factor: 0.938, year: 2006

  17. Additive-Morphology Interplay and Loss Channels in “All-Small-Molecule” Bulk-heterojunction (BHJ) Solar Cells with the Nonfullerene Acceptor IDTTBM

    KAUST Repository

    Liang, Ru-Ze

    2017-12-16

    Achieving efficient bulk-heterojunction (BHJ) solar cells from blends of solution-processable small-molecule (SM) donors and acceptors is proved particularly challenging due to the complexity in obtaining a favorable donor–acceptor morphology. In this report, the BHJ device performance pattern of a set of analogous, well-defined SM donors—DR3TBDTT (DR3), SMPV1, and BTR—used in conjunction with the SM acceptor IDTTBM is examined. Examinations show that the nonfullerene “All-SM” BHJ solar cells made with DR3 and IDTTBM can achieve power conversion efficiencies (PCEs) of up to ≈4.5% (avg. 4.0%) when the solution-processing additive 1,8-diiodooctane (DIO, 0.8% v/v) is used in the blend solutions. The figures of merit of optimized DR3:IDTTBM solar cells contrast with those of “as-cast” BHJ devices from which only modest PCEs <1% can be achieved. Combining electron energy loss spectrum analyses in scanning transmission electron microscopy mode, carrier transport measurements via “metal-insulator-semiconductor carrier extraction” methods, and systematic recombination examinations by light-dependence and transient photocurrent analyses, it is shown that DIO plays a determining role—establishing a favorable lengthscale for the phase-separated SM donor–acceptor network and, in turn, improving the balance in hole/electron mobilities and the carrier collection efficiencies overall.

  18. Additive-Morphology Interplay and Loss Channels in “All-Small-Molecule” Bulk-heterojunction (BHJ) Solar Cells with the Nonfullerene Acceptor IDTTBM

    KAUST Repository

    Liang, Ru-Ze; Babics, Maxime; Seitkhan, Akmaral; Wang, Kai; Geraghty, Paul Bythell; Lopatin, Sergei; Cruciani, Federico; Firdaus, Yuliar; Caporuscio, Marco; Jones, David J.; Beaujuge, Pierre

    2017-01-01

    Achieving efficient bulk-heterojunction (BHJ) solar cells from blends of solution-processable small-molecule (SM) donors and acceptors is proved particularly challenging due to the complexity in obtaining a favorable donor–acceptor morphology. In this report, the BHJ device performance pattern of a set of analogous, well-defined SM donors—DR3TBDTT (DR3), SMPV1, and BTR—used in conjunction with the SM acceptor IDTTBM is examined. Examinations show that the nonfullerene “All-SM” BHJ solar cells made with DR3 and IDTTBM can achieve power conversion efficiencies (PCEs) of up to ≈4.5% (avg. 4.0%) when the solution-processing additive 1,8-diiodooctane (DIO, 0.8% v/v) is used in the blend solutions. The figures of merit of optimized DR3:IDTTBM solar cells contrast with those of “as-cast” BHJ devices from which only modest PCEs <1% can be achieved. Combining electron energy loss spectrum analyses in scanning transmission electron microscopy mode, carrier transport measurements via “metal-insulator-semiconductor carrier extraction” methods, and systematic recombination examinations by light-dependence and transient photocurrent analyses, it is shown that DIO plays a determining role—establishing a favorable lengthscale for the phase-separated SM donor–acceptor network and, in turn, improving the balance in hole/electron mobilities and the carrier collection efficiencies overall.

  19. Depletion layer characteristics and photovoltaic energy conversion in organic P-N heterojunctions

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Chamberlain, G A

    1983-11-01

    The depletion layer characteristics of an organic p-n heterojunction were investigated by measuring the temperature variation of the capacitance, rectification and photovoltaic short-circuit current and open-circuit voltage. The cell consisted of indium-tin-oxide-coated glass/n-type malachite green/p-type merocyanine/Au exposed to chlorine vapour, in the absence of air, to effect the marked rectification and photovoltaic properties observed. Capacitance measurements indicate that a depletion layer of about 65 nm and a barrier height of about 0.8 eV are formed between the two dyes. The forward dark current is dominated by electron tunnelling from the malachite green to the merocyanine. Using an asymmetric trapping model, the reverse saturation current was explained as the thermally activated emission of electrons from filled traps at the Fermi energy of the merocyanine to empty traps in the malachite green over a barrier of 0.72+-0.1 eV. When the cell is working in the photovoltaic mode, the photocurrent is limited by the poor carrier photogeneration efficiency in the malachite green.

  20. p-p Heterojunction of Nickel Oxide-Decorated Cobalt Oxide Nanorods for Enhanced Sensitivity and Selectivity toward Volatile Organic Compounds.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Suh, Jun Min; Sohn, Woonbae; Shim, Young-Seok; Choi, Jang-Sik; Song, Young Geun; Kim, Taemin L; Jeon, Jong-Myeong; Kwon, Ki Chang; Choi, Kyung Soon; Kang, Chong-Yun; Byun, Hyung-Gi; Jang, Ho Won

    2018-01-10

    The utilization of p-p isotype heterojunctions is an effective strategy to enhance the gas sensing properties of metal-oxide semiconductors, but most previous studies focused on p-n heterojunctions owing to their simple mechanism of formation of depletion layers. However, a proper choice of isotype semiconductors with appropriate energy bands can also contribute to the enhancement of the gas sensing performance. Herein, we report nickel oxide (NiO)-decorated cobalt oxide (Co 3 O 4 ) nanorods (NRs) fabricated using the multiple-step glancing angle deposition method. The effective decoration of NiO on the entire surface of Co 3 O 4 NRs enabled the formation of numerous p-p heterojunctions, and they exhibited a 16.78 times higher gas response to 50 ppm of C 6 H 6 at 350 °C compared to that of bare Co 3 O 4 NRs with the calculated detection limit of approximately 13.91 ppb. Apart from the p-p heterojunctions, increased active sites owing to the changes in the orientation of the exposed lattice surface and the catalytic effects of NiO also contributed to the enhanced gas sensing properties. The advantages of p-p heterojunctions for gas sensing applications demonstrated in this work will provide a new perspective of heterostructured metal-oxide nanostructures for sensitive and selective gas sensing.

  1. High Detectivity Graphene-Silicon Heterojunction Photodetector.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Li, Xinming; Zhu, Miao; Du, Mingde; Lv, Zheng; Zhang, Li; Li, Yuanchang; Yang, Yao; Yang, Tingting; Li, Xiao; Wang, Kunlin; Zhu, Hongwei; Fang, Ying

    2016-02-03

    A graphene/n-type silicon (n-Si) heterojunction has been demonstrated to exhibit strong rectifying behavior and high photoresponsivity, which can be utilized for the development of high-performance photodetectors. However, graphene/n-Si heterojunction photodetectors reported previously suffer from relatively low specific detectivity due to large dark current. Here, by introducing a thin interfacial oxide layer, the dark current of graphene/n-Si heterojunction has been reduced by two orders of magnitude at zero bias. At room temperature, the graphene/n-Si photodetector with interfacial oxide exhibits a specific detectivity up to 5.77 × 10(13) cm Hz(1/2) W(-1) at the peak wavelength of 890 nm in vacuum, which is highest reported detectivity at room temperature for planar graphene/Si heterojunction photodetectors. In addition, the improved graphene/n-Si heterojunction photodetectors possess high responsivity of 0.73 A W(-1) and high photo-to-dark current ratio of ≈10(7) . The current noise spectral density of the graphene/n-Si photodetector has been characterized under ambient and vacuum conditions, which shows that the dark current can be further suppressed in vacuum. These results demonstrate that graphene/Si heterojunction with interfacial oxide is promising for the development of high detectivity photodetectors. © 2015 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  2. Interface engineering for efficient fullerene-free organic solar cells

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Shivanna, Ravichandran; Narayan, K. S., E-mail: rajaram@jncasr.ac.in, E-mail: narayan@jncasr.ac.in [Chemistry and Physics of Materials Unit, Jawaharlal Nehru Centre for Advanced Scientific Research, Bangalore 560064 (India); Rajaram, Sridhar, E-mail: rajaram@jncasr.ac.in, E-mail: narayan@jncasr.ac.in [International Centre for Materials Science, Jawaharlal Nehru Centre for Advanced Scientific Research, Bangalore 560064 (India)

    2015-03-23

    We demonstrate the role of zinc oxide (ZnO) morphology and addition of an acceptor interlayer to achieve high efficiency fullerene-free bulk heterojunction inverted organic solar cells. Nanopatterning of the ZnO buffer layer enhances the effective light absorption in the active layer, and the insertion of a twisted perylene acceptor layer planarizes and decreases the electron extraction barrier. Along with an increase in current homogeneity, the reduced work function difference and selective transport of electrons prevent the accumulation of charges and decrease the electron-hole recombination at the interface. These factors enable an overall increase of efficiency to 4.6%, which is significant for a fullerene-free solution-processed organic solar cell.

  3. Bulk-Like Electrical Properties Induced by Contact-Limited Charge Transport in Organic Diodes: Revised Space Charge Limited Current

    KAUST Repository

    Xu, Guangwei

    2018-02-22

    Charge transport governs the operation and performance of organic diodes. Illuminating the charge-transfer/transport processes across the interfaces and the bulk organic semiconductors is at the focus of intensive investigations. Traditionally, the charge transport properties of organic diodes are usually characterized by probing the current–voltage (I–V) curves of the devices. However, to unveil the landscape of the underlying potential/charge distribution, which essentially determines the I–V characteristics, still represents a major challenge. Here, the electrical potential distribution in planar organic diodes is investigated by using the scanning Kelvin probe force microscopy technique, a method that can clearly separate the contact and bulk regimes of charge transport. Interestingly, by applying to devices based on novel, high mobility organic materials, the space-charge-limited-current-like I–V curves, which are previously believed to be a result of the bulk transport, are surprisingly but unambiguously demonstrated to be caused by contact-limited conduction. A model accounting is developed for the transport properties of both the two metal/organic interfaces and the bulk. The results indicate that pure interface-dominated transport can indeed give rise to I–V curves similar to those caused by bulk transport. These findings provide a new insight into the charge injection and transport processes in organic diodes.

  4. Electronic structures of interfacial states formed at polymeric semiconductor heterojunctions

    Science.gov (United States)

    Huang, Ya-Shih; Westenhoff, Sebastian; Avilov, Igor; Sreearunothai, Paiboon; Hodgkiss, Justin M.; Deleener, Caroline; Friend, Richard H.; Beljonne, David

    2008-06-01

    Heterojunctions between organic semiconductors are central to the operation of light-emitting and photovoltaic diodes, providing respectively for electron-hole capture and separation. However, relatively little is known about the character of electronic excitations stable at the heterojunction. We have developed molecular models to study such interfacial excited electronic excitations that form at the heterojunction between model polymer donor and polymer acceptor systems: poly(9,9-dioctylfluorene-co-bis-N,N-(4-butylphenyl)-bis-N,N-phenyl-1,4-phenylenediamine) (PFB) with poly(9,9-dioctylfluorene-co-benzothiadiazole) (F8BT), and poly(9,9-dioctylfluorene-co-N-(4-butylphenyl)diphenylamine) (TFB) with F8BT. We find that for stable ground-state geometries the excited state has a strong charge-transfer character. Furthermore, when partly covalent, modelled radiative lifetimes (~10-7s) and off-chain axis polarization (30∘) match observed `exciplex' emission. Additionally for the PFB:F8BT blend, geometries with fully ionic character are also found, thus accounting for the low electroluminescence efficiency of this system.

  5. Photovoltaic Properties in Interpenetrating Heterojunction Organic Solar Cells Utilizing MoO3 and ZnO Charge Transport Buffer Layers

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hori, Tetsuro; Moritou, Hiroki; Fukuoka, Naoki; Sakamoto, Junki; Fujii, Akihiko; Ozaki, Masanori

    2010-01-01

    Organic thin-film solar cells with a conducting polymer (CP)/fullerene (C60) interpenetrating heterojunction structure, fabricated by spin-coating a CP onto a C60 deposit thin film, have been investigated and demonstrated to have high efficiency. The photovoltaic properties of solar cells with a structure of indium-tin-oxide/C60/poly(3-hexylthiophene) (PAT6)/Au have been improved by the insertion of molybdenum trioxide (VI) (MoO3) and zinc oxide charge transport buffer layers. The enhanced photovoltaic properties have been discussed, taking into consideration the ground-state charge transfer between PAT6 and MoO3 by measurement of the differential absorption spectra and the suppressed contact resistance at the interface between the organic and buffer layers. PMID:28883360

  6. Photovoltaic Properties in Interpenetrating Heterojunction Organic Solar Cells Utilizing MoO3 and ZnO Charge Transport Buffer Layers

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Tetsuro Hori

    2010-11-01

    Full Text Available Organic thin-film solar cells with a conducting polymer (CP/fullerene (C60 interpenetrating heterojunction structure, fabricated by spin-coating a CP onto a C60 deposit thin film, have been investigated and demonstrated to have high efficiency. The photovoltaic properties of solar cells with a structure of indium-tin-oxide/C60/ poly(3-hexylthiophene (PAT6/Au have been improved by the insertion of molybdenum trioxide (VI (MoO3 and zinc oxide charge transport buffer layers. The enhanced photovoltaic properties have been discussed, taking into consideration the ground-state charge transfer between PAT6 and MoO3 by measurement of the differential absorption spectra and the suppressed contact resistance at the interface between the organic and buffer layers.

  7. Red light emission from ZnO:Eu"3"+|CuSCN hetero-junction under cathodic polarization

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Sirimanne, P.M.; Minoura, H.

    2015-01-01

    Eu"3"+ ions were bonded to ZnO ceramic via organic ligand. Surface bonded Eu"3"+ ions were exhibited specific luminescence bands due to electron transitions between f–f intra-configurationally transitions. Further enhancement of luminescence bands was observed by attaching selected oligomers to Eu"3"+ ions. A hetero-junction was prepared by depositing copper-thiocyanate on Eu"3"+ ions bonded ZnO ceramic. Red light emission was observed from surface bonded Eu"3"+ ions in ZnO:Eu"3"+|CuSCN hetero-junction under reverse bias. - Highlights: • Europium doped ZnO ceramic exhibits photo-luminescence. • Semiconductor hetro-junction was prepared. • ZnO:Eu"3"+|CuSCN hetero-junction emits red light under reverse bias.

  8. Current-voltage characteristics of bulk heterojunction organic solar cells: connection between light and dark curves

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Boix, Pablo P.; Guerrero, Antonio; Garcia-Belmonte, Germa; Bisquert, Juan [Photovoltaic and Optoelectronic Devices Group, Departament de Fisica, Universitat Jaume I, ES-12071 Castello (Spain); Marchesi, Luis F. [Laboratorio Interdisciplinar de, Eletroquimica e Ceramica (LIEC), Universidade Federal de Sao Carlos (Brazil); Photovoltaic and Optoelectronic Devices Group, Departament de Fisica, Universitat Jaume I, ES-12071 Castello (Spain)

    2011-11-15

    A connection is established between recombination and series resistances extracted from impedance spectroscopy and current-voltage curves of polythiophene:fullerene organic solar cells. Recombination is shown to depend exclusively on the (Fermi level) voltage, which allows construction of the current-voltage characteristics in any required conditions based on a restricted set of measurements. The analysis highlights carrier recombination current as the determining mechanism of organic solar cell performance. (Copyright copyright 2011 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH and Co. KGaA, Weinheim)

  9. Efficient inverted bulk-heterojunction solar cells from low-temperature processing of amorphous ZnO buffer layers

    KAUST Repository

    Jagadamma, Lethy Krishnan; Abdelsamie, Maged; El Labban, Abdulrahman; Aresu, Emanuele; Ngongang Ndjawa, Guy Olivier; Anjum, Dalaver H.; Cha, Dong Kyu; Beaujuge, Pierre; Amassian, Aram

    2014-01-01

    In this report, we demonstrate that solution-processed amorphous zinc oxide (a-ZnO) interlayers prepared at low temperatures (∼100 °C) can yield inverted bulk-heterojunction (BHJ) solar cells that are as efficient as nanoparticle-based ZnO requiring comparably more complex synthesis or polycrystalline ZnO films prepared at substantially higher temperatures (150-400 °C). Low-temperature, facile solution-processing approaches are required in the fabrication of BHJ solar cells on flexible plastic substrates, such as PET. Here, we achieve efficient inverted solar cells with a-ZnO buffer layers by carefully examining the correlations between the thin film morphology and the figures of merit of optimized BHJ devices with various polymer donors and PCBM as the fullerene acceptor. We find that the most effective a-ZnO morphology consists of a compact, thin layer with continuous substrate coverage. In parallel, we emphasize the detrimental effect of forming rippled surface morphologies of a-ZnO, an observation which contrasts with results obtained in polycrystalline ZnO thin films, where rippled morphologies have been reported to improve efficiency. After optimizing the a-ZnO morphology at low processing temperature for inverted P3HT:PCBM devices, achieving a power conversion efficiency (PCE) of ca. 4.1%, we demonstrate inverted solar cells with low bandgap polymer donors on glass/flexible PET substrates: PTB7:PC71BM (PCE: 6.5% (glass)/5.6% (PET)) and PBDTTPD:PC71BM (PCE: 6.7% (glass)/5.9% (PET)). Finally, we show that a-ZnO based inverted P3HT:PCBM BHJ solar cells maintain ca. 90-95% of their initial PCE even after a full year without encapsulation in a nitrogen dry box, thus demonstrating excellent shelf stability. The insight we have gained into the importance of surface morphology in amorphous zinc oxide buffer layers should help in the development of other low-temperature solution-processed metal oxide interlayers for efficient flexible solar cells. This journal is

  10. Supersaturated Self-Assembled Charge-Selective Interfacial Layers for Organic Solar Cells

    Science.gov (United States)

    2014-11-24

    layers (IFLs) on the tin-doped indium oxide (ITO) anodes of organic photovoltaic (OPV) cells, a series of Ar2N-(CH2)n-SiCl3 precursors with Ar = 3,4...Bulk- heterojunction OPV devices are fabricated with these SHSAMs: ITO/IFL/poly[[4,8- bis[(2-ethylhexyl)oxy]benzo[1,2-b:4,5-b′]dithiophene-2,6-diyl][2...phobicity,15,19,20 electrical conductivity,21−23 and charge in- jection/collection selectivity through the film.1,2,10 For example, on metal oxide substrates

  11. Dual Function Additives: A Small Molecule Crosslinker for Enhanced Efficiency and Stability in Organic Solar Cells

    KAUST Repository

    Rumer, Joseph W.; Ashraf, Raja S.; Eisenmenger, Nancy D.; Huang, Zhenggang; Meager, Iain; Nielsen, Christian B.; Schroeder, Bob C.; Chabinyc, Michael L.; McCulloch, Iain

    2015-01-01

    A bis-azide-based small molecule crosslinker is synthesized and evaluated as both a stabilizing and efficiency-boosting additive in bulk heterojunction organic photovoltaic cells. Activated by a noninvasive and scalable solution processing technique, polymer:fullerene blends exhibit improved thermal stability with suppressed polymer skin formation at the cathode and frustrated fullerene aggregation on ageing, with initial efficiency increased from 6% to 7%. © 2015 The Authors. Published by WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  12. Dual Function Additives: A Small Molecule Crosslinker for Enhanced Efficiency and Stability in Organic Solar Cells

    KAUST Repository

    Rumer, Joseph W.

    2015-02-01

    A bis-azide-based small molecule crosslinker is synthesized and evaluated as both a stabilizing and efficiency-boosting additive in bulk heterojunction organic photovoltaic cells. Activated by a noninvasive and scalable solution processing technique, polymer:fullerene blends exhibit improved thermal stability with suppressed polymer skin formation at the cathode and frustrated fullerene aggregation on ageing, with initial efficiency increased from 6% to 7%. © 2015 The Authors. Published by WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  13. Optimalization activity of ZnO NR/TiO2 NR-P3HT as an active layer based on hybrid bulk heterojunction on dye sensitized solar cell (DSSC)

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Saputri, Liya Nikmatul Maula Zulfa; Ramelan, Ari Handono; Hanif, Qonita Awliya; Hasanah, Yesi Ihdina Fityatal; Prajanira, Lau Bekti; Wahyuningsih, Sayekti

    2016-01-01

    Dye sensitized solar cell (DSSC) with metal inorganic and conjugated organic polymer mixture, ZnO NR/TiO 2 NR-P3HT as an active layer based on hybrid bulk heterojunction has been studied. The hybrid material was used to optimize DSSC performs for better efficiency than only TiO 2 as an electrode. Synthesis of TiO 2 nanorods (NR) was conducted by ball milling 1000 rpm for 4 hours and strong base reaction by hydrothermal process at 120 °C overnight. And the ZnO NR was synthesized from Zn(NO 3 ) 2 .4H 2 O precusor by hydrotermal process at 90 °C for 5 hours and calcined on various temperature s of 400, 600, and 800 °C. ZnO NR was coated into an Tndium Tin Oxide (TTO) glass to collecting electron s effectively, where TiO 2 NR were incorporated with poly(3 -hexylthiophene) (P3HT) on various concentration s of 5, 10, 15 mg/mL to obtain a larger surface area. Material characterization were performed by X -Ray Diffraction (XRD) and Uv-Vis spectrophotometer. For an application of DSSC were measured by T-V Keithley Multimeter and the efficiency of DSSC at various P3HT’s concentrations of 5, 10, 15 mg/mL were 7.44 × 10 −3 , 0.0114, 0.0104, respectively. The maximum efficiency of DSSC was showed when TiO 2 NR-P3HT’s concentration was 10 mg/mL.

  14. Optimalization activity of ZnO NR/TiO2 NR-P3HT as an active layer based on hybrid bulk heterojunction on dye sensitized solar cell (DSSC)

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Saputri, Liya Nikmatul Maula Zulfa; Ramelan, Ari Handono; Hanif, Qonita Awliya; Hasanah, Yesi Ihdina Fityatal; Prajanira, Lau Bekti; Wahyuningsih, Sayekti, E-mail: sayektiw@mipa.uns.ac.id [Chemistry Department, Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences, Sebelas Maret University, Ir.Sutami 36A Kentingan Surakarta 57/26, Central Java (Indonesia)

    2016-04-19

    Dye sensitized solar cell (DSSC) with metal inorganic and conjugated organic polymer mixture, ZnO NR/TiO{sub 2} NR-P3HT as an active layer based on hybrid bulk heterojunction has been studied. The hybrid material was used to optimize DSSC performs for better efficiency than only TiO{sub 2} as an electrode. Synthesis of TiO{sub 2} nanorods (NR) was conducted by ball milling 1000 rpm for 4 hours and strong base reaction by hydrothermal process at 120 °C overnight. And the ZnO NR was synthesized from Zn(NO{sub 3}){sub 2}.4H{sub 2}O precusor by hydrotermal process at 90 °C for 5 hours and calcined on various temperature s of 400, 600, and 800 °C. ZnO NR was coated into an Tndium Tin Oxide (TTO) glass to collecting electron s effectively, where TiO{sup 2} NR were incorporated with poly(3 -hexylthiophene) (P3HT) on various concentration s of 5, 10, 15 mg/mL to obtain a larger surface area. Material characterization were performed by X -Ray Diffraction (XRD) and Uv-Vis spectrophotometer. For an application of DSSC were measured by T-V Keithley Multimeter and the efficiency of DSSC at various P3HT’s concentrations of 5, 10, 15 mg/mL were 7.44 × 10{sup −3}, 0.0114, 0.0104, respectively. The maximum efficiency of DSSC was showed when TiO{sup 2} NR-P3HT’s concentration was 10 mg/mL.

  15. Structural, electronic and transport properties of armorphous/crystalline silicon heterojunctions

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Schulze, Tim Ferdinand

    2011-06-15

    application of established concepts for the physical description of a-Si:H in the following chapters. Further, the impact of the PECVD deposition parameters on the properties of the resulting layers is explored and discussed. Next, the lineup of the electronic bands at the heterojunction is elucidated in devicerelevant a-Si:H/c-Si heterostructures. To this end, a novel method combining photoelectron spectroscopy and surface photovoltage measurements is developed and employed. It is found that upon widening the a-Si:H optical band gap by controlling its hydrogen content, predominantly the valence band offset is increasing while the conduction band offset stays constant. The significance of the valence band offset for solar cell operation and possible pathways for tailoring the electronic properties of the heterojunction are discussed. In the last chapter, the microscopic properties of the a- Si:H layers are linked with the resulting passivation of c-Si surface states, which limit the obtainable open-circuit-voltage in a heterojunction solar cell. It is found that in case of ideal processing, the heterojunction does not possess particular properties but can be described by the a-Si:H bulk properties projected onto the actual heterojunction. The principal limit of c-Si surface passivation follows naturally, as does the explanation of passivation degradation effects from the metastability inherent to a-Si:H. The amorphous network has the propensity to adapt upon changes in externally controllable parameters like the Fermi energy. (orig.)

  16. Amorphous Tin Oxide as a Low-Temperature-Processed Electron-Transport Layer for Organic and Hybrid Perovskite Solar Cells

    KAUST Repository

    Barbe, Jeremy

    2017-02-08

    Chemical bath deposition (CBD) of tin oxide (SnO) thin films as an electron-transport layer (ETL) in a planar-heterojunction n-i-p organohalide lead perovskite and organic bulk-heterojunction (BHJ) solar cells is reported. The amorphous SnO (a-SnO) films are grown from a nontoxic aqueous bath of tin chloride at a very low temperature (55 °C) and do not require postannealing treatment to work very effectively as an ETL in a planar-heterojunction n-i-p organohalide lead perovskite or organic BHJ solar cells, in lieu of the commonly used ETL materials titanium oxide (TiO) and zinc oxide (ZnO), respectively. Ultraviolet photoelectron spectroscopy measurements on the glass/indium-tin oxide (ITO)/SnO/methylammonium lead iodide (MAPbI)/2,2′,7,7′-tetrakis(N,N-di-p-methoxyphenylamine)-9,9′-spirobifluorene device stack indicate that extraction of photogenerated electrons is facilitated by a perfect alignment of the conduction bands at the SnO/MAPbI interface, while the deep valence band of SnO ensures strong hole-blocking properties. Despite exhibiting very low electron mobility, the excellent interfacial energetics combined with high transparency (E > 4 eV) and uniform substrate coverage make the a-SnO ETL prepared by CBD an excellent candidate for the potentially low-cost and large-scale fabrication of organohalide lead perovskite and organic photovoltaics.

  17. Chemical vapor deposition growth of two-dimensional heterojunctions

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cui, Yu; Li, Bo; Li, JingBo; Wei, ZhongMing

    2018-01-01

    The properties of two-dimensional (2D) layered materials with atom-smooth surface and special interlayer van der Waals coupling are different from those of traditional materials. Due to the absence of dangling bonds from the clean surface of 2D layered materials, the lattice mismatch influences slightly on the growth of 2D heterojunctions, thus providing a flexible design strategy. 2D heterojunctions have attracted extensive attention because of their excellent performance in optoelectronics, spintronics, and valleytronics. The transfer method was utilized for the fabrication of 2D heterojunctions during the early stage of fundamental research on these materials. This method, however, has limited practical applications. Therefore, chemical vapor deposition (CVD) method was recently developed and applied for the preparation of 2D heterojunctions. The CVD method is a naturally down-top growth strategy that yields 2D heterojunctions with sharp interfaces. Moreover, this method effectively reduces the introduction of contaminants to the fabricated heterojunctions. Nevertheless, the CVD-growth method is sensitive to variations in growth conditions. In this review article, we attempt to provide a comprehensive overview of the influence of growth conditions on the fabrication of 2D heterojunctions through the direct CVD method. We believe that elucidating the effects of growth conditions on the CVD method is necessary to help control and improve the efficiency of the large-scale fabrication of 2D heterojunctions for future applications in integrated circuits.

  18. Organization of bulk power markets: A concept paper

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Kahn, E.; Stoft, S. [Lawrence Berkeley Lab., CA (United States). Energy and Environment Div.

    1995-12-01

    The electricity industry in the US today is at a crossroads. The restructuring debate going on in most regions has made it clear that the traditional model of vertically integrated firms serving defined franchise areas and regulated by state commissions may not be the pattern for the future. The demands of large customers seeking direct access to power markets, the entry of new participants, and proposed reforms of the regulatory process all signify a momentum for fundamental change in the organization of the industry. This paper addresses electricity restructuring from the perspective of bulk power markets. The authors focus attention on the organization of electricity trade and the various ways it has been and might be conducted. Their approach concentrates on conceptual models and empirical case studies, not on specific proposals made by particular utilities or commissions. They review literature in economics and power system engineering that is relevant to the major questions. The objective is to provide conceptual background to industry participants, e.g. utility staff, regulatory staff, new entrants, who are working on specific proposals. While they formulate many questions, they do not provide definitive answers on most issues. They attempt to put the industry restructuring dialogue in a neutral setting, translating the language of economists for engineers and vice versa. Towards this end they begin with a review of the basic economic institutions in the US bulk power markets and a summary of the engineering practices that dominate trade today.

  19. Silicon nanowire array architecture for heterojunction electronics

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Solovan, M. M.; Brus, V. V.; Mostovyi, A. I.; Maryanchuk, P. D.; Orletskyi, I. G.; Kovaliuk, T. T.; Abashin, S. L.

    2017-01-01

    Photosensitive nanostructured heterojunctions n-TiN/p-Si were fabricated by means of titanium nitride thin films deposition (n-type conductivity) by the DC reactive magnetron sputtering onto nano structured single crystal substrates of p-type Si (100). The temperature dependencies of the height of the potential barrier and series resistance of the n-TiN/p-Si heterojunctions were investigated. The dominant current transport mechanisms through the heterojunctions under investigation were determined at forward and reverse bias. The heterojunctions under investigation generate open-circuit voltage V_o_c = 0.8 V, short-circuit current I_s_c = 3.72 mA/cm"2 and fill factor FF = 0.5 under illumination of 100 mW/cm"2.

  20. Organic photovoltaics concepts and realization

    CERN Document Server

    Dyakonov, Vladimir; Parisi, Jürgen; Sariciftci, Niyazi

    2003-01-01

    Achieving efficient solar energy conversion at both large scale and low cost is among the most important technological challenges for the near future. The present volume describes and explains the fundamentals of organic/plastic solar cells in a manner accessible to both researchers and students. It provides a comprehensive analysis of the operational principles underlying several types of solar cells that have absorber layers based on polymer materials and small molecules. It addresses competing approaches, such as polymer solar cells and dye-sensitized cells, while considering the thermodynamic principles within the context of these schemes. Organic Photovoltaics also analyzes in detail the charge-transfer processes in the bulk-heterojunction devices corresponding to the relevant mechanism of carrier generation. Emphasized throughout is the concept of interpenetrating polymer-fullerene networks, due to their high potential for improving power efficiency.

  1. Risk factors associated with bulk tank standard plate count, bulk tank coliform count, and the presence of Staphylococcus aureus on organic and conventional dairy farms in the United States.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cicconi-Hogan, K M; Gamroth, M; Richert, R; Ruegg, P L; Stiglbauer, K E; Schukken, Y H

    2013-01-01

    The purpose of this study was to assess the association of bulk tank milk standard plate counts, bulk tank coliform counts (CC), and the presence of Staphylococcus aureus in bulk tank milk with various management and farm characteristics on organic and conventional dairy farms throughout New York, Wisconsin, and Oregon. Data from size-matched organic farms (n=192), conventional nongrazing farms (n=64), and conventional grazing farms (n=36) were collected at a single visit for each farm. Of the 292 farms visited, 290 bulk tank milk samples were collected. Statistical models were created using data from all herds in the study, as well as exclusively for the organic subset of herds. Because of incomplete data, 267 of 290 herds were analyzed for total herd modeling, and 173 of 190 organic herds were analyzed for the organic herd modeling. Overall, more bulk tanks from organic farms had Staph. aureus cultured from them (62% of organic herds, 42% conventional nongrazing herds, and 43% of conventional grazing herds), whereas fewer organic herds had a high CC, defined as ≥50 cfu/mL, than conventional farms in the study. A high standard plate count (×1,000 cfu/mL) was associated with decreased body condition score of adult cows and decreased milk production in both models. Several variables were significant only in the model created using all herds or only in organic herds. The presence of Staph. aureus in the bulk tank milk was associated with fewer people treating mastitis, increased age of housing, and a higher percentage of cows with 3 or fewer teats in both the organic and total herd models. The Staph. aureus total herd model also showed a relationship with fewer first-lactation animals, higher hock scores, and less use of automatic takeoffs at milking. High bulk tank CC was related to feeding a total mixed ration and using natural service in nonlactating heifers in both models. Overall, attentive management and use of outside resources were useful with regard to CC

  2. Atomically precise graphene nanoribbon heterojunctions from a single molecular precursor

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nguyen, Giang D.; Tsai, Hsin-Zon; Omrani, Arash A.; Marangoni, Tomas; Wu, Meng; Rizzo, Daniel J.; Rodgers, Griffin F.; Cloke, Ryan R.; Durr, Rebecca A.; Sakai, Yuki; Liou, Franklin; Aikawa, Andrew S.; Chelikowsky, James R.; Louie, Steven G.; Fischer, Felix R.; Crommie, Michael F.

    2017-11-01

    The rational bottom-up synthesis of atomically defined graphene nanoribbon (GNR) heterojunctions represents an enabling technology for the design of nanoscale electronic devices. Synthetic strategies used thus far have relied on the random copolymerization of two electronically distinct molecular precursors to yield GNR heterojunctions. Here we report the fabrication and electronic characterization of atomically precise GNR heterojunctions prepared through late-stage functionalization of chevron GNRs obtained from a single precursor. Post-growth excitation of fully cyclized GNRs induces cleavage of sacrificial carbonyl groups, resulting in atomically well-defined heterojunctions within a single GNR. The GNR heterojunction structure was characterized using bond-resolved scanning tunnelling microscopy, which enables chemical bond imaging at T = 4.5 K. Scanning tunnelling spectroscopy reveals that band alignment across the heterojunction interface yields a type II heterojunction, in agreement with first-principles calculations. GNR heterojunction band realignment proceeds over a distance less than 1 nm, leading to extremely large effective fields.

  3. A new strategy to engineer polymer bulk heterojunction solar cells with thick active layers via self-assembly of the tertiary columnar phase.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Li, Hongfei; Yang, Zhenhua; Pan, Cheng; Jiang, Naisheng; Satija, Sushil K; Xu, Di; Gersappe, Dilip; Nam, Chang-Yong; Rafailovich, Miriam H

    2017-08-17

    We report that the addition of a non-photoactive tertiary polymer phase in the binary bulk heterojunction (BHJ) polymer solar cell leads to a self-assembled columnar nanostructure, enhancing the charge mobilities and photovoltaic efficiency with surprisingly increased optimal active blend thicknesses over 300 nm, 3-4 times larger than that of the binary counterpart. Using the prototypical poly(3-hexylthiophene) (P3HT):fullerene blend as a model BHJ system, we discover that the inert poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) added in the binary BHJ blend self-assembles into vertical columns, which not only template the phase segregation of electron acceptor fullerenes but also induce the out-of-plane rotation of the edge-on-orientated crystalline P3HT phase. Using complementary interrogation methods including neutron reflectivity, X-ray scattering, atomic force microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, and molecular dynamics simulations, we show that the enhanced charge transport originates from the more randomized molecular stacking of the P3HT phase and the spontaneous segregation of fullerenes at the P3HT/PMMA interface, driven by the high surface tension between the two polymeric components. The results demonstrate a potential method for increasing the thicknesses of high-performance polymer BHJ solar cells with improved photovoltaic efficiency, alleviating the burden of stringently controlling the ultrathin blend thickness during the roll-to-roll-type large-area manufacturing environment.

  4. Exciton-dissociation and charge-recombination processes in pentacene/C60 solar cells: theoretical insight into the impact of interface geometry.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yi, Yuanping; Coropceanu, Veaceslav; Brédas, Jean-Luc

    2009-11-04

    The exciton-dissociation and charge-recombination processes in organic solar cells based on pentacene/C(60) heterojunctions are investigated by means of quantum-mechanical calculations. The electronic couplings and the rates of exciton dissociation and charge recombination have been evaluated for several geometrical configurations of the pentacene/C(60) complex, which are relevant to bilayer and bulk heterojunctions. The results suggest that, irrespective of the actual pentacene-fullerene orientation, both pentacene-based and C(60)-based excitons are able to dissociate efficiently. Also, in the case of parallel configurations of the molecules at the pentacene/C(60) interface, the decay of the lowest charge-transfer state to the ground state is calculated to be very fast; as a result, it can compete with the dissociation process into mobile charge carriers. Since parallel configurations are expected to be found more frequently in bulk heterojunctions than in bilayer heterojunctions, the performance of pentacene/C(60) bulk-heterojunction solar cells is likely to be more affected by charge recombination than that of bilayer devices.

  5. Exciton-Dissociation and Charge-Recombination Processes in Pentacene/C 60 Solar Cells: Theoretical Insight into the Impact of Interface Geometry

    KAUST Repository

    Yi, Yuanping

    2009-11-04

    The exciton-dissociation and charge-recombination processes in organic solar cells based on pentacene/C60 heterojunctions are investigated by means of quantum-mechanical calculations. The electronic couplings and the rates of exciton dissociation and charge recombination have been evaluated for several geometrical configurations of the pentacene/C60 complex, which are relevant to bilayer and bulk heterojunctions. The results suggest that, irrespective of the actual pentacene-fullerene orientation, both pentacene-based and C60-based excitons are able to dissociate efficiently. Also, in the case of parallel configurations of the molecules at the pentacene/C60 interface, the decay of the lowest charge-transfer state to the ground state is calculated to be very fast; as a result, it can compete with the dissociation process into mobile charge carriers. Since parallel configurations are expected to be found more frequently in bulk heterojunctions than in bilayer heterojunctions, the performance of pentacene/C60 bulk-heterojunction solar cells is likely to be more affected by charge recombination than that of bilayer devices. © 2009 American Chemical Society.

  6. Bulk deposition of organic and inorganic nitrogen in southwest China from 2008 to 2013

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Song, Ling; Kuang, Fuhong; Skiba, Ute; Zhu, Bo; Liu, Xuejun; Levy, Peter; Dore, Anthony; Fowler, David

    2017-01-01

    China is regarded as one of the nitrogen deposition hotspots in the world. Measurements to-date have focused mainly on the North China Plain, ignoring the fact that atmospheric chemical and physical properties vary across the country and that there may be other hotspots regions that should be investigated. For this reason we have conducted a six year study, measuring the bulk deposition of reduced (NH 4 -N), oxidized (NO 3 -N), and dissolved organic nitrogen (DON) at three contrasting sites in the Sichuan province, southwest China. The study sites were a high altitude forest in the Gongga Mountains (GG), an agriculture dominated region in Yanting (YT) and an urban site in the mega city Chengdu (CD). The annual average bulk deposition fluxes of total dissolved nitrogen (TDN) were 7.4, 23.1 and 36.6 kg N ha −1 yr −1 at GG, YT and CD sites, respectively, during the study period 2008 to 2013. The contributions of NH 4 -N, NO 3 -N and DON to the TDN were in the range of 48.4–57.8%, 28.8–43.7%, and 8.0–15.6%, respectively. DON bulk deposition was mainly dominated by agricultural activities. TDN bulk deposition fluxes showed increasing trends at the agricultural and urban sites from 2008 to 2013, but there was little change at the remote forest (GG) site. While reduced N dominated bulk N deposition at all the three sites, its contribution showed a decreasing trend, suggesting a gradual increase in the importance of oxidized N. These results reveal the value of long term monitoring in detecting changes in the atmospheric chemical composition of this rapidly changing region, and their inclusion in the policy debate regarding which sources should be controlled in order to reduce the long term impacts of N deposition, especially for southwest China, where there are few measurements of N deposition. - Highlights: • A region in southwest China was identified as a nitrogen deposition hotspot. • Agriculture was identified as the main source of organic nitrogen

  7. Two dimensional self-assembly zinc porphyrin and zinc phthalocyanine heterojunctions with record high power conversion efficiencies

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yu, Junting; Jiang, Zhou; Hao, Yifan; Zhu, Qianhong; Zhao, Mingliang; Jiang, Xue; Zhao, Jijun

    2018-06-01

    Compared to inorganic solar cells, the power conversion efficiencies (PCEs) of organic solar cells are much lower, but they are compensated by many merits such as lower cost, less weight, and tunable structures, making them prospective for further applications. Porphyrin and phthalocyanine are the two most significant materials for organic solar cells due to their strong light-absorbing properties and semiconductor characteristics. However, there is little research on the 2D heterojunction solar cells based on these two materials, meanwhile the PCEs of them are still low. Here we have self-assembled several 2D zinc porphyrins (ZnPors) and performed first-principles simulation to demonstrate their good stability, suitable light harvesting, and high charge carrier mobility. By perfectly matching lattice constants and molecular energy levels between those 2D ZnPors and our previous proposed zinc phthalocyanines (ZnPcs), 11 type-II organic heterojunctions are constructed to further improve their charge separation capability. Those advantages endow 2D ZnPors and ZnPcs appreciable PCEs for solar cells. Among them, the theoretical PCE of 2D ZnPors/ZnPcs heterojunctions achieves as high as 19.84%, which exceeds all reported organic solar cells, and even approaches the PCEs of inorganic solar cells. These results indicate that our 2D ZnPors and 2D ZnPcs are good candidate materials for future organic solar cells.

  8. Silicon nanowire array architecture for heterojunction electronics

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Solovan, M. M., E-mail: m.solovan@chnu.edu.ua [Chernivtsi National University, Department of Electronics and Energy Engeneering (Ukraine); Brus, V. V. [Helmholtz-Zentrum Berlin fur Materialien und Energie GmbH, Institute for Silicon Photovoltaics (Germany); Mostovyi, A. I.; Maryanchuk, P. D.; Orletskyi, I. G.; Kovaliuk, T. T. [Chernivtsi National University, Department of Electronics and Energy Engeneering (Ukraine); Abashin, S. L. [National Aerospace University “Kharkiv Aviation Institute”, Department of Physics (Ukraine)

    2017-04-15

    Photosensitive nanostructured heterojunctions n-TiN/p-Si were fabricated by means of titanium nitride thin films deposition (n-type conductivity) by the DC reactive magnetron sputtering onto nano structured single crystal substrates of p-type Si (100). The temperature dependencies of the height of the potential barrier and series resistance of the n-TiN/p-Si heterojunctions were investigated. The dominant current transport mechanisms through the heterojunctions under investigation were determined at forward and reverse bias. The heterojunctions under investigation generate open-circuit voltage V{sub oc} = 0.8 V, short-circuit current I{sub sc} = 3.72 mA/cm{sup 2} and fill factor FF = 0.5 under illumination of 100 mW/cm{sup 2}.

  9. Band Alignment of 2D Transition Metal Dichalcogenide Heterojunctions

    KAUST Repository

    Chiu, Ming-Hui

    2016-09-20

    It is critically important to characterize the band alignment in semiconductor heterojunctions (HJs) because it controls the electronic and optical properties. However, the well-known Anderson\\'s model usually fails to predict the band alignment in bulk HJ systems due to the presence of charge transfer at the interfacial bonding. Atomically thin 2D transition metal dichalcogenide materials have attracted much attention recently since the ultrathin HJs and devices can be easily built and they are promising for future electronics. The vertical HJs based on 2D materials can be constructed via van der Waals stacking regardless of the lattice mismatch between two materials. Despite the defect-free characteristics of the junction interface, experimental evidence is still lacking on whether the simple Anderson rule can predict the band alignment of HJs. Here, the validity of Anderson\\'s model is verified for the 2D heterojunction systems and the success of Anderson\\'s model is attributed to the absence of dangling bonds (i.e., interface dipoles) at the van der Waal interface. The results from the work set a foundation allowing the use of powerful Anderson\\'s rule to determine the band alignments of 2D HJs, which is beneficial to future electronic, photonic, and optoelectronic devices. © 2016 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  10. Hybrid bulk heterojunction solar cells based on poly(3-hexylthiophene) and ZnO nanoparticles modified by side-chain functional polythiophenes

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Li, Fan; Du, Yanhui; Chen, Yiwang

    2012-01-01

    We report the investigation of the hybrid bulk heterojunction solar cells based on the blend of poly(3-hexylthiophene) (P3HT) and ZnO nanoparticles modified by side-chain thiol functional poly(3-thiophenehexanethiol) (P3HT-SH). Grafting of P3HT-SH onto ZnO nanoparticles can promote the dispersion of ZnO nanoparticles within P3HT matrix and facilitate electron injection process into ZnO nanoparticles, resulting in a more efficient photoinduced charge transfer than that in simple physical mixture of P3HT and non-modified ZnO nanoparticles (P3HT/ZnO). Furthermore, the performance of hybrid photovoltaic device based on P3HT/P3HT-SH-modified ZnO blend exhibits an improved device efficiency compared with P3HT/ZnO even before thermal treatment. After being annealed at 80 °C, the P3HT/P3HT-SH-modified ZnO device shows the power conversion efficiency as high as 0.68%, with the short-circuit current density of 1.89 mA/cm 2 , the open-circuit voltage of 0.599 V and a fill factor of 60.5% under AM 1.5 G illumination with 100 mW/cm 2 light intensity. - Highlights: ► Hybrid solar cells based on poly(3-hexylthiophene) and modified ZnO nanoparticles ► ZnO nanoparticles modified by side-chain functional polythiophenes ► Uniform dispersion and intimate contact between polymers and nanoparticles ► Efficient charge transfer leading to the improvement of device efficiency

  11. Organic light-emitting diodes with a spacer enhanced exciplex emission

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yan, Fei; Chen, Rui; Sun, Handong; Wei Sun, Xiao

    2014-04-01

    By introducing a spacer molecule into the blended exciplex emissive layer, the performance of the bulk heterojunction exciplex organic light-emitting diodes (OLEDs) was improved dramatically; the maximum luminous efficiency was enhanced by about 22% from 7.9 cd/A to 9.7 cd/A, and the luminous efficiency drop was reduced by 28% at 400 mA/cm2. Besides the suppressed annihilation of exciton, the time-resolved photoluminescence measurements indicated that the spacer enhanced the delayed fluorescence through increasing the backward intersystem crossing rate from the triplet to singlet exciplex state. This method is useful for developing high performance exciplex OLEDs.

  12. Luminescent GdVO_4:Sm"3"+ quantum dots enhance power conversion efficiency of bulk heterojunction polymer solar cells by Förster resonance energy transfer

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Bishnoi, Swati; Gupta, Vinay; Sharma, Gauri D.; Chand, Suresh; Sharma, Chhavi; Kumar, Mahesh; Haranath, D.; Naqvi, Sheerin

    2016-01-01

    In this work, we report enhanced power conversion efficiency (PCE) of bulk heterojunction polymer solar cells by Förster resonance energy transfer (FRET) from samarium-doped luminescent gadolinium orthovanadate (GdVO_4:Sm"3"+) quantum dots (QDs) to polythieno[3,4-b]-thiophene-co-benzodithiophene (PTB7) polymer. The photoluminescence emission spectrum of GdVO_4:Sm"3"+ QDs overlaps with the absorption spectrum of PTB7, leading to FRET from GdVO_4:Sm"3"+ to PTB7, and significant enhancements in the charge-carrier density of excited and polaronic states of PTB7 are observed. This was confirmed by means of femtosecond transient absorption spectroscopy. The FRET from GdVO_4:Sm"3"+ QDs to PTB7 led to a remarkable increase in the power conversion efficiency (PCE) of PTB7:GdVO_4:Sm"3"+:PC_7_1BM ([6,6]-phenyl-C_7_1-butyric acid methyl ester) polymer solar cells. The PCE in optimized ternary blend PTB7:GdVO_4:Sm"3"+:PC_7_1BM (1:0.1:1.5) is increased to 8.8% from 7.2% in PTB7:PC_7_1BM. This work demonstrates the potential of rare-earth based luminescent QDs in enhancing the PCE of polymer solar cells.

  13. High-Efficiency Silicon/Organic Heterojunction Solar Cells with Improved Junction Quality and Interface Passivation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    He, Jian; Gao, Pingqi; Ling, Zhaoheng; Ding, Li; Yang, Zhenhai; Ye, Jichun; Cui, Yi

    2016-12-27

    Silicon/organic heterojunction solar cells (HSCs) based on conjugated polymers, poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene):poly(styrenesulfonate) (PEDOT:PSS), and n-type silicon (n-Si) have attracted wide attention due to their potential advantages of high efficiency and low cost. However, the state-of-the-art efficiencies are still far from satisfactory due to the inferior junction quality. Here, facile treatments were applied by pretreating the n-Si wafer in tetramethylammonium hydroxide (TMAH) solution and using a capping copper iodide (CuI) layer on the PEDOT:PSS layer to achieve a high-quality Schottky junction. Detailed photoelectric characteristics indicated that the surface recombination was greatly suppressed after TMAH pretreatment, which increased the thickness of the interfacial oxide layer. Furthermore, the CuI capping layer induced a strong inversion layer near the n-Si surface, resulting in an excellent field effect passivation. With the collaborative improvements in the interface chemical and electrical passivation, a competitive open-circuit voltage of 0.656 V and a high fill factor of 78.1% were achieved, leading to a stable efficiency of over 14.3% for the planar n-Si/PEDOT:PSS HSCs. Our findings suggest promising strategies to further exploit the full voltage as well as efficiency potentials for Si/organic solar cells.

  14. Interplay between efficiency and device architecture for small molecule organic solar cells.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Williams, Graeme; Sutty, Sibi; Aziz, Hany

    2014-06-21

    Small molecule organic solar cells (OSCs) have experienced a resurgence of interest over their polymer solar cell counterparts, owing to their improved batch-to-batch (thus, cell-to-cell) reliability. In this systematic study on OSC device architecture, we investigate five different small molecule OSC structures, including the simple planar heterojunction (PHJ) and bulk heterojunction (BHJ), as well as several planar-mixed structures. The different OSC structures are studied over a wide range of donor:acceptor mixing concentrations to gain a comprehensive understanding of their charge transport behavior. Transient photocurrent decay measurements provide crucial information regarding the interplay between charge sweep-out and charge recombination, and ultimately hint toward space charge effects in planar-mixed structures. Results show that the BHJ/acceptor architecture, comprising a BHJ layer with high C60 acceptor content, generates OSCs with the highest performance by balancing charge generation with charge collection. The performance of other device architectures is largely limited by hole transport, with associated hole accumulation and space charge effects.

  15. A mechanistic understanding of processing additive-induced efficiency enhancement in bulk heterojunction organic solar cells

    KAUST Repository

    Schmidt, Kristin; Tassone, Christopher J.; Niskala, Jeremy R.; Yiu, Alan T.; Lee, Olivia P.; Weiss, Thomas M.; Wang, Cheng; Frechet, Jean; Beaujuge, Pierre; Toney, Michael F.

    2013-01-01

    The addition of processing additives is a widely used approach to increase power conversion efficiencies for many organic solar cells. We present how additives change the polymer conformation in the casting solution leading to a more intermixed

  16. Investigation of Annealing and Blend Concentration Effects of Organic Solar Cells Composed of Small Organic Dye and Fullerene Derivative

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Yasser A. M. Ismail

    2011-01-01

    Full Text Available We have fabricated bulk heterojunction organic solar cells using coumarin 6 (C6 as a small organic dye, for light harvesting and electron donation, with fullerene derivative [6,6]-phenyl-C61 butyric acid methyl ester (PCBM, acting as an electron acceptor, by spin-coating technique. We have investigated thermal annealing and blend concentration effects on light harvesting, photocurrent, and performance parameters of the solar cells. In this work, we introduced an experimental method by which someone can easily detect the variation in the contact between active layer and cathode due to thermal annealing after cathode deposition. We have showed, in this work, unusual behavior of solar cell composed of small organic molecules under the influence of thermal annealing at different conditions. This behavior seemed uncommon for polymer solar cells. We try from this work to understand device physics and to locate a relationship between production parameters and performance parameters of the solar cell based on small organic molecules.

  17. Charge Recombination, Transport Dynamics, and Interfacial Effects in Organic Solar Cells

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Heeger, Alan [Univ. of California, Santa Barbara, CA (United States); Bazan, Guillermo [Univ. of California, Santa Barbara, CA (United States); Nguyen, Thuc-Quyen [Univ. of California, Santa Barbara, CA (United States); Wudl, Fred [Univ. of California, Santa Barbara, CA (United States)

    2015-02-12

    The need for renewable sources of energy is well known. Conversion of sunlight to electricity using solar cells is one of the most important opportunities for creating renewable energy sources. The research carried out under DE-FG02-08ER46535 focused on the science and technology of “Plastic” solar cells comprised of organic (i.e. carbon based) semiconductors. The Bulk Heterojunction concept involves a phase separated blend of two organic semiconductors each with dimensions in the nano-meter length scale --- one a material that functions as a donor for electrons and the other a material that functions as an acceptor for electrons. The nano-scale inter-penetrating network concept for “Plastic” solar cells was created at UC Santa Barbara. A simple measure of the impact of this concept can be obtained from a Google search which gives 244,000 “hits” for the Bulk Heterojunction solar cell. Research funded through this program focused on four major areas: 1. Interfacial effects in organic photovoltaics, 2. Charge transfer and photogeneration of mobile charge carriers in organic photovoltaics, 3. Transport and recombination of the photogenerated charge carriers in organic photovoltaics, 4. Synthesis of novel organic semiconducting polymers and semiconducting small molecules, including conjugated polyelectrolytes. Following the discovery of ultrafast charge transfer at UC Santa Barbara in 1992, the nano-organic (Bulk Heterojunction) concept was formulated. The need for a morphology comprising two interpenetrating bicontinuous networks was clear: one network to carry the photogenerated electrons (negative charge) to the cathode and one network to carry the photo-generated holes (positive charge) to the anode. This remarkable self-assembled network morphology has now been established using Transmission electron Microscopy (TEM) either in the Phase Contrast mode or via TEM-Tomography. The steps involved in delivering power from a solar cell to an external circuit

  18. Photovoltaic effects of Si-CdSe n-n heterojunctions

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Chung, C.C.; Kim, W.T.

    1979-01-01

    Si-CdSe n-n heterojunction have been prepared by growing CdSe thin film on Si(111) surface with vacuum deposition method. The sign of photovoltage of this heterojunction was reversed at 1.67eV. The energy band profile of this heterojunction was deduced from its electrical and optical properties. This lattice mismatching abrupt heterojunction had a discontinuous energy band profile with the discontinuity of 0.87eV at the conduction band, of 0.27eV at the valance band. (author)

  19. Tuning the viscosity of halogen free bulk heterojunction inks for inkjet printed organic solar cells

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Lamont, C.A.; Eggenhuisen, T.M.; Coenen, M.J.J.; Slaats, T.W.L.; Andriessen, R.; Groen, P.

    2015-01-01

    For the solution processing of organic photovoltaics on an industrial scale, the exclusion of halogenated solvents is a necessity. However, the limited solubility of most semiconducting polymer/fullerene blends in non-halogenated solvents results in ink formulations with low viscosities which poses

  20. Charge separation at disordered semiconductor heterojunctions from random walk numerical simulations.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mandujano-Ramírez, Humberto J; González-Vázquez, José P; Oskam, Gerko; Dittrich, Thomas; Garcia-Belmonte, Germa; Mora-Seró, Iván; Bisquert, Juan; Anta, Juan A

    2014-03-07

    Many recent advances in novel solar cell technologies are based on charge separation in disordered semiconductor heterojunctions. In this work we use the Random Walk Numerical Simulation (RWNS) method to model the dynamics of electrons and holes in two disordered semiconductors in contact. Miller-Abrahams hopping rates and a tunnelling distance-dependent electron-hole annihilation mechanism are used to model transport and recombination, respectively. To test the validity of the model, three numerical "experiments" have been devised: (1) in the absence of constant illumination, charge separation has been quantified by computing surface photovoltage (SPV) transients. (2) By applying a continuous generation of electron-hole pairs, the model can be used to simulate a solar cell under steady-state conditions. This has been exploited to calculate open-circuit voltages and recombination currents for an archetypical bulk heterojunction solar cell (BHJ). (3) The calculations have been extended to nanostructured solar cells with inorganic sensitizers to study, specifically, non-ideality in the recombination rate. The RWNS model in combination with exponential disorder and an activated tunnelling mechanism for transport and recombination is shown to reproduce correctly charge separation parameters in these three "experiments". This provides a theoretical basis to study relevant features of novel solar cell technologies.

  1. Depleted Nanocrystal-Oxide Heterojunctions for High-Sensitivity Infrared Detection

    Science.gov (United States)

    2015-08-28

    Approved for Public Release; Distribution Unlimited Final Report: 4.3 Electronic Sensing - Depleted Nanocrystal- Oxide Heterojunctions for High...reviewed journals: Final Report: 4.3 Electronic Sensing - Depleted Nanocrystal- Oxide Heterojunctions for High-Sensitivity Infrared Detection Report Title...PERCENT_SUPPORTEDNAME FTE Equivalent: Total Number: 1 1 Final Progress Report Project title: Depleted Nanocrystal- Oxide Heterojunctions for High

  2. How High Local Charge Carrier Mobility and an Energy Cascade in a Three-Phase Bulk Heterojunction Enable >90% Quantum Efficiency

    KAUST Repository

    Burke, Timothy M.

    2013-12-27

    Charge generation in champion organic solar cells is highly efficient in spite of low bulk charge-carrier mobilities and short geminate-pair lifetimes. In this work, kinetic Monte Carlo simulations are used to understand efficient charge generation in terms of experimentally measured high local charge-carrier mobilities and energy cascades due to molecular mixing. © 2013 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  3. How High Local Charge Carrier Mobility and an Energy Cascade in a Three-Phase Bulk Heterojunction Enable >90% Quantum Efficiency

    KAUST Repository

    Burke, Timothy M.; McGehee, Michael D.

    2013-01-01

    Charge generation in champion organic solar cells is highly efficient in spite of low bulk charge-carrier mobilities and short geminate-pair lifetimes. In this work, kinetic Monte Carlo simulations are used to understand efficient charge generation in terms of experimentally measured high local charge-carrier mobilities and energy cascades due to molecular mixing. © 2013 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  4. Dielectric nanostructures for broadband light trapping in organic solar cells

    KAUST Repository

    Raman, Aaswath

    2011-09-15

    Organic bulk heterojunction solar cells are a promising candidate for low-cost next-generation photovoltaic systems. However, carrier extraction limitations necessitate thin active layers that sacrifice absorption for internal quantum efficiency or vice versa. Motivated by recent theoretical developments, we show that dielectric wavelength-scale grating structures can produce significant absorption resonances in a realistic organic cell architecture. We numerically demonstrate that 1D, 2D and multi-level ITO-air gratings lying on top of the organic solar cell stack produce a 8-15% increase in photocurrent for a model organic solar cell where PCDTBT:PC71BM is the organic semiconductor. Specific to this approach, the active layer itself remains untouched yet receives the benefit of light trapping by nanostructuring the top surface below which it lies. The techniques developed here are broadly applicable to organic semiconductors in general, and enable partial decoupling between active layer thickness and photocurrent generation. © 2011 Optical Society of America.

  5. Morphology versus vertical phase segregation in solvent annealed small molecule bulk heterojunction organic solar cells

    Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

    Kovalenko, A.; Stoyanova, V.; Pospisil, J.; Zhivkov, I.; Fekete, Ladislav; Karashanova, D.; Kratochvílová, Irena; Vala, M.; Weiter, M.

    2015-01-01

    Roč. 2015, Oct (2015), s. 238981 ISSN 1110-662X R&D Projects: GA ČR(CZ) GA15-05095S; GA TA ČR TA04020156; GA MŠk LO1409 Institutional support: RVO:68378271 Keywords : organic solar cells Subject RIV: CF - Physical ; Theoretical Chemistry Impact factor: 1.226, year: 2015

  6. Fate of bulk and trace organics during a simulated aquifer recharge and recovery (ARR)-ozone hybrid process

    KAUST Repository

    Yoon, Min

    2013-11-01

    The attenuation of bulk organic matter and trace organic contaminants (TOrCs) was evaluated for various aquifer recharge and recovery (ARR)-ozone (O3) hybrid treatment process combinations using soil-batch reactor and bench-scale ozonation experiments as a proof of concept prior to pilot and/or field studies. In water reclamation and especially potable reuse, refractory bulk organic matter and TOrCs are of potential health concern in recycled waters. In this study, the role of biotransformation of bulk organic matter and TOrCs was investigated considering different simulated treatment combinations, including soil passage (ARR) alone, ARR after ozonation (O3-ARR), and ARR prior to ozonation (ARR-O3). During oxic (aerobic) ARR simulations, soluble microbial-like substances (e.g., higher molecular weight polysaccharides and proteins) were easily removed while (lower molecular weight) humic substances and aromatic organic matter were not efficiently removed. During ARR-ozone treatment simulations, removals of bulk organic matter and TOrCs were rapid and effective compared to ARR alone. A higher reduction of effluent-derived organic matter, including aromatic organic matter and humic substances, was observed in the ARR-O3 hybrid followed by the O3-ARR hybrid. An enhanced attenuation of recalcitrant TOrCs was observed while increasing the ozone dose slightly (O3: DOC=1). TOrC removal efficiency also increased during the post-ozone treatment combination (i.e., ARR-O3). In addition, the carcinogenic wastewater disinfection byproduct N-nitrosodimethylamine (NDMA) was eliminated below the method reporting limit (<5ngL-1) both during ARR treatment alone and the ARR-ozone hybrid. © 2013 Elsevier Ltd.

  7. Probability density of tunneled carrier states near heterojunctions calculated numerically by the scattering method.

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Wampler, William R. [Sandia National Lab. (SNL-NM), Albuquerque, NM (United States); Myers, Samuel M. [Sandia National Lab. (SNL-NM), Albuquerque, NM (United States); Modine, Normand A. [Sandia National Lab. (SNL-NM), Albuquerque, NM (United States)

    2017-09-01

    The energy-dependent probability density of tunneled carrier states for arbitrarily specified longitudinal potential-energy profiles in planar bipolar devices is numerically computed using the scattering method. Results agree accurately with a previous treatment based on solution of the localized eigenvalue problem, where computation times are much greater. These developments enable quantitative treatment of tunneling-assisted recombination in irradiated heterojunction bipolar transistors, where band offsets may enhance the tunneling effect by orders of magnitude. The calculations also reveal the density of non-tunneled carrier states in spatially varying potentials, and thereby test the common approximation of uniform- bulk values for such densities.

  8. Electronic excited states and relaxation dynamics in polymer heterojunction systems

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ramon, John Glenn Santos

    The potential for using conducting polymers as the active material in optoelectronic devices has come to fruition in the past few years. Understanding the fundamental photophysics behind their operations points to the significant role played by the polymer interface in their performance. Current device architectures involve the use of bulk heterojunctions which intimately blend the donor and acceptor polymers to significantly increase not only their interfacial surface area but also the probability of exciton formation within the vicinity of the interface. In this dissertation, we detail the role played by the interface on the behavior and performance of bulk heterojunction systems. First, we explore the relation between the exciton binding energy to the band offset in determining device characteristics. As a general rule, when the exciton binding energy is greater than the band offset, the exciton remains the lowest energy excited state leading to efficient light-emitting properties. On the other hand, if the offset is greater than the binding energy, charge separation becomes favorable leading to better photovoltaic behavior. Here, we use a Wannier function, configuration interaction based approach to examine the essential excited states and predict the vibronic absorption and emission spectra of the PPV/BBL, TFB/F8BT and PFB/F8BT heterojunctions. Our results underscore the role of vibrational relaxation in the formation of charge-transfer states following photoexcitation. In addition, we look at the relaxation dynamics that occur upon photoexcitation. For this, we adopt the Marcus-Hush semiclassical method to account for lattice reorganization in the calculation of the interconversion rates in TFB/F8BT and PFB/F8BT. We find that, while a tightly bound charge-transfer state (exciplex) remains the lowest excited state, a regeneration pathway to the optically active lowest excitonic state in TFB/F8BT is possible via thermal repopulation from the exciplex. Finally

  9. Direct characterization of the energy level alignments and molecular components in an organic hetero-junction by integrated photoemission spectroscopy and reflection electron energy loss spectroscopy analysis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yun, Dong-Jin; Shin, Weon-Ho; Bulliard, Xavier; Park, Jong Hwan; Kim, Seyun; Chung, Jae Gwan; Kim, Yongsu; Heo, Sung; Kim, Seong Heon

    2016-08-26

    A novel, direct method for the characterization of the energy level alignments at bulk-heterojunction (BHJ)/electrode interfaces on the basis of electronic spectroscopy measurements is proposed. The home-made in situ photoemission system is used to perform x-ray/ultraviolet photoemission spectroscopy (XPS/UPS), reflection electron energy loss spectroscopy (REELS) and inverse photoemission spectroscopy of organic-semiconductors (OSCs) deposited onto a Au substrate. Through this analysis system, we are able to obtain the electronic structures of a boron subphthalocyanine chloride:fullerene (SubPC:C60) BHJ and those of the separate OSC/electrode structures (SubPC/Au and C60/Au). Morphology and chemical composition analyses confirm that the original SubPC and C60 electronic structures remain unchanged in the electrodes prepared. Using this technique, we ascertain that the position and area of the nearest peak to the Fermi energy (EF = 0 eV) in the UPS (REELS) spectra of SubPC:C60 BHJ provide information on the highest occupied molecular orbital level (optical band gap) and combination ratio of the materials, respectively. Thus, extracting the adjusted spectrum from the corresponding SubPC:C60 BHJ UPS (REELS) spectrum reveals its electronic structure, equivalent to that of the C60 materials. This novel analytical approach allows complete energy-level determination for each combination ratio by separating its electronic structure information from the BHJ spectrum.

  10. Toward designing semiconductor-semiconductor heterojunctions for photocatalytic applications

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhang, Liping; Jaroniec, Mietek

    2018-02-01

    Semiconductor photocatalysts show a great potential for environmental and energy-related applications, however one of the major disadvantages is their relatively low photocatalytic performance due to the recombination of electron-hole pairs. Therefore, intensive research is being conducted toward design of heterojunctions, which have been shown to be effective for improving the charge-transfer properties and efficiency of photocatalysts. According to the type of band alignment and direction of internal electric field, heterojunctions are categorized into five different types, each of which is associated with its own charge transfer characteristics. Since the design of heterojunctions requires the knowledge of band edge positions of component semiconductors, the commonly used techniques for the assessment of band edge positions are reviewed. Among them the electronegativity-based calculation method is applied for a large number of popular visible-light-active semiconductors, including some widely investigated bismuth-containing semiconductors. On basis of the calculated band edge positions and the type of component semiconductors reported, heterojunctions composed of the selected bismuth-containing semiconductors are proposed. Finally, the most popular synthetic techniques for the fabrication of heterojunctions are briefly discussed.

  11. Optoelectronic Evaluation and Loss Analysis of PEDOT:PSS/Si Hybrid Heterojunction Solar Cells.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yang, Zhenhai; Fang, Zebo; Sheng, Jiang; Ling, Zhaoheng; Liu, Zhaolang; Zhu, Juye; Gao, Pingqi; Ye, Jichun

    2017-12-01

    The organic/silicon (Si) hybrid heterojunction solar cells (HHSCs) have attracted considerable attention due to their potential advantages in high efficiency and low cost. However, as a newly arisen photovoltaic device, its current efficiency is still much worse than commercially available Si solar cells. Therefore, a comprehensive and systematical optoelectronic evaluation and loss analysis on this HHSC is therefore highly necessary to fully explore its efficiency potential. Here, a thoroughly optoelectronic simulation is provided on a typical planar polymer poly (3,4-ethylenedioxy thiophene):polystyrenesulfonate (PEDOT:PSS)/Si HHSC. The calculated spectra of reflection and external quantum efficiency (EQE) match well with the experimental results in a full-wavelength range. The losses in current density, which are contributed by both optical losses (i.e., reflection, electrode shield, and parasitic absorption) and electrical recombination (i.e., the bulk and surface recombination), are predicted via carefully addressing the electromagnetic and carrier-transport processes. In addition, the effects of Si doping concentrations and rear surface recombination velocities on the device performance are fully investigated. The results drawn in this study are beneficial to the guidance of designing high-performance PEDOT:PSS/Si HHSCs.

  12. Seasonal and air mass trajectory effects on dissolved organic matter of bulk deposition at a coastal town in south-western Europe.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Santos, Patrícia S M; Santos, Eduarda B H; Duarte, Armando C

    2013-01-01

    Rainwater contains a complex mixture of organic compounds which may influence climate, terrestrial and maritime ecosystems and thus human health. In this work, the characteristics of DOM of bulk deposition at a coastal town on the southwest of Europe were assessed by UV-visible and three-dimensional excitation-emission matrix fluorescence spectroscopies and by dissolved organic carbon (DOC) content. The seasonal and air mass trajectory effects on dissolved organic matter (DOM) of bulk deposition were evaluated. The absorbance at 250 nm (UV(250 nm)) and integrated fluorescence showed to be positively correlated with each other, and they were also positively correlated to the DOC in bulk deposition, which suggest that a constant fraction of DOM is likely to fluoresce. There was more chromophoric dissolved organic matter (CDOM) present in summer and autumn seasons than in winter and spring. Bulk deposition associated with terrestrial air masses contained a higher CDOM content than bulk deposition related to marine air masses, thus highlighting the contribution of terrestrial/anthropogenic sources.

  13. Transparent CH{sub 3}NH{sub 3}SnCl{sub 3}/Al-ZnO p-n heterojunction diode

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Kumar, Sunil, E-mail: skbgudha@gmail.com; Ansari, Mohd Zubair; Khare, Neeraj [Department of Physics, Indian Institute of Technology, Hauz Khas, New Delhi, Delhi-110016 (India)

    2016-05-23

    A p-type Organic inorganic tin chloride (CH{sub 3}NH{sub 3}SnCl{sub 3}) perovskite thin film has been synthesized by solution method. An n-type 1% Al doped ZnO (AZO) film has been deposited on FTO substrate by ultrasonic assisted chemical vapor deposition technique. A transparent CH{sub 3}NH{sub 3}SnCl{sub 3}/AZO p-n heterojunction diode has been fabricated by spin coating technique. CH{sub 3}NH{sub 3}SnCl{sub 3}/AZO p-n heterojunction shows 75% transparency in the visible region. I-V characteristic of CH{sub 3}NH{sub 3}SnCl{sub 3}/AZO p-n heterojunction shows rectifying behavior of the diode. The diode parameters calculated as ideality factor η=2.754 and barrier height Φ= 0.76 eV. The result demonstrates the potentiality of CH{sub 3}NH{sub 3}SnCl{sub 3}/AZO p-n heterojunction for transparent electronics.

  14. -MoS2 Lateral Heterojunctions

    KAUST Repository

    Li, Ming-yang

    2018-02-28

    2D layered heterostructures have attracted intensive interests due to their unique optical, transport, and interfacial properties. The laterally stitched heterojunction based on dissimilar 2D transition metal dichalcogenides forms an intrinsic p–n junction without the necessity of applying an external voltage. However, no scalable processes are reported to construct the devices with such lateral heterostructures. Here, a scalable strategy, two-step and location-selective chemical vapor deposition, is reported to synthesize self-aligned WSe2–MoS2 monolayer lateral heterojunction arrays and demonstrates their light-emitting devices. The proposed fabrication process enables the growth of high-quality interfaces and the first successful observation of electroluminescence at the WSe2–MoS2 lateral heterojunction. The electroluminescence study has confirmed the type-I alignment at the interface rather than commonly believed type-II alignment. This self-aligned growth process paves the way for constructing various 2D lateral heterostructures in a scalable manner, practically important for integrated 2D circuit applications.

  15. Charge Photogeneration Experiments and Theory in Aggregated Squaraine Donor Materials for Improved Organic Solar Cell Efficiencies

    Science.gov (United States)

    Spencer, Susan Demetra

    Fossil fuel consumption has a deleterious effect on humans, the economy, and the environment. Renewable energy technologies must be identified and commercialized as quickly as possible so that the transition to renewables can happen at a minimum of financial and societal cost. Organic photovoltaic cells offer an inexpensive and disruptive energy technology, if the scientific challenges of understanding charge photogeneration in a bulk heterojunction material can be overcome. At RIT, there is a strong focus on creating new materials that can both offer fundamentally important scientific results relating to quantum photophysics, and simultaneously assist in the development of strong candidates for future commercialized technology. In this presentation, the results of intensive materials characterization of a series of squaraine small molecule donors will be presented, as well as a full study of the fabrication and optimization required to achieve >4% photovoltaic cell efficiency. A relationship between the molecular structure of the squaraine and its ability to form nanoscale aggregates will be explored. Squaraine aggregation will be described as a unique optoelectronic probe of the structure of the bulk heterojunction. This relationship will then be utilized to explain changes in crystallinity that impact the overall performance of the devices. Finally, a predictive summary will be given for the future of donor material research at RIT.

  16. A mechanistic understanding of processing additive-induced efficiency enhancement in bulk heterojunction organic solar cells

    KAUST Repository

    Schmidt, Kristin

    2013-10-31

    The addition of processing additives is a widely used approach to increase power conversion efficiencies for many organic solar cells. We present how additives change the polymer conformation in the casting solution leading to a more intermixed phase-segregated network structure of the active layer which in turn results in a 5-fold enhancement in efficiency. © 2013 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  17. Periodically arranged colloidal gold nanoparticles for enhanced light harvesting in organic solar cells

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Mirsafaei, Mina; Fernandes Cauduro, André Luis; Kunstmann-Olsen, Casper

    2016-01-01

    Although organic solar cells show intriguing features such as low-cost, mechanical flexibility and light weight, their efficiency is still low compared to their inorganic counterparts. One way of improving their efficiency is by the use of light-trapping mechanisms from nano- or microstructures......, which makes it possible to improve the light absorption and charge extraction in the device’s active layer. Here, periodically arranged colloidal gold nanoparticles are demonstrated experimentally and theoretically to improve light absorption and thus enhance the efficiency of organic solar cells....... Surface-ordered gold nanoparticle arrangements are integrated at the bottom electrode of organic solar cells. The resulting optical interference and absorption effects are numerically investigated in bulk hetero-junction solar cells based on the Finite-Difference Time-Domain (FDTD) and Transfer Matrix...

  18. Small-molecule azomethines : Organic photovoltaics via Schiff base condensation chemistry

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Petrus, M.L.; Bouwer, R.K.M.; Lafont, U.; Athanasopoulos, S.; Greenham, N.C.; Dingemans, T.J.

    2014-01-01

    Conjugated small-molecule azomethines for photovoltaic applications were prepared via Schiff base condensation chemistry. Bulk heterojunction (BHJ) devices exhibit efficiencies of 1.2% with MoOx as the hole-transporting layer. The versatility and simplicity of the chemistry is illustrated by

  19. Fabrication and characterization of DBM/p-Si heterojunction solar cell

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    El-Nahass, M.M.; Kamel, M.A.; Atta, A.A.; Huthaily, S.Y.

    2013-01-01

    Hybrid organic/inorganic solar cell was fabricated by depositing a thin film of p-N,N dimethylaminobenzylidenemalononitrile (DBM) onto p-Si substrate. DBM is a donor–acceptor disubstituted benzenes dye known as molecular rotors and highly polar molecular compounds. Its powder has a polycrystalline structure, while nano-crystallite rods are formed in the as-deposited film. The dark current density–voltage (J–V) characteristics of Au/DBM/p-Si/Al heterojunction device measured at different temperatures ranging from 291 to 353 K have been investigated. The operating conduction mechanisms, the series and shunt resistances, the rectification ratio, the ideality factor, the effective barrier height, and the total trap concentration were determined. The capacitance–voltage (C–V) characteristics indicated that the junction is of abrupt nature. The built-in voltage and the carrier concentration distributed through the depletion region were estimated. Under illumination, the DBM/p-Si cell showed photovoltaic properties and the photovoltaic parameters were evaluated. -- Highlights: ► The molecular rotors DBM dye can be used to manufacture D/A solar cells. ► Since D/A are situated in the DBM molecule, we ensure photoinduced D → A electron transfer. ► The DBM film is grown as nano-rods. ► The most of the DBM bulk of the cell contributes to the generation of external current.

  20. Fabrication and characterization of DBM/p-Si heterojunction solar cell

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    El-Nahass, M.M.; Kamel, M.A. [Physics Department, Faculty of Education, Ain Shams University, Roxy, 11757 Cairo (Egypt); Atta, A.A. [Physics Department, Faculty of Education, Ain Shams University, Roxy, 11757 Cairo (Egypt); Physics Department, Faculty of Science, Taif University, Taif, 888 Taif (Saudi Arabia); Huthaily, S.Y., E-mail: s_huthaily@yahoo.com [Physics Department, Faculty of Education, Hodeidah University, Alduraihimi, 3114 Hodeidah (Yemen)

    2013-01-15

    Hybrid organic/inorganic solar cell was fabricated by depositing a thin film of p-N,N dimethylaminobenzylidenemalononitrile (DBM) onto p-Si substrate. DBM is a donor-acceptor disubstituted benzenes dye known as molecular rotors and highly polar molecular compounds. Its powder has a polycrystalline structure, while nano-crystallite rods are formed in the as-deposited film. The dark current density-voltage (J-V) characteristics of Au/DBM/p-Si/Al heterojunction device measured at different temperatures ranging from 291 to 353 K have been investigated. The operating conduction mechanisms, the series and shunt resistances, the rectification ratio, the ideality factor, the effective barrier height, and the total trap concentration were determined. The capacitance-voltage (C-V) characteristics indicated that the junction is of abrupt nature. The built-in voltage and the carrier concentration distributed through the depletion region were estimated. Under illumination, the DBM/p-Si cell showed photovoltaic properties and the photovoltaic parameters were evaluated. -- Highlights: Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer The molecular rotors DBM dye can be used to manufacture D/A solar cells. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Since D/A are situated in the DBM molecule, we ensure photoinduced D {yields} A electron transfer. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer The DBM film is grown as nano-rods. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer The most of the DBM bulk of the cell contributes to the generation of external current.

  1. Organic small molecule semiconducting chromophores for use in organic electronic devices

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Welch, Gregory C.; Hoven, Corey V.; Nguyen, Thuc-Quyen

    2018-02-13

    Small organic molecule semi-conducting chromophores containing a pyridalthiadiazole, pyridaloxadiazole, or pyridaltriazole core structure are disclosed. Such compounds can be used in organic heterojunction devices, such as organic small molecule solar cells and transistors.

  2. Photoelectric characteristics of CH3NH3PbI3/p-Si heterojunction

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yamei, Wu; Ruixia, Yang; Hanmin, Tian; Shuai, Chen

    2016-05-01

    Organic-inorganic hybrid perovskite CH3NH3PbI3 film is prepared on p-type silicon substrate using the one-step solution method to form a CH3NH3PbI3/p-Si heterojunction. The film morphology and structure are characterized by atomic force microscopy (AFM) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The photoelectric properties of the CH3NH3PbI3/p-Si heterojunction are studied by testing the current-voltage (I-V) with and without illumination and capacitance-voltage (C-V) characteristics. It turns out from the I-V curve without illumination that the CH3NH3PbI3/p-Si heterojunction has a rectifier feature with the rectification ratio over 70 at the bias of ±5 V. Also, there appears a photoelectric conversion phenomenon on this heterojunction with a short circuit current (Isc) of 0.16 μA and an open circuit voltage (Voc) of about 10 mV The high frequency C-V characteristic of the Ag/CH3NH3PbI3/p-Si heterojunction turns out to be similar to that of the metal-insulator-semiconductor (MIS) structure, and a parallel translation of the C-V curve along the forward voltage axis is found. This parallel translation means the existence of defects at the CH3NH3PbI3/p-Si interface and positive fixed charges in the CH3NH3PbI3 layer. The defects at the interface of the CH3NH3PbI3/p-Si heterojunction result in the dramatic decline of the Voc. Besides, the C-V test of CH3NH3PbI3 film shows a non-linear dielectric property and the dielectric value is about 4.64 as calculated. Project supported by the Hebei Province Natural Science Foundation of China (No. F2014202184) and the Tianjin Natural Science Foundation of China (No. 15JCZDJC37800).

  3. Solution processable inverted structure ZnO-organic hybrid heterojuction white LEDs

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bano, N.; Hussain, I.; Soomro, M. Y.; EL-Naggar, A. M.; Albassam, A. A.

    2018-05-01

    Improving luminance efficiency and colour purity are the most important challenges for zinc oxide (ZnO)-organic hybrid heterojunction light emitting diodes (LEDs), affecting their large area applications. If ZnO-organic hybrid heterojunction white LEDs are fabricated by a hydrothermal method, it is difficult to obtain pure and stable blue emission from PFO due to the presence of an undesirable green emission. In this paper, we present an inverted-structure ZnO-organic hybrid heterojunction LED to avoid green emission from PFO, which mainly originates during device processing. With this configuration, each ZnO nanorod (NR) forms a discrete p-n junction; therefore, large-area white LEDs can be designed without compromising the junction area. The configuration used for this novel structure is glass/ZnO NRs/PFO/PEDOT:PSS/L-ITO, which enables the development of efficient, large-area and low-cost hybrid heterojunction LEDs. Inverted-structure ZnO-organic hybrid heterojunction white LEDs offer several improvements in terms of brightness, size, colour, external quantum efficiency and a wider applicability as compared to normal architecture LEDs.

  4. Impact of the Nature of the Side-Chains on the Polymer-Fullerene Packing in the Mixed Regions of Bulk Heterojunction Solar Cells

    KAUST Repository

    Wang, Tonghui; Ravva, Mahesh Kumar; Bredas, Jean-Luc

    2016-01-01

    Polymer-fullerene packing in mixed regions of a bulk heterojunction solar cell is expected to play a major role in exciton-dissociation, charge-separation, and charge-recombination processes. Here, molecular dynamics simulations are combined with density functional theory calculations to examine the impact of nature and location of polymer side-chains on the polymer-fullerene packing in mixed regions. The focus is on poly-benzo[1,2-b:4,5-b′]dithiophene-thieno[3,4-c]pyrrole-4,6-dione (PBDTTPD) as electron-donating material and [6,6]-phenyl-C61-butyric acid methyl ester (PC61BM) as electron-accepting material. Three polymer side-chain patterns are considered: i) linear side-chains on both benzodithiophene (BDT) and thienopyrroledione (TPD) moieties; ii) two linear side-chains on BDT and a branched side-chain on TPD; and iii) two branched side-chains on BDT and a linear side-chain on TPD. Increasing the number of branched side-chains is found to decrease the polymer packing density and thereby to enhance PBDTTPD–PC61 BM mixing. The nature and location of side-chains are found to play a determining role in the probability of finding PC61BM molecules close to either BDT or TPD. The electronic couplings relevant for the exciton-dissociation and charge-recombination processes are also evaluated. Overall, the findings are consistent with the experimental evolution of the PBDTTPD–PC61BM solar-cell performance as a function of side-chain patterns. © 2016 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim

  5. Impact of the Nature of the Side-Chains on the Polymer-Fullerene Packing in the Mixed Regions of Bulk Heterojunction Solar Cells

    KAUST Repository

    Wang, Tonghui

    2016-06-20

    Polymer-fullerene packing in mixed regions of a bulk heterojunction solar cell is expected to play a major role in exciton-dissociation, charge-separation, and charge-recombination processes. Here, molecular dynamics simulations are combined with density functional theory calculations to examine the impact of nature and location of polymer side-chains on the polymer-fullerene packing in mixed regions. The focus is on poly-benzo[1,2-b:4,5-b′]dithiophene-thieno[3,4-c]pyrrole-4,6-dione (PBDTTPD) as electron-donating material and [6,6]-phenyl-C61-butyric acid methyl ester (PC61BM) as electron-accepting material. Three polymer side-chain patterns are considered: i) linear side-chains on both benzodithiophene (BDT) and thienopyrroledione (TPD) moieties; ii) two linear side-chains on BDT and a branched side-chain on TPD; and iii) two branched side-chains on BDT and a linear side-chain on TPD. Increasing the number of branched side-chains is found to decrease the polymer packing density and thereby to enhance PBDTTPD–PC61 BM mixing. The nature and location of side-chains are found to play a determining role in the probability of finding PC61BM molecules close to either BDT or TPD. The electronic couplings relevant for the exciton-dissociation and charge-recombination processes are also evaluated. Overall, the findings are consistent with the experimental evolution of the PBDTTPD–PC61BM solar-cell performance as a function of side-chain patterns. © 2016 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim

  6. Interfacial recombination at /AlGa/As/GaAs heterojunction structures

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ettenberg, M.; Kressel, H.

    1976-01-01

    Experiments were conducted to determine the interfacial recombination velocity at Al0.25Ga0.75As/GaAs and Al0.5Ga0.5As/GaAs heterojunctions. The recombination velocity was derived from a study of the injected minority-carrier lifetime as a function of the junction spacing. It is found that for heterojunction spacings in excess of about 1 micron, the interfacial recombination can be characterized by a surface recombination velocity of 4,000 and 8,000 cm/sec for the two types of heterojunctions, respectively. For double-heterojunction spacings below 1 micron, the constancy of the minority-carrier lifetime suggests that the interfacial recombination velocity decreases effectively. This effect is technologically very important since it makes it possible to construct very low-threshold injection lasers. No such effect is observed in single-heterojunction diodes.

  7. Electrical and optical modeling of poly(3-hexylthiophene):[6,6]-phenyl-C61 butyric acid methyl ester P3HT-PCBM bulk heterojunction solar cells

    Science.gov (United States)

    Brioua, Fathi; Remram, Mohamed; Nechache, Riad; Bourouina, Hicham

    2017-11-01

    In this work, we investigate a two-dimensional theoretical model for the photon conversion through an integration of the optical and electrical part of multilayer system in a bulk heterojunction solar cell based on poly(3-hexylthiophene) (P3HT)/6,6-phenyl C61-butyric acid methyl ester (PCBM) blend. The optical properties of the studied structure ITO/PEDOT:PSS/P3HT:PCBM/Ca/Al, such as the exciton generation rate and the electrical field distribution, are predicted at vicinity of the active layer and have been used to solve Poisson and continuity, drift-diffusion equations of the electrical model which characterize the electrical behavior of semiconductor device using finite element method (FEM). The electrical parameters such as power conversion efficiency (PCE), open voltage circuit ( V oc), short-circuit current density ( J sc) and fill factor (FF) are extracted from the current-voltage (J-V) characteristics under illumination and in dark conditions. Highest external quantum efficiency (IPCE), up to 60%, is obtained around 520 nm, while a power conversion efficiency (PCE) value of 3.62% is found to be in good agreement with the literature results. Integration of such theoretical approach into technological applications dealing with optoelectrical material performance will rapidly provide to the user accurate data outputs required for efficient validation of proof-of-concepts.

  8. Effect of regioregularity on recombination dynamics in inverted bulk heterojunction organic solar cells

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chandrasekaran, Naresh; Liu, Amelia C. Y.; Kumar, Anil; McNeill, Christopher R.; Kabra, Dinesh

    2018-01-01

    The effect of polymer regioregularity on the charge transport properties and bimolecular recombination rates of polymer-based solar cells is studied in detail using transient photovoltaic techniques. We compare organic solar cells fabricated with an ITO/ZnO/PEIE/P3HT:PCBM/MoO3/Ag structure using either 100% regioregular poly(3-hexylthiophene) (DF-P3HT) yielding an average power conversion efficiency (PCE) of 3.8  ±  0.3% or 92% regioregular P3HT (rr-P3HT) that yields an average PCE of 3.28  ±  0.4%. Transient photocurrent measurements reveal the presence of less mobile photoinduced charges in rr-P3HT:PCBM cells when compared to DF-P3HT:PCBM solar cells. Transient photovoltage measurements are used to establish the relationship between regioregularity and bimolecular recombination rate constant (k) finding that under 1 Sun, devices with high regioregularity have a longer τ despite having a higher k. The high value of k for the DF-P3HT:PCBM system as compared to the rr-P3HT:PCBM system is attributed to enhanced mobility and better charge transport of mobile charges in the DF-P3HT:PCBM system, consistent with enhanced fibrillar order in DF-P3HT films observed with transmission electron microscopy. We also note a slight decrease in cell open circuit voltage with increase in polymer regioregularity, which is due to the increase in k. Other recombination mechanisms such as trap-assisted recombination are found to be important in the lower regioregular P3HT device compounded by the reduced mobility and poor inter-chain ordering.

  9. Electron distribution in polar heterojunctions within a realistic model

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Tien, Nguyen Thanh, E-mail: thanhtienctu@gmail.com [College of Natural Science, Can Tho University, 3-2 Road, Can Tho City (Viet Nam); Thao, Dinh Nhu [Center for Theoretical and Computational Physics, College of Education, Hue University, 34 Le Loi Street, Hue City (Viet Nam); Thao, Pham Thi Bich [College of Natural Science, Can Tho University, 3-2 Road, Can Tho City (Viet Nam); Quang, Doan Nhat [Institute of Physics, Vietnamese Academy of Science and Technology, 10 Dao Tan Street, Hanoi (Viet Nam)

    2015-12-15

    We present a theoretical study of the electron distribution, i.e., two-dimensional electron gas (2DEG) in polar heterojunctions (HJs) within a realistic model. The 2DEG is confined along the growth direction by a triangular quantum well with a finite potential barrier and a bent band figured by all confinement sources. Therein, interface polarization charges take a double role: they induce a confining potential and, furthermore, they can make some change in other confinements, e.g., in the Hartree potential from ionized impurities and 2DEG. Confinement by positive interface polarization charges is necessary for the ground state of 2DEG existing at a high sheet density. The 2DEG bulk density is found to be increased in the barrier, so that the scattering occurring in this layer (from interface polarization charges and alloy disorder) becomes paramount in a polar modulation-doped HJ.

  10. Geometric light trapping with a V-trap for efficient organic solar cells

    KAUST Repository

    Kim, Soo Jin; Margulis, George Y.; Rim, Seung-Bum; Brongersma, Mark L.; McGehee, Michael D.; Peumans, Peter

    2013-01-01

    mechanism for a cell with a V-shape substrate configuration and demonstrate significantly improved photon absorption in an 5.3%-efficient PCDTBT:PC70BM bulk heterojunction polymer solar cell. The measured short circuit current density improves by 29

  11. Effects of effluent organic matter characteristics on the removal of bulk organic matter and selected pharmaceutically active compounds during managed aquifer recharge: Column study

    KAUST Repository

    Maeng, Sungkyu; Sharma, Saroj K.; Abel, Chol D T; Magic-Knezev, Aleksandra; Song, Kyungguen; Amy, Gary L.

    2012-01-01

    Soil column experiments were conducted to investigate the effects of effluent organic matter (EfOM) characteristics on the removal of bulk organic matter (OM) and pharmaceutically active compounds (PhACs) during managed aquifer recharge (MAR

  12. Organic photovoltaics: Crosslinking for optimal morphology and stability

    KAUST Repository

    Rumer, Joseph W.; McCulloch, Iain

    2015-01-01

    Organic solar cells now exceed 10% efficiency igniting interest not only in the fundamental molecular design of the photoactive semiconducting materials, but also in overlapping fields such as green chemistry, large-scale processing and thin film stability. For these devices to be commercially useful, they must have lifetimes in excess of 10 years. One source of potential instability, is that the two bicontinuous phases of electron donor and acceptor materials in the photoactive thin film bulk heterojunction, change in dimensions over time. Photocrosslinking of the π-conjugated semiconducting donor polymers allows the thin film morphology to be ‘locked’ affording patterned and stable blends with suppressed fullerene acceptor crystallization. This article reviews the performance of crosslinkable polymers, fullerenes and additives used to-date, identifying the most promising.

  13. Organic photovoltaics: Crosslinking for optimal morphology and stability

    KAUST Repository

    Rumer, Joseph W.

    2015-04-25

    Organic solar cells now exceed 10% efficiency igniting interest not only in the fundamental molecular design of the photoactive semiconducting materials, but also in overlapping fields such as green chemistry, large-scale processing and thin film stability. For these devices to be commercially useful, they must have lifetimes in excess of 10 years. One source of potential instability, is that the two bicontinuous phases of electron donor and acceptor materials in the photoactive thin film bulk heterojunction, change in dimensions over time. Photocrosslinking of the π-conjugated semiconducting donor polymers allows the thin film morphology to be ‘locked’ affording patterned and stable blends with suppressed fullerene acceptor crystallization. This article reviews the performance of crosslinkable polymers, fullerenes and additives used to-date, identifying the most promising.

  14. Dithienosilolothiophene: A New Polyfused Donor for Organic Electronics

    KAUST Repository

    Schroeder, Bob C.

    2015-08-13

    We report the synthesis of a novel pentacyclic donor moiety, dithienosilolothiophene, and its incorporation into low bandgap semiconducting polymers. The unique geometry of this new donor allowed attaching four solubilizing side chains on the same side of the fused ring system, thus ensuring sufficient solubility when incorporated into conjugated polymers while simultaneously reducing the steric hindrance between adjacent polymer chains. The optoelectronic properties of three new polymers comprising the novel pentacyclic donor were investigated and compared to structurally similar thieno[3,2-b]thienobis(silolothiophene) polymers. Organic solar cells were fabricated in order to evaluate the new materials’ potential as donor polymers in bulk heterojunction solar cells and gain further insight into how the single-sided side-chain arrangement affects the active layer blend morphology.

  15. Dithienosilolothiophene: A New Polyfused Donor for Organic Electronics

    KAUST Repository

    Schroeder, Bob C.; Kirkus, Mindaugas; Nielsen, Christian B.; Ashraf, Raja Shahid; McCulloch, Iain

    2015-01-01

    We report the synthesis of a novel pentacyclic donor moiety, dithienosilolothiophene, and its incorporation into low bandgap semiconducting polymers. The unique geometry of this new donor allowed attaching four solubilizing side chains on the same side of the fused ring system, thus ensuring sufficient solubility when incorporated into conjugated polymers while simultaneously reducing the steric hindrance between adjacent polymer chains. The optoelectronic properties of three new polymers comprising the novel pentacyclic donor were investigated and compared to structurally similar thieno[3,2-b]thienobis(silolothiophene) polymers. Organic solar cells were fabricated in order to evaluate the new materials’ potential as donor polymers in bulk heterojunction solar cells and gain further insight into how the single-sided side-chain arrangement affects the active layer blend morphology.

  16. Boron-doped zinc oxide thin films grown by metal organic chemical vapor deposition for bifacial a-Si:H/c-Si heterojunction solar cells

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Zeng, Xiangbin, E-mail: eexbzeng@mail.hust.edu.cn; Wen, Xixing; Sun, Xiaohu; Liao, Wugang; Wen, Yangyang

    2016-04-30

    Boron-doped zinc oxide (BZO) films were grown by metal organic chemical vapor deposition. The influence of B{sub 2}H{sub 6} flow rate and substrate temperature on the microstructure, optical, and electrical properties of BZO films was investigated by X-ray diffraction spectrum, scanning electron microscope, optical transmittance spectrum, and Hall measurements. The BZO films with optical transmittance above 85% in the visible and infrared light range, resistivity of 0.9–1.0 × 10{sup −3} Ω cm, mobility of 16.5–25.5 cm{sup 2}/Vs, and carrier concentration of 2.2–2.7 × 10{sup 20} cm{sup −3} were deposited under optimized conditions. The optimum BZO films were applied on the bifacial BZO/p-type a-Si:H/i-type a-Si:H/n-type c-Si/i-type a-Si:H/n{sup +}-type a-Si:H/BZO heterojunction solar cell as both front and back transparent electrodes. Meanwhile, the bifacial heterojunction solar cell with indium tin oxide (ITO) as both front and back transparent electrodes was fabricated. The efficiencies of 17.788% (open-circuit voltage: 0.628 V, short-circuit current density: 41.756 mA/cm{sup 2} and fill factor: 0.678) and 16.443% (open-circuit voltage: 0.590 V, short-circuit current density: 36.515 mA/cm{sup 2} and fill factor: 0.762) were obtained on the a-Si/c-Si heterojunction solar cell with BZO and ITO transparent electrodes, respectively. - Highlights: • Boron-doped zinc oxide films with low resistivity were fabricated. • The boron-doped zinc oxide films have the high transmittance. • B-doped ZnO film was applied in a-Si:H/c-Si solar cell as transparent electrodes. • The a-Si:H/c-Si solar cell with efficiency of 17.788% was obtained.

  17. Boron-doped zinc oxide thin films grown by metal organic chemical vapor deposition for bifacial a-Si:H/c-Si heterojunction solar cells

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Zeng, Xiangbin; Wen, Xixing; Sun, Xiaohu; Liao, Wugang; Wen, Yangyang

    2016-01-01

    Boron-doped zinc oxide (BZO) films were grown by metal organic chemical vapor deposition. The influence of B_2H_6 flow rate and substrate temperature on the microstructure, optical, and electrical properties of BZO films was investigated by X-ray diffraction spectrum, scanning electron microscope, optical transmittance spectrum, and Hall measurements. The BZO films with optical transmittance above 85% in the visible and infrared light range, resistivity of 0.9–1.0 × 10"−"3 Ω cm, mobility of 16.5–25.5 cm"2/Vs, and carrier concentration of 2.2–2.7 × 10"2"0 cm"−"3 were deposited under optimized conditions. The optimum BZO films were applied on the bifacial BZO/p-type a-Si:H/i-type a-Si:H/n-type c-Si/i-type a-Si:H/n"+-type a-Si:H/BZO heterojunction solar cell as both front and back transparent electrodes. Meanwhile, the bifacial heterojunction solar cell with indium tin oxide (ITO) as both front and back transparent electrodes was fabricated. The efficiencies of 17.788% (open-circuit voltage: 0.628 V, short-circuit current density: 41.756 mA/cm"2 and fill factor: 0.678) and 16.443% (open-circuit voltage: 0.590 V, short-circuit current density: 36.515 mA/cm"2 and fill factor: 0.762) were obtained on the a-Si/c-Si heterojunction solar cell with BZO and ITO transparent electrodes, respectively. - Highlights: • Boron-doped zinc oxide films with low resistivity were fabricated. • The boron-doped zinc oxide films have the high transmittance. • B-doped ZnO film was applied in a-Si:H/c-Si solar cell as transparent electrodes. • The a-Si:H/c-Si solar cell with efficiency of 17.788% was obtained.

  18. AC characterization of bulk organic solar cell in the dark and under illumination

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Váry, Michal; Perný, Milan; Šály, Vladimír; Packa, Juraj

    2014-01-01

    Highlights: • A study of organic bulk photovoltaic (PV) solar cell. • Current–voltage characteristics in the dark and under illumination. • AC measurements, both under illumination and in the dark conditions. • Equivalent AC circuit. • Effective lifetime assigned with electron–hole recombination and diffusion time of the electron was estimated. - Abstract: Impedance spectroscopy has been used widely to evaluate the transport processes in photovoltaic, mainly based on inorganic semiconductors, structures – solar cells. The aim of this research was to characterize improved organic bulk photovoltaic (PV) solar cells exploiting this method. Progress in technology of investigated organic solar cell involves the use of an active layer based on low band gap type of polymer. The organic PV cell with front transparent electrode and rear metal electrode and active layer produced by Konarka Technologies was analyzed by electrical DC and AC measurements. Current–voltage (I–V) characteristics in the dark and under illumination were measured and basic PV parameters were calculated. AC measurements, both under illumination and in the dark conditions, were processed in order to identify electronic behavior using equivalent AC circuit which was suggested by fitting of measured impedance data. Circuit with the best correlation to measured data is analyzed in details. Voltage and frequency dependences of fitted equivalent circuit components and calculated parameters are explained and presented in the paper

  19. Fabrication and characterization of photosensitive n-ZnO/p-InSe heterojunctions

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Kudrynskyi, Z., E-mail: kudrynskyi@gmail.com [Frantsevich Institute for Problems of Materials Science, National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine, Chernivtsi Branch, Str. I. Vilde 5, 58001 Chernivtsi (Ukraine); Khomyak, V. [Yuriy Fedkovich Chernivtsi National University, Str. Kotsubinsky 2, 58012 Chernivtsi (Ukraine); Katerynchuk, V.; Kovalyuk, M.; Netyaga, V.; Kushnir, B. [Frantsevich Institute for Problems of Materials Science, National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine, Chernivtsi Branch, Str. I. Vilde 5, 58001 Chernivtsi (Ukraine)

    2015-05-01

    Indium monochalcogenide (InSe) with a band gap of 1.25 eV is a promising material for photovoltaic applications. In this work, photosensitive anisotype n-ZnO/p-InSe heterojunctions were fabricated by means of radio-frequency magnetron sputtering of the zinc oxide onto freshly cleaved (0001) van der Waals surface of p-InSe single-crystal. Structural properties of the obtained heterostructures were investigated by means of X-ray diffraction. Surface morphology of the grown ZnO thin films was studied by means of atomic force microscopy. The electrical and photoelectrical properties of the heterojunctions were investigated using the current-voltage characteristics measured at different temperatures, capacitance-voltage characteristics and photoresponse spectra. The dominating current transport mechanisms through the heterojunctions under investigation were determined at forward and reverse biases. It was found that the developed heterojunctions n-ZnO/p-InSe show photosensitivity in the photon energy range (1.25-3.20 eV) at room temperature. In addition, we analyzed the influence of vacuum annealing of the heterojunctions at different temperatures on their photoelectric properties. - Highlights: • Thin ZnO films were grown onto van der Waals surface of InSe substrate. • n-ZnO/p-InSe heterojunctions were fabricated. • The heterojunctions are photosensitive in photon energy range from 1.12 to 3.75 eV. • Despite the lattice mismatch of 19% the heterojunctions exhibit diode-like behavior. • Vacuum annealing improves electrical properties of the heterojunctions.

  20. Flexible organic/inorganic hybrid solar cells based on conjugated polymer and ZnO nanorod array

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Tong, Fei; Kim, Kyusang; Martinez, Daniel; Thapa, Resham; Ahyi, Ayayi; Williams, John; Park, Minseo; Kim, Dong-Joo; Lee, Sungkoo; Lim, Eunhee; Lee, Kyeong K

    2012-01-01

    We report on the photovoltaic characteristics of organic/inorganic hybrid solar cells fabricated on ‘flexible’ transparent substrates. The solar cell device is composed of ZnO nanorod array and the bulk heterojunction structured organic layer which is the blend of poly(3-hexylthiophene) (P3HT) and (6,6)-phenyl C61 butyric acid methyl ester (PCBM). The ZnO nanorod array was grown on indium tin oxide (ITO)-coated polyethylene terephthalate (PET) substrates via a low-temperature (85 °C) aqueous solution process. The blend solution consisting of conjugated polymer P3HT and fullerene PCBM was spin coated at a low spinning rate of 400 rpm on top of the ZnO nanorod array structure and then the photoactive layer was slow dried at room temperature in air to promote its infiltration into the nanorod network. As a top electrode, silver was sputtered on top of the photoactive layer. The flexible solar cell with the structure of PET/ITO/ZnO thin film/ZnO nanorods/P3HT:PCBM/Ag exhibited a photovoltaic performance with an open circuit voltage (V OC ) of 0.52 V, a short circuit current density (J SC ) of 9.82 mA cm −2 , a fill factor (FF) of 35% and a power conversion efficiency (η) of 1.78%. All the measurements were performed under 100 mW cm −2 of illumination with an air mass 1.5 G filter. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first presentation of investigation into the fabrication and characterization of organic/inorganic hybrid solar cells based on bulk heterojunction structured conjugated polymer/fullerene photoactive layer and ZnO nanorod array constructed on flexible transparent substrates. (paper)

  1. Charge Separation at Mixed-Dimensional Single and Multilayer MoS2/Silicon Nanowire Heterojunctions.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Henning, Alex; Sangwan, Vinod K; Bergeron, Hadallia; Balla, Itamar; Sun, Zhiyuan; Hersam, Mark C; Lauhon, Lincoln J

    2018-05-16

    Layered two-dimensional (2-D) semiconductors can be combined with other low-dimensional semiconductors to form nonplanar mixed-dimensional van der Waals (vdW) heterojunctions whose charge transport behavior is influenced by the heterojunction geometry, providing a new degree of freedom to engineer device functions. Toward that end, we investigated the photoresponse of Si nanowire/MoS 2 heterojunction diodes with scanning photocurrent microscopy and time-resolved photocurrent measurements. Comparison of n-Si/MoS 2 isotype heterojunctions with p-Si/MoS 2 heterojunction diodes under varying biases shows that the depletion region in the p-n heterojunction promotes exciton dissociation and carrier collection. We measure an instrument-limited response time of 1 μs, which is 10 times faster than the previously reported response times for planar Si/MoS 2 devices, highlighting the advantages of the 1-D/2-D heterojunction. Finite element simulations of device models provide a detailed understanding of how the electrostatics affect charge transport in nanowire/vdW heterojunctions and inform the design of future vdW heterojunction photodetectors and transistors.

  2. Determination of band offsets at strained NiO and MgO heterojunction for MgO as an interlayer in heterojunction light emitting diode applications

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Singh, S.D., E-mail: devsh@rrcat.gov.in [Raja Ramanna Centre for Advanced Technology, Indore, Madhya Pradesh 452013 (India); Nand, Mangla [Bhabha Atomic Research Centre, Mumbai, Maharashtra 400085 (India); Ajimsha, R.S.; Upadhyay, Anuj; Kamparath, Rajiv; Mukherjee, C.; Misra, P.; Sinha, A.K. [Raja Ramanna Centre for Advanced Technology, Indore, Madhya Pradesh 452013 (India); Jha, S.N. [Bhabha Atomic Research Centre, Mumbai, Maharashtra 400085 (India); Ganguli, Tapas [Raja Ramanna Centre for Advanced Technology, Indore, Madhya Pradesh 452013 (India)

    2016-12-15

    Highlights: • Valence band offset at NiO/MgO heterojunction is experimentally determined. • Experimentally determined value of 2.3 ± 0.4 eV is significantly larger than the predicted from theoretical calculations. • The value of valence band offset is in corroboration with that estimated from the band transitivity model. • Our result can be used to predict accurately carrier transport and electroluminescence mechanisms for heterojunction LEDs. - Abstract: Valence band offset of 2.3 ± 0.4 eV at strained NiO/MgO heterojunction is determined from photoelectron spectroscopy (PES) measurements. The determined value of valence band offset is larger than that is predicted from first principle calculations, but is in corroboration with that obtained from band transitivity rule. Our PES result indicates a larger value of the valence band offset at strained NiO/MgO heterojunction and can be used to predict accurately carrier transport and electroluminescence mechanisms for n-ZnO/MgO/p-NiO and p-NiO/MgO/n-GaN heterojunction light emitting diodes.

  3. X-ray imager using solution processed organic transistor arrays and bulk heterojunction photodiodes on thin, flexible plastic substrate

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Gelinck, G.H.; Kumar, A.; Moet, D.; Steen, J.L. van der; Shafique, U.; Malinowski, P.E.; Myny, K.; Rand, B.P.; Simon, M.; Rütten, W.; Douglas, A.; Jorritsma, J.; Heremans, P.L.; Andriessen, H.A.J.M.

    2013-01-01

    We describe the fabrication and characterization of large-area active-matrix X-ray/photodetector array of high quality using organic photodiodes and organic transistors. All layers with the exception of the electrodes are solution processed. Because it is processed on a very thin plastic substrate

  4. All solution processed tandem polymer solar cells based on thermocleavable materials

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Hagemann, Ole; Bjerring, Morten; Nielsen, Niels Chr.

    2008-01-01

    efficiently solved. Devices comprised a transparent front cathode based on solution processed zinc oxide nanoparticles, a large band gap active layer based on a bulk heterojunction between zinc oxide and poly(3-carboxydithiophene) (P3CT) followed by a layer of PEDOT:PSS processed from water. The second cell...... in the stack employed a zinc oxide front cathode processed on top of the PEDOT:PSS layer from an organic solvent, a low band gap active layer based on a bulk heterojunction between zinc oxide and the novel poly(carboxyterthiophene-co-diphenylthienopyrazine) (P3CTTP) followed by a layer of PEDOT:PSS again...

  5. Luminescent GdVO{sub 4}:Sm{sup 3+} quantum dots enhance power conversion efficiency of bulk heterojunction polymer solar cells by Förster resonance energy transfer

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Bishnoi, Swati [CSIR-Network of Institutes for Solar Energy, New Delhi 110001 (India); Luminescent Materials and Devices Group, CSIR-National Physical Laboratory, New Delhi 110012 (India); Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research (AcSIR), CSIR-National Physical Laboratory, Dr. K. S. Krishnan Marg, New Delhi 110012 (India); Gupta, Vinay, E-mail: drvinaygupta@netscape.net; Sharma, Gauri D.; Chand, Suresh [CSIR-Network of Institutes for Solar Energy, New Delhi 110001 (India); Organic and Hybrid Solar Cells Group, Physics of Energy Harvesting Division, CSIR-National Physical Laboratory, New Delhi 110012 (India); Sharma, Chhavi; Kumar, Mahesh [Ultrafast Optoelectronics and Terahertz Photonics Lab, Physics of Energy Harvesting Division, CSIR-National Physical Laboratory, New Delhi 110012 (India); Haranath, D. [CSIR-Network of Institutes for Solar Energy, New Delhi 110001 (India); Luminescent Materials and Devices Group, CSIR-National Physical Laboratory, New Delhi 110012 (India); Naqvi, Sheerin [Luminescent Materials and Devices Group, CSIR-National Physical Laboratory, New Delhi 110012 (India)

    2016-07-11

    In this work, we report enhanced power conversion efficiency (PCE) of bulk heterojunction polymer solar cells by Förster resonance energy transfer (FRET) from samarium-doped luminescent gadolinium orthovanadate (GdVO{sub 4}:Sm{sup 3+}) quantum dots (QDs) to polythieno[3,4-b]-thiophene-co-benzodithiophene (PTB7) polymer. The photoluminescence emission spectrum of GdVO{sub 4}:Sm{sup 3+} QDs overlaps with the absorption spectrum of PTB7, leading to FRET from GdVO{sub 4}:Sm{sup 3+} to PTB7, and significant enhancements in the charge-carrier density of excited and polaronic states of PTB7 are observed. This was confirmed by means of femtosecond transient absorption spectroscopy. The FRET from GdVO{sub 4}:Sm{sup 3+} QDs to PTB7 led to a remarkable increase in the power conversion efficiency (PCE) of PTB7:GdVO{sub 4}:Sm{sup 3+}:PC{sub 71}BM ([6,6]-phenyl-C{sub 71}-butyric acid methyl ester) polymer solar cells. The PCE in optimized ternary blend PTB7:GdVO{sub 4}:Sm{sup 3+}:PC{sub 71}BM (1:0.1:1.5) is increased to 8.8% from 7.2% in PTB7:PC{sub 71}BM. This work demonstrates the potential of rare-earth based luminescent QDs in enhancing the PCE of polymer solar cells.

  6. Ternary Organic Solar Cells with Coumarin7 as the Donor Exhibiting Greater Than 10% Power Conversion Efficiency and a High Fill Factor of 75.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chen, Xin-Wei; Tao, Si-Lu; Fan, Cong; Chen, Dong-Cheng; Zhou, Ling; Lin, Hui; Zheng, Cai-Jun; Su, Shi-Jian

    2017-09-06

    Ternary bulk heterojunction (BHJ) is a brilliant photovoltaic technology for improving the performance of organic solar cells (OSCs), because the light absorption range can be significantly extended by using multiple donors or acceptor materials. In this paper, coumarin7 (C7), a small organic molecule typical led used in organic light-emitting diodes, was initially exploited as second electron-donor component in ternary bulk heterojunction OSCs along with conventional blend system spolythieno[3,4-b]-thiophene/benzodithiophene(PTB7) and [6,6]-phenyl-C71 -butyric acid methyl(PC 71 BM). A champion PCE value of 10.28% was realized in the ternary OSCs when incorporated with 10 wt % C7 doping ratio in the donors, corresponding to about 35% enhancement compared with the PTB7:PC 71 BM-based OSCs, a high fill factor (FF) of 75.03%, a short-circuit currentdensity (J sc ) of 18.72 mA cm -2 and an open-circuit voltage (V oc ) of 0.73 V. The enhanced performance of the ternary OSCs can be attributed to the simultaneous improvement of the FF and the J sc . In addition to extended light absorption, a perfect nanofiber filament active layer morphology is obtained due to the good compatibility between C7 and PTB7, which facilitates the balance of charge transportation and the suppression of charge recombination. This investigation suggests that coumarin derivatives, which have completely different structure with polymer donors, can also be used to fabricate ternary solar cells and have the potential applications to obtain amazing performance after further device engineering and optimization.

  7. Multi-channel unidirectional transmission of phononic crystal heterojunctions

    Science.gov (United States)

    Xu, Zhenlong; Tong, Jie; Wu, Fugen

    2018-02-01

    Two square steel columns are arranged in air to form two-dimensional square lattice phononic crystals (PNCs). Two PNCs can be combined into a non-orthogonal 45∘ heterojunction when the difference in the directional band gaps of the two PNC types is utilized. The finite element method is used to calculate the acoustic band structure, the heterogeneous junction transmission characteristics, acoustic field distribution, and many others. Results show that a non-orthogonal PNC heterojunction can produce a multi-channel unidirectional transmission of acoustic waves. With the square scatterer rotated, the heterojunction can select a frequency band for unidirectional transmission performance. This capability is particularly useful for constructing acoustic diodes with wide-bands and high-efficiency unidirectional transmission characteristics.

  8. Solution-Processing of Organic Solar Cells: From In Situ Investigation to Scalable Manufacturing

    KAUST Repository

    Abdelsamie, Maged

    2016-01-01

    -cost manufacturing of sufficiently efficient devices at high throughput on large-area rigid or flexible substrates with potentially low energy and carbon footprints. In OPVs, the photoactive layer is made of a bulk heterojunction (BHJ) layer and is typically composed

  9. Optical and electronic proprieties of thin films based on (Z-5-(4-chlorobenzylidene-3-(2-ethoxyphenyl-2 thioxothiazolidin-4-one, (CBBTZ and possible application as exciton-blocking layer in heterojunction organic solar cells

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Morsli M.

    2012-06-01

    Full Text Available In this work, organic thin film solar cells with structures based on CuPc/C60 bulk heterojunctions, have been fabricated and characterized. The effect of introducing an exciton blocking layer (EBL between the active layer and the metal layer in the solar cell was investigated. For that (Z-5-(4-chlorobenzylidene-3-(2-ethoxyphenyl-2-thioxothiazolidin-4-one, that we called (CBBTZ has been synthesized, characterized and probed as EBL. It was shown that optimized structures containing EBLs resulted in an improvement in solar cell conversion efficiencies. The energy levels corresponding to the highest occupied molecular orbital (HOMO and the lowest unoccupied molecular orbital (LUMO of the CBBTZ have been determined from the first oxidation and reduction potential respectively, using cyclic voltametric (CV measurements. From CV curves, CBBTZ in dichloromethane showed a one electron reversible reduction and oxidation waves. The values of its HOMO and LUMO have been estimated to be 6.42 eV and 3.42 eV respectively. Such values show that CBBTZ could be probed as EBL in organic solar cells based on the ED/EA couple copper phthalocyanine(CuPc/fullerene (C60. The photovoltaic solar cells have been obtained by sequential deposition under vacuum of the different films where their thicknesses were measured in situ by a quartz monitor. When obtained, the averaged efficiency of the cells using the CBBTZ is higher than that achieved without EBL layer.

  10. Effect of Solvent Additives on the Solution Aggregation of Phenyl-C61-Butyl Acid Methyl Ester (PCBM)

    KAUST Repository

    Tummala, Naga Rajesh; Sutton, Christopher; Aziz, Saadullah G.; Toney, Michael F.; Risko, Chad; Bredas, Jean-Luc

    2015-01-01

    High-boiling-point solvent additives, employed during the solution processing of active-layer formulations, impact the efficiency of bulk hetero-junction (BHJ) organic solar cells by influencing the morphological / topological features

  11. Synthesis and visible-light-driven photocatalytic activity of p–n heterojunction Ag_2O/NaTaO_3 nanocubes

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Yang, Songbo; Xu, Dongbo; Chen, Biyi; Luo, Bifu; Yan, Xu; Xiao, Lisong; Shi, Weidong

    2016-01-01

    Highlights: • We firstly report a facile way to prepare the visible-light-driven Ag_2O/NaTaO_3p–n heterojunction by chemical precipitation method. • The Ag_2O/NaTaO_3 heterojunction shows the highest photocatalytic activity than the pure NaTaO_3 and Ag_2O nanoparticles under visible light. • The enhancement of the heterojunction photocatalytic activity was discussed and the photocatalytic mechanism was tested in our paper. • In summary, we think that the Ag_2O/NaTaO_3 heterojunction with the strong visible light absorption and efficient photocatalytic activity have been extended application in photocatalysis for organic dyes pollutants degradation and purification of water. - Abstract: The constructing of p–n heterojunction photocatalytic system has received much attention in environmental purification and hydrogen generation from water. In this study, an efficient visible-light-driven p–n heterojunction Ag_2O/NaTaO_3 was successfully prepared by chemical precipitation method at room temperature. It showed an enhanced photocatalytic activity for the degradation of rhodamine B (RhB) under visible-light irradiation, much higher than those of either individual Ag_2O or NaTaO_3. The reactive species scavenger results indicated the superoxide anion radicals (·O"2"−) played key roles in RhB decoloration. From the experimental results and the relative band gap position of these semiconductors, a detailed possible photocatalytic mechanism of the Ag_2O/NaTaO_3 heterojunction under visible light was proposed. The enhancement of the photocatalytic activity was attributed to the interfacial electronic interaction between NaTaO_3 and Ag_2O and the high migration efficiency of photogenerated carriers.

  12. Organic photovoltaic cells with pentacene nanocolumn arrays

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Yu, Shuwen; Schaefer, Peter; Rabe, Juergen P.; Koch, Norbert [Institut fuer Physik, Humboldt-Universitaet zu Berlin, Brook-Taylor-Str. 6, 12489 Berlin (Germany)

    2011-07-01

    Highly ordered pentacene nanocolumn arrays were fabricated by glancing angle deposition (GLAD) on indium tin oxide (ITO) substrates. The nanocolumn diameter was set to 100-150 nm as revealed by scanning electron microscopy and atomic force microscopy. Interdigitated bulk heterojunction photovoltaic cells (OPVCs) were formed by spin-coating [6,6]-phenyl-C{sub 61}-butyric acid methyl ester (PCBM) as the acceptor material onto the pentacene nanocolumn film. Bathocuproine (BCP) was deposited on top of PCBM as exciton blocking layer. The conversion efficiency of nanocolumn-based OPVCs was significantly higher compared to planar heterojunction OPVCs of the same materials. Further device performance improvement was achieved through employing a thin pentacene seed layer before GLAD, which promoted PCBM solution infiltration between pentacene nanocolumns.

  13. Ultrafast Exciton Dissociation and Long-Lived Charge Separation in a Photovoltaic Pentacene-MoS2 van der Waals Heterojunction.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bettis Homan, Stephanie; Sangwan, Vinod K; Balla, Itamar; Bergeron, Hadallia; Weiss, Emily A; Hersam, Mark C

    2017-01-11

    van der Waals heterojunctions between two-dimensional (2D) layered materials and nanomaterials of different dimensions present unique opportunities for gate-tunable optoelectronic devices. Mixed-dimensional p-n heterojunction diodes, such as p-type pentacene (0D) and n-type monolayer MoS 2 (2D), are especially interesting for photovoltaic applications where the absorption cross-section and charge transfer processes can be tailored by rational selection from the vast library of organic molecules and 2D materials. Here, we study the kinetics of excited carriers in pentacene-MoS 2 p-n type-II heterojunctions by transient absorption spectroscopy. These measurements show that the dissociation of MoS 2 excitons occurs by hole transfer to pentacene on the time scale of 6.7 ps. In addition, the charge-separated state lives for 5.1 ns, up to an order of magnitude longer than the recombination lifetimes from previously reported 2D material heterojunctions. By studying the fractional amplitudes of the MoS 2 decay processes, the hole transfer yield from MoS 2 to pentacene is found to be ∼50%, with the remaining holes undergoing trapping due to surface defects. Overall, the ultrafast charge transfer and long-lived charge-separated state in pentacene-MoS 2 p-n heterojunctions suggest significant promise for mixed-dimensional van der Waals heterostructures in photovoltaics, photodetectors, and related optoelectronic technologies.

  14. Nature of the Binding Interactions between Conjugated Polymer Chains and Fullerenes in Bulk Heterojunction Organic Solar Cells

    KAUST Repository

    Ravva, Mahesh Kumar; Wang, Tonghui; Bredas, Jean-Luc

    2016-01-01

    Blends of π-conjugated polymers and fullerene derivatives are ubiquitous as the active layers of organic solar cells. However, a detailed understanding of the weak noncovalent interactions at the molecular level between the polymer chains

  15. Hybrid nanostructure heterojunction solar cells fabricated using vertically aligned ZnO nanotubes grown on reduced graphene oxide.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yang, Kaikun; Xu, Congkang; Huang, Liwei; Zou, Lianfeng; Wang, Howard

    2011-10-07

    Using reduced graphene oxide (rGO) films as the transparent conductive coating, inorganic/organic hybrid nanostructure heterojunction photovoltaic devices have been fabricated through hydrothermal synthesis of vertically aligned ZnO nanorods (ZnO-NRs) and nanotubes (ZnO-NTs) on rGO films followed by the spin casting of a poly(3-hexylthiophene) (P3HT) film. The data show that larger interfacial area in ZnO-NT/P3HT composites improves the exciton dissociation and the higher electrode conductance of rGO films helps the power output. This study offers an alternative to manufacturing nanostructure heterojunction solar cells at low temperatures using potentially low cost materials.

  16. Triplet Tellurophene-Based Acceptors for Organic Solar Cells.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yang, Lei; Gu, Wenxing; Lv, Lei; Chen, Yusheng; Yang, Yufei; Ye, Pan; Wu, Jianfei; Hong, Ling; Peng, Aidong; Huang, Hui

    2018-01-22

    Triplet materials have been employed to achieve high-performing organic solar cells (OSCs) by extending the exciton lifetime and diffusion distances, while the triplet non-fullerene acceptor materials have never been reported for bulk heterojunction OSCs. Herein, for the first time, three triplet molecular acceptors based on tellurophene with different degrees of ring fusing were designed and synthesized for OSCs. Significantly, these molecules have long exciton lifetime and diffusion lengths, leading to efficient power conversion efficiency (7.52 %), which is the highest value for tellurophene-based OSCs. The influence of the extent of ring fusing on molecular geometry and OSCs performance was investigated to show the power conversion efficiencies (PCEs) continuously increased along with increasing the extent of ring fusing. © 2018 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  17. Fully solution-processed organic solar cells on metal foil substrates

    KAUST Repository

    Gaynor, Whitney

    2009-08-19

    We demonstrate fully solution-processed organic photovoltaic cells on metal foil substrates with power conversion efficiencies similar to those obtained in devices on transparent substrates. The cells are based on the regioregular poly- (3-hexylthiophene) and C61 butyric acid methyl ester bulk heterojunction system. The bottom electrode is a silver film whose workfunction is lowered by Cs2CO3 using spin-coating to serve as a cathode. The transparent top anode consists of a conductive polymer in combination with a solution-processed silver nanowire mesh that is laminated onto the devices. Each layer of the device, including the transparent electrode, is fabricated from solution, giving rise to the possibility of completely printed solar cells on low-cost substrates.

  18. Temperature dependent charge transport studies across thermodynamic glass transition in P3HT:PCBM bulk heterojunction: insight from J-V and impedance spectroscopy

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sarkar, Atri; Rahaman, Abdulla Bin; Banerjee, Debamalya

    2018-03-01

    Temperature dependent charge transport properties of P3HT:PCBM bulk heterojunction are analysed by dc and ac measurements under dark conditions across a wide temperature range of 110-473 K, which includes the thermodynamic glass transition temperature (Tg ˜320 K) of the system. A change from Ohmic conduction to space charge limited current conduction at higher (⩾1.2 V) applied bias voltages above  ⩾200 K is observed from J-V characteristics. From capacitance-voltage (C-V) measurement at room temperature, the occurrence of a peak near the built-in voltage is observed below the dielectric relaxation frequency, originating from the competition between drift and diffusion driven motions of charges. Carrier concentration (N) is calculated from C-V measurements taken at different temperatures. Room temperature mobility values at various applied bias voltages are in accordance with that obtained from transient charge extraction by linearly increasing voltage measurement. Sample impedance is measured over five decades of frequency across temperature range by using lock-in detection. This data is used to extract temperature dependence of carrier mobility (μ), and dc conductivity (σ_dc ) which is low frequency extrapolation of ac conductivity. An activation energy of  ˜126 meV for the carrier hopping process at the metal-semiconductor interface is estimated from temperature dependence of σ_dc . Above T g, μ levels off to a constant value, whereas σ_dc starts to decrease after a transition knee at T g that can be seen as a combined effect of changes in μ and N. All these observed changes across T g can be correlated to enhanced polymer motion above the glass transition.

  19. Transparent conductive electrodes of mixed TiO2−x–indium tin oxide for organic photovoltaics

    KAUST Repository

    Lee, Kyu-Sung

    2012-05-22

    A transparent conductive electrode of mixed titanium dioxide (TiO2−x)–indium tin oxide (ITO) with an overall reduction in the use of indium metal is demonstrated. When used in organic photovoltaicdevices based on bulk heterojunction photoactive layer of poly (3-hexylthiophene) and [6,6]-phenyl C61 butyric acid methyl ester, a power conversion efficiency of 3.67% was obtained, a value comparable to devices having sputtered ITO electrode. Surface roughness and optical efficiency are improved when using the mixed TiO2−x–ITO electrode. The consumption of less indium allows for lower fabrication cost of such mixed thin filmelectrode.

  20. Charge Separation in Intermixed Polymer:PC70BM Photovoltaic Blends: Correlating Structural and Photophysical Length Scales as a Function of Blend Composition

    KAUST Repository

    Utzat, Hendrik; Dimitrov, Stoichko D.; Wheeler, Scot; Collado-Fregoso, Elisa; Tuladhar, Pabitra Shakya; Schroeder, Bob C.; McCulloch, Iain; Durrant, James R.

    2017-01-01

    A key challenge in achieving control over photocurrent generation by bulk-heterojunction organic solar cells is understanding how the morphology of the active layer impacts charge separation and in particular the separation dynamics within

  1. Impact of Molecular Orientation and Packing Density on Electronic Polarization in the Bulk and at Surfaces of Organic Semiconductors

    KAUST Repository

    Ryno, Sean

    2016-05-16

    The polarizable environment surrounding charge carriers in organic semiconductors impacts the efficiency of the charge transport process. Here, we consider two representative organic semiconductors, tetracene and rubrene, and evaluate their polarization energies in the bulk and at the organic-vacuum interface using a polarizable force field that accounts for induced-dipole and quadrupole interactions. Though both oligoacenes pack in a herringbone motif, the tetraphenyl substituents on the tetracene backbone of rubrene alter greatly the nature of the packing. The resulting change in relative orientations of neighboring molecules is found to reduce the bulk polarization energy of holes in rubrene by some 0.3 eV when compared to tetracene. The consideration of model organic-vacuum interfaces highlights the significant variation in the electrostatic environment for a charge carrier at a surface although the net change in polarization energy is small; interestingly, the environment of a charge even just one layer removed from the surface can be viewed already as representative of the bulk. Overall, it is found that in these herringbone-type layered crystals the polarization energy has a much stronger dependence on the intralayer packing density than interlayer packing density.

  2. High reliable and stable organic field-effect transistor nonvolatile memory with a poly(4-vinyl phenol) charge trapping layer based on a pn-heterojunction active layer

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Xiang, Lanyi; Ying, Jun; Han, Jinhua; Zhang, Letian, E-mail: zlt@jlu.edu.cn, E-mail: wwei99@jlu.edu.cn; Wang, Wei, E-mail: zlt@jlu.edu.cn, E-mail: wwei99@jlu.edu.cn [State Key Laboratory on Integrated Optoelectronics, College of Electronic Science and Engineering, Jilin University, 2699 Qianjin Street, Changchun 130012 (China)

    2016-04-25

    In this letter, we demonstrate a high reliable and stable organic field-effect transistor (OFET) based nonvolatile memory (NVM) with a polymer poly(4-vinyl phenol) (PVP) as the charge trapping layer. In the unipolar OFETs, the inreversible shifts of the turn-on voltage (V{sub on}) and severe degradation of the memory window (ΔV{sub on}) at programming (P) and erasing (E) voltages, respectively, block their application in NVMs. The obstacle is overcome by using a pn-heterojunction as the active layer in the OFET memory, which supplied a holes and electrons accumulating channel at the supplied P and E voltages, respectively. Both holes and electrons transferring from the channels to PVP layer and overwriting the trapped charges with an opposite polarity result in the reliable bidirectional shifts of V{sub on} at P and E voltages, respectively. The heterojunction OFET exhibits excellent nonvolatile memory characteristics, with a large ΔV{sub on} of 8.5 V, desired reading (R) voltage at 0 V, reliable P/R/E/R dynamic endurance over 100 cycles and a long retention time over 10 years.

  3. Bulk-Fill Resin Composites

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Benetti, Ana Raquel; Havndrup-Pedersen, Cæcilie; Honoré, Daniel

    2015-01-01

    the restorative procedure. The aim of this study, therefore, was to compare the depth of cure, polymerization contraction, and gap formation in bulk-fill resin composites with those of a conventional resin composite. To achieve this, the depth of cure was assessed in accordance with the International Organization...... for Standardization 4049 standard, and the polymerization contraction was determined using the bonded-disc method. The gap formation was measured at the dentin margin of Class II cavities. Five bulk-fill resin composites were investigated: two high-viscosity (Tetric EvoCeram Bulk Fill, SonicFill) and three low......-viscosity (x-tra base, Venus Bulk Fill, SDR) materials. Compared with the conventional resin composite, the high-viscosity bulk-fill materials exhibited only a small increase (but significant for Tetric EvoCeram Bulk Fill) in depth of cure and polymerization contraction, whereas the low-viscosity bulk...

  4. Doped Heterojunction Used in Quantum Dot Sensitized Solar Cell

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Yanyan Gao

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available Incorporated foreign atoms into the quantum dots (QDs used in heterojunction have always been a challenge for solar energy conversion. A foreign atom indium atom was incorporated into PbS/CdS QDs to prepare In-PbS/In-CdS heterojunction by successive ionic layer adsorption and reaction method which is a chemical method. Experimental results indicate that PbS or CdS has been doped with In by SILAR method; the concentration of PbS and CdS which was doped In atoms has no significantly increase or decrease. In addition, incorporating of Indium atoms has resulted in the lattice distortions or changes of PbS or CdS and improved the light harvest of heterojunction. Using this heterojunction, Pt counter electrode and polysulfide electrolyte, to fabricate quantum dot sensitized solar cells, the short circuit current density ballooned to 27.01 mA/cm2 from 13.61 mA/cm2 and the open circuit voltage was improved to 0.43 V from 0.37 V at the same time.

  5. Current Status and Future Prospects of Copper Oxide Heterojunction Solar Cells.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wong, Terence K S; Zhuk, Siarhei; Masudy-Panah, Saeid; Dalapati, Goutam K

    2016-04-07

    The current state of thin film heterojunction solar cells based on cuprous oxide (Cu₂O), cupric oxide (CuO) and copper (III) oxide (Cu₄O₃) is reviewed. These p-type semiconducting oxides prepared by Cu oxidation, sputtering or electrochemical deposition are non-toxic, sustainable photovoltaic materials with application potential for solar electricity. However, defects at the copper oxide heterojunction and film quality are still major constraining factors for achieving high power conversion efficiency, η. Amongst the Cu₂O heterojunction devices, a maximum η of 6.1% has been obtained by using pulsed laser deposition (PLD) of Al x Ga 1- x O onto thermal Cu₂O doped with Na. The performance of CuO/n-Si heterojunction solar cells formed by magnetron sputtering of CuO is presently limited by both native oxide and Cu rich copper oxide layers at the heterointerface. These interfacial layers can be reduced by using a two-step sputtering process. A high η of 2.88% for CuO heterojunction solar cells has been achieved by incorporation of mixed phase CuO/Cu₂O nanopowder. CuO/Cu₂O heterojunction solar cells fabricated by electrodeposition and electrochemical doping has a maximum efficiency of 0.64% after surface defect passivation and annealing. Finally, early stage study of Cu₄O₃/GaN deposited on sapphire substrate has shown a photovoltaic effect and an η of ~10 -2 %.

  6. -MoS2 Lateral Heterojunctions

    KAUST Repository

    Li, Ming-yang; Pu, Jiang; Huang, Jing-Kai; Miyauchi, Yuhei; Matsuda, Kazunari; Takenobu, Taishi; Li, Lain-Jong

    2018-01-01

    2D layered heterostructures have attracted intensive interests due to their unique optical, transport, and interfacial properties. The laterally stitched heterojunction based on dissimilar 2D transition metal dichalcogenides forms an intrinsic p

  7. Small-molecule azomethines: Organic photovoltaics via Schiff base condensation chemistry

    OpenAIRE

    Petrus, M.L.; Bouwer, R.K.M.; Lafont, U.; Athanasopoulos, S.; Greenham, N.C.; Dingemans, T.J.

    2014-01-01

    Conjugated small-molecule azomethines for photovoltaic applications were prepared via Schiff base condensation chemistry. Bulk heterojunction (BHJ) devices exhibit efficiencies of 1.2% with MoOx as the hole-transporting layer. The versatility and simplicity of the chemistry is illustrated by preparing a photovoltaic device directly from the reaction mixture without any form of workup.

  8. Ultra-violet absorption induced modifications in bulk and nanoscale electrical transport properties of Al-doped ZnO thin films

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Kumar, Mohit; Basu, Tanmoy; Som, Tapobrata, E-mail: tsom@iopb.res.in [SUNAG Laboratory, Institute of Physics, Sachivalaya Marg, Bhubaneswar 751 005 (India)

    2015-08-07

    Using conductive atomic force microscopy and Kelvin probe force microscopy, we study local electrical transport properties in aluminum-doped zinc oxide (ZnO:Al or AZO) thin films. Current mapping shows a spatial variation in conductivity which corroborates well with the local mapping of donor concentration (∼10{sup 20 }cm{sup −3}). In addition, a strong enhancement in the local current at grains is observed after exposing the film to ultra-violet (UV) light which is attributed to persistent photocurrent. Further, it is shown that UV absorption gives a smooth conduction in AZO film which in turn gives rise to an improvement in the bulk photoresponsivity of an n-AZO/p-Si heterojunction diode. This finding is in contrast to the belief that UV absorption in an AZO layer leads to an optical loss for the underneath absorbing layer of a heterojunction solar cell.

  9. Controlled Synthesis and Functionalization of Vertically-Aligned Carbon Nanotubes for Multifunctional Applications

    Science.gov (United States)

    2015-05-07

    Graphene Oxide Derivatives as Charge Extraction Materials for High-Performance Bulk Heterojunction Solar Cells...performance bulk heterojunction solar cells" Adv. Mater. 24, 2227, 2012. 38. J. Liu, Y. Xue, L. Dai. "Sulfated graphene oxide as a hole-extraction layer...34Hole and electron extraction layers based on graphene oxide derivatives for high-performance bulk heterojunction solar cells" Adv. Mater. 24, 2227, 2012

  10. Tunneling-assisted transport of carriers through heterojunctions.

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Wampler, William R. [Sandia National Lab. (SNL-NM), Albuquerque, NM (United States); Myers, Samuel M. [Sandia National Lab. (SNL-NM), Albuquerque, NM (United States); Modine, Normand A. [Sandia National Lab. (SNL-NM), Albuquerque, NM (United States)

    2017-10-01

    The formulation of carrier transport through heterojunctions by tunneling and thermionic emission is derived from first principles. The treatment of tunneling is discussed at three levels of approximation: numerical solution of the one-band envelope equation for an arbitrarily specified potential profile; the WKB approximation for an arbitrary potential; and, an analytic formulation assuming constant internal field. The effects of spatially varying carrier chemical potentials over tunneling distances are included. Illustrative computational results are presented. The described approach is used in exploratory physics models of irradiated heterojunction bipolar transistors within Sandia's QASPR program.

  11. On the role of local charge carrier mobility in the charge separation mechanism of organic photovoltaics.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yoshikawa, Saya; Saeki, Akinori; Saito, Masahiko; Osaka, Itaru; Seki, Shu

    2015-07-21

    Although the charge separation (CS) and transport processes that compete with geminate and non-geminate recombination are commonly regarded as the governing factors of organic photovoltaic (OPV) efficiency, the details of the CS mechanism remain largely unexplored. Here we provide a systematic investigation on the role of local charge carrier mobility in bulk heterojunction films of ten different low-bandgap polymers and polythiophene analogues blended with methanofullerene (PCBM). By correlating with the OPV performances, we demonstrated that the local mobility of the blend measured by time-resolved microwave conductivity is more important for the OPV output than those of the pure polymers. Furthermore, the results revealed two separate trends for crystalline and semi-crystalline polymers. This work offers guidance in the design of high-performance organic solar cells.

  12. Transparent Cu4O3/ZnO heterojunction photoelectric devices

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kim, Hong-Sik; Yadav, Pankaj; Patel, Malkeshkumar; Kim, Joondong; Pandey, Kavita; Lim, Donggun; Jeong, Chaehwan

    2017-12-01

    The present article reports the development of flexible, self-biased, broadband, high speed and transparent heterojunction photodiode, which is essentially important for the next generation electronic devices. We grow semitransparent p-type Cu4O3 using the reactive sputtering method at room temperature. The structural and optical properties of the Cu4O3 film were investigated by using the X-ray diffraction and UV-visible spectroscopy, respectively. The p-Cu4O3/n-ZnO heterojunction diode under dark condition yields rectification behavior with an extremely low saturation current value of 1.8 × 10-10 A and a zero bias photocurrent under illumination condition. The transparent p-Cu4O3/n-ZnO heterojunction photodetector can be operated without an external bias, due to the light-induced voltage production. The metal oxide heterojunction based on Cu4O3/ZnO would provide a route for the transparent and flexible photoelectric devices, including photodetectors and photovoltaics.

  13. Organic solar cells with graded absorber layers processed from nanoparticle dispersions.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gärtner, Stefan; Reich, Stefan; Bruns, Michael; Czolk, Jens; Colsmann, Alexander

    2016-03-28

    The fabrication of organic solar cells with advanced multi-layer architectures from solution is often limited by the choice of solvents since most organic semiconductors dissolve in the same aromatic agents. In this work, we investigate multi-pass deposition of organic semiconductors from eco-friendly ethanol dispersion. Once applied, the nanoparticles are insoluble in the deposition agent, allowing for the application of further nanoparticulate layers and hence for building poly(3-hexylthiophene-2,5-diyl):indene-C60 bisadduct absorber layers with vertically graded polymer and conversely graded fullerene concentration. Upon thermal annealing, we observe some degrees of polymer/fullerene interdiffusion by means of X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and Kelvin probe force microscopy. Replacing the common bulk-heterojunction by such a graded photo-active layer yields an enhanced fill factor of the solar cell due to an improved charge carrier extraction, and consequently an overall power conversion efficiency beyond 4%. Wet processing of such advanced device architectures paves the way for a versatile, eco-friendly and industrially feasible future fabrication of organic solar cells with advanced multi-layer architectures.

  14. Synthesis and visible-light-driven photocatalytic activity of p–n heterojunction Ag{sub 2}O/NaTaO{sub 3} nanocubes

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Yang, Songbo [School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang 212013 (China); Xu, Dongbo [School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang 212013 (China); School of Energy and Power Engineering, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang 212013 (China); Chen, Biyi; Luo, Bifu [School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang 212013 (China); Yan, Xu [School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang 212013 (China); School of Energy and Power Engineering, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang 212013 (China); Xiao, Lisong, E-mail: xiaolisong123@sina.com [School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang 212013 (China); Shi, Weidong, E-mail: swd1978@ujs.edu.cn [School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang 212013 (China)

    2016-10-15

    Highlights: • We firstly report a facile way to prepare the visible-light-driven Ag{sub 2}O/NaTaO{sub 3}p–n heterojunction by chemical precipitation method. • The Ag{sub 2}O/NaTaO{sub 3} heterojunction shows the highest photocatalytic activity than the pure NaTaO{sub 3} and Ag{sub 2}O nanoparticles under visible light. • The enhancement of the heterojunction photocatalytic activity was discussed and the photocatalytic mechanism was tested in our paper. • In summary, we think that the Ag{sub 2}O/NaTaO{sub 3} heterojunction with the strong visible light absorption and efficient photocatalytic activity have been extended application in photocatalysis for organic dyes pollutants degradation and purification of water. - Abstract: The constructing of p–n heterojunction photocatalytic system has received much attention in environmental purification and hydrogen generation from water. In this study, an efficient visible-light-driven p–n heterojunction Ag{sub 2}O/NaTaO{sub 3} was successfully prepared by chemical precipitation method at room temperature. It showed an enhanced photocatalytic activity for the degradation of rhodamine B (RhB) under visible-light irradiation, much higher than those of either individual Ag{sub 2}O or NaTaO{sub 3}. The reactive species scavenger results indicated the superoxide anion radicals (·O{sup 2−}) played key roles in RhB decoloration. From the experimental results and the relative band gap position of these semiconductors, a detailed possible photocatalytic mechanism of the Ag{sub 2}O/NaTaO{sub 3} heterojunction under visible light was proposed. The enhancement of the photocatalytic activity was attributed to the interfacial electronic interaction between NaTaO{sub 3} and Ag{sub 2}O and the high migration efficiency of photogenerated carriers.

  15. CuPc/C60 heterojunction thin film optoelectronic devices

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Murtaza, Imran; Karimov, Khasan S.; Qazi, Ibrahim

    2010-01-01

    The optoelectronic properties of heterojunction thin film devices with ITO/CuPc/C 60 /Al structure have been investigated by analyzing their current-voltage characteristics, optical absorption and photocurrent. In this organic photovoltaic device, CuPc acts as an optically active layer, C 60 as an electron-transporting layer and ITO and Al as electrodes. It is observed that, under illumination, excitons are formed, which subsequently drift towards the interface with C 60 , where an internal electric field is present. The excitons that reach the interface are subsequently dissociated into free charge carriers due to the electric field present at the interface. The experimental results show that in this device the total current density is a function of injected carriers at the electrode-organic semiconductor surface, the leakage current through the organic layer and collected photogenerated current that results from the effective dissociation of excitons. (semiconductor devices)

  16. Eco-friendly spray coating of organic solar cells through water-based nanoparticles ink (Presentation Recording)

    Science.gov (United States)

    Stryckers, Jeroen; D'Olieslaeger, Lien; Manca, Jean; Ethirajan, Anitha; Deferme, Wim

    2015-09-01

    Ultrasonic spray coating is currently proven to be a reliable, flexible and cost efficient fabrication method for printed electronics [1-2]. Ultrasonic nozzles are by design especially well-suited to deposit nano-suspension dispersions. Due to the ultrasonic vibration of the nozzle, droplets having a median diameter of 20 μm are created in a homogeneous droplet cloud and directed towards the substrate. When one prepares an ink having the right wetting properties, thin and homogeneous layers, fully covering the surface, can be achieved. Together with conjugated polymer nanoparticles (NPs), emerging as a new class of nanomaterials, [3] it opens possibilities towards eco-friendly roll-to-roll processing of state-of-the-art organic bulk heterojunction solar cells. A ultrasonic spray coater was used to print the conjugated polymer NP layers under different conditions. A first optimization of the spray coater settings (flow rate, spray speed and temperature) and the ink formulation (water and co-solvent mixture and NP content) was performed for polystyrene particles dissolved in a water-ethanol mixture. As a next step, the low bandgap donor polymer poly[9-(1-octylnonyl)-9H-carbazole-2,7-diyl]-2,5-thiophenediyl-2,1,3-benzothiadiazole-4,7-diyl-2,5-thiophene-diyl] (PCDTBT) [4] and the fullerene acceptor phenyl-C71-butyric acid methyl ester (PCBM[70]) were combined in a water-based blend NP dispersion which was prepared using the mini-emulsion technique. [5,6] Optical Microscopy, profilometry and Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) are performed to study the roughness, surface structure, thickness and coverage of the spray coated layers. Finally the printed NP layers are integrated in organic bulk heterojunction solar cells and compared to spin coated reference devices.

  17. Photoinduced Field-Effect Passivation from Negative Carrier Accumulation for High-Efficiency Silicon/Organic Heterojunction Solar Cells.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Liu, Zhaolang; Yang, Zhenhai; Wu, Sudong; Zhu, Juye; Guo, Wei; Sheng, Jiang; Ye, Jichun; Cui, Yi

    2017-12-26

    Carrier recombination and light management of the dopant-free silicon/organic heterojunction solar cells (HSCs) based on poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene):poly(styrenesulfonate) (PEDOT:PSS) are the critical factors in developing high-efficiency photovoltaic devices. However, the traditional passivation technologies can hardly provide efficient surface passivation on the front surface of Si. In this study, a photoinduced electric field was induced in a bilayer antireflective coating (ARC) of polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) and titanium oxide (TiO 2 ) films, due to formation of an accumulation layer of negative carriers (O 2 - species) under UV (sunlight) illumination. This photoinduced field not only suppressed the silicon surface recombination but also enhanced the built-in potential of HSCs with 84 mV increment. In addition, this photoactive ARC also displayed the outstanding light-trapping capability. The front PEDOT:PSS/Si HSC with the saturated O 2 - received a champion PCE of 15.51% under AM 1.5 simulated sunlight illumination. It was clearly demonstrated that the photoinduced electric field was a simple, efficient, and low-cost method for the surface passivation and contributed to achieve a high efficiency when applied in the Si/PEDOT:PSS HSCs.

  18. Tandem white organic light-emitting diodes adopting a C60:rubrene charge generation layer

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Bi Wen-Tao; Wu Xiao-Ming; Hua Yu-Lin; Sun Jin-E; Xiao Zhi-Hui; Wang Li; Yin Shou-Gen

    2014-01-01

    Organic bulk heterojunction fullerence (C 60 ) doped 5, 6, 11, 12-tetraphenylnaphthacene (rubrene) as the high quality charge generation layer (CGL) with high transparency and superior charge generating capability for tandem organic light emitting diodes (OLEDs) is developed. This CGL shows excellent optical transparency about 90%, which can reduce the optical interference effect formed in tandem OLEDs. There is a stable white light emission including 468 nm and 500 nm peaks from the blue emitting layer and 620 nm peak from the red emitting layer in tandem white OLEDs. A high efficiency of about 17.4 cd/A and CIE coordinates of (0.40, 0.35) at 100 cd/m 2 and (0.36, 0.34) at 1000 cd/m 2 have been demonstrated by employing the developed CGL, respectively. (condensed matter: electronic structure, electrical, magnetic, and optical properties)

  19. Current Status and Future Prospects of Copper Oxide Heterojunction Solar Cells

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Terence K. S. Wong

    2016-04-01

    Full Text Available The current state of thin film heterojunction solar cells based on cuprous oxide (Cu2O, cupric oxide (CuO and copper (III oxide (Cu4O3 is reviewed. These p-type semiconducting oxides prepared by Cu oxidation, sputtering or electrochemical deposition are non-toxic, sustainable photovoltaic materials with application potential for solar electricity. However, defects at the copper oxide heterojunction and film quality are still major constraining factors for achieving high power conversion efficiency, η. Amongst the Cu2O heterojunction devices, a maximum η of 6.1% has been obtained by using pulsed laser deposition (PLD of AlxGa1−xO onto thermal Cu2O doped with Na. The performance of CuO/n-Si heterojunction solar cells formed by magnetron sputtering of CuO is presently limited by both native oxide and Cu rich copper oxide layers at the heterointerface. These interfacial layers can be reduced by using a two-step sputtering process. A high η of 2.88% for CuO heterojunction solar cells has been achieved by incorporation of mixed phase CuO/Cu2O nanopowder. CuO/Cu2O heterojunction solar cells fabricated by electrodeposition and electrochemical doping has a maximum efficiency of 0.64% after surface defect passivation and annealing. Finally, early stage study of Cu4O3/GaN deposited on sapphire substrate has shown a photovoltaic effect and an η of ~10−2%.

  20. Current Status and Future Prospects of Copper Oxide Heterojunction Solar Cells

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wong, Terence K. S.; Zhuk, Siarhei; Masudy-Panah, Saeid; Dalapati, Goutam K.

    2016-01-01

    The current state of thin film heterojunction solar cells based on cuprous oxide (Cu2O), cupric oxide (CuO) and copper (III) oxide (Cu4O3) is reviewed. These p-type semiconducting oxides prepared by Cu oxidation, sputtering or electrochemical deposition are non-toxic, sustainable photovoltaic materials with application potential for solar electricity. However, defects at the copper oxide heterojunction and film quality are still major constraining factors for achieving high power conversion efficiency, η. Amongst the Cu2O heterojunction devices, a maximum η of 6.1% has been obtained by using pulsed laser deposition (PLD) of AlxGa1−xO onto thermal Cu2O doped with Na. The performance of CuO/n-Si heterojunction solar cells formed by magnetron sputtering of CuO is presently limited by both native oxide and Cu rich copper oxide layers at the heterointerface. These interfacial layers can be reduced by using a two-step sputtering process. A high η of 2.88% for CuO heterojunction solar cells has been achieved by incorporation of mixed phase CuO/Cu2O nanopowder. CuO/Cu2O heterojunction solar cells fabricated by electrodeposition and electrochemical doping has a maximum efficiency of 0.64% after surface defect passivation and annealing. Finally, early stage study of Cu4O3/GaN deposited on sapphire substrate has shown a photovoltaic effect and an η of ~10−2%. PMID:28773398

  1. Integrated optical and electrical modeling of plasmon-enhanced thin film photovoltaics: A case-study on organic devices

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Rourke, Devin; Ahn, Sungmo; Nardes, Alexandre M.; Lagemaat, Jao van de; Kopidakis, Nikos; Park, Wounjhang

    2014-01-01

    The nanoscale light control for absorption enhancement of organic photovoltaic (OPV) devices inevitably produces strongly non-uniform optical fields. These non-uniformities due to the localized optical modes are a primary route toward absorption enhancement in OPV devices. Therefore, a rigorous modeling tool taking into account the spatial distribution of optical field and carrier generation is necessary. Presented here is a comprehensive numerical model to describe the coupled optical and electrical behavior of plasmon-enhanced polymer:fullerene bulk heterojunction (BHJ) solar cells. In this model, a position-dependent electron-hole pair generation rate that could become highly non-uniform due to photonic nanostructures is directly calculated from the optical simulations. By considering the absorption and plasmonic properties of nanophotonic gratings included in two different popular device architectures, and applying the Poisson, current continuity, and drift/diffusion equations, the model predicts quantum efficiency, short-circuit current density, and desired carrier mobility ratios for bulk heterojunction devices incorporating nanostructures for light management. In particular, the model predicts a significant degradation of device performance when the carrier species with lower mobility are generated far from the collecting electrode. Consequently, an inverted device architecture is preferred for materials with low hole mobility. This is especially true for devices that include plasmonic nanostructures. Additionally, due to the incorporation of a plasmonic nanostructure, we use simulations to theoretically predict absorption band broadening of a BHJ into energies below the band gap, resulting in a 4.8% increase in generated photocurrent.

  2. Integrated optical and electrical modeling of plasmon-enhanced thin film photovoltaics: A case-study on organic devices

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Rourke, Devin [Department of Physics, University of Colorado, Boulder, Colorado 80309-0390 (United States); Ahn, Sungmo [Department of Electrical, Computer, and Energy Engineering, University of Colorado, Boulder, Colorado 80309-0425 (United States); Nardes, Alexandre M.; Lagemaat, Jao van de; Kopidakis, Nikos [National Renewable Energy Laboratory, 15013 Denver West Parkway, Golden, Colorado 80401 (United States); Park, Wounjhang, E-mail: won.park@colorado.edu [Department of Electrical, Computer, and Energy Engineering, University of Colorado, Boulder, Colorado 80309-0425 (United States); Materials Science and Engineering Program, University of Colorado, Boulder, Colorado 80303 (United States)

    2014-09-21

    The nanoscale light control for absorption enhancement of organic photovoltaic (OPV) devices inevitably produces strongly non-uniform optical fields. These non-uniformities due to the localized optical modes are a primary route toward absorption enhancement in OPV devices. Therefore, a rigorous modeling tool taking into account the spatial distribution of optical field and carrier generation is necessary. Presented here is a comprehensive numerical model to describe the coupled optical and electrical behavior of plasmon-enhanced polymer:fullerene bulk heterojunction (BHJ) solar cells. In this model, a position-dependent electron-hole pair generation rate that could become highly non-uniform due to photonic nanostructures is directly calculated from the optical simulations. By considering the absorption and plasmonic properties of nanophotonic gratings included in two different popular device architectures, and applying the Poisson, current continuity, and drift/diffusion equations, the model predicts quantum efficiency, short-circuit current density, and desired carrier mobility ratios for bulk heterojunction devices incorporating nanostructures for light management. In particular, the model predicts a significant degradation of device performance when the carrier species with lower mobility are generated far from the collecting electrode. Consequently, an inverted device architecture is preferred for materials with low hole mobility. This is especially true for devices that include plasmonic nanostructures. Additionally, due to the incorporation of a plasmonic nanostructure, we use simulations to theoretically predict absorption band broadening of a BHJ into energies below the band gap, resulting in a 4.8% increase in generated photocurrent.

  3. Solvent-resistant organic transistors and thermally stable organic photovoltaics based on cross-linkable conjugated polymers

    KAUST Repository

    Kim, Hyeongjun

    2012-01-10

    Conjugated polymers, in general, are unstable when exposed to air, solvent, or thermal treatment, and these challenges limit their practical applications. Therefore, it is of great importance to develop new materials or methodologies that can enable organic electronics with air stability, solvent resistance, and thermal stability. Herein, we have developed a simple but powerful approach to achieve solvent-resistant and thermally stable organic electronic devices with a remarkably improved air stability, by introducing an azide cross-linkable group into a conjugated polymer. To demonstrate this concept, we have synthesized polythiophene with azide groups attached to end of the alkyl chain (P3HT-azide). Photo-cross-linking of P3HT-azide copolymers dramatically improves the solvent resistance of the active layer without disrupting the molecular ordering and charge transport. This is the first demonstration of solvent-resistant organic transistors. Furthermore, the bulk-heterojunction organic photovoltaics (BHJ OPVs) containing P3HT-azide copolymers show an average efficiency higher than 3.3% after 40 h annealing at an elevated temperature of 150 °C, which represents one of the most thermally stable OPV devices reported to date. This enhanced stability is due to an in situ compatibilizer that forms at the P3HT/PCBM interface and suppresses macrophase separation. Our approach paves a way toward organic electronics with robust and stable operations. © 2011 American Chemical Society.

  4. A Review on the Efficiency of Graphene-Based BHJ Organic Solar Cells

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Alejandro Manzano-Ramírez

    2015-01-01

    Full Text Available Graphene, a material composed of one-atom-thick planar sheets of sp2-bonded carbon atoms with a two-dimensional honeycomb structure, has been proposed for many applications due to its remarkable electronic, optical, thermal, and mechanical properties. Its high transparency, conductivity, flexibility, and abundance make it an excellent material to be applied in the field of organic photovoltaic cells, especially as a replacement for transparent conducting oxide electrodes. However, graphene has been demonstrated to be useful not only as substitute for indium tin oxide electrodes, but also as cathode, electron acceptor, hole transport, and electron extraction material. Thus, in this work, we summarize and discuss the efficiency of bulk heterojunction devices using graphene as a main constituent.

  5. Geometric light trapping with a V-trap for efficient organic solar cells

    KAUST Repository

    Kim, Soo Jin

    2013-03-14

    The efficiency of today’s most efficient organic solar cells is primarily limited by the ability of the active layer to absorb all the sunlight. While internal quantum efficiencies exceeding 90% are common, the external quantum efficiency rarely exceeds 70%. Light trapping techniques that increase the ability of a given active layer to absorb light are common in inorganic solar cells but have only been applied to organic solar cells with limited success. Here, we analyze the light trapping mechanism for a cell with a V-shape substrate configuration and demonstrate significantly improved photon absorption in an 5.3%-efficient PCDTBT:PC70BM bulk heterojunction polymer solar cell. The measured short circuit current density improves by 29%, in agreement with model predictions, and the power conversion efficiency increases to 7.2%, a 35% improvement over the performance in the absence of a light trap.

  6. Fabrication of heterojunction solar cells by improved tin oxide deposition on insulating layer

    Science.gov (United States)

    Feng, Tom; Ghosh, Amal K.

    1980-01-01

    Highly efficient tin oxide-silicon heterojunction solar cells are prepared by heating a silicon substrate, having an insulating layer thereon, to provide a substrate temperature in the range of about 300.degree. C. to about 400.degree. C. and thereafter spraying the so-heated substrate with a solution of tin tetrachloride in a organic ester boiling below about 250.degree. C. Preferably the insulating layer is naturally grown silicon oxide layer.

  7. Large rectification magnetoresistance in nonmagnetic Al/Ge/Al heterojunctions

    OpenAIRE

    Zhang, Kun; Li, Huan-huan; Grünberg, Peter; Li, Qiang; Ye, Sheng-tao; Tian, Yu-feng; Yan, Shi-shen; Lin, Zhao-jun; Kang, Shi-shou; Chen, Yan-xue; Liu, Guo-lei; Mei, and Liang-mo

    2015-01-01

    Magnetoresistance and rectification are two fundamental physical properties of heterojunctions and respectively have wide applications in spintronics devices. Being different from the well known various magnetoresistance effects, here we report a brand new large magnetoresistance that can be regarded as rectification magnetoresistance: the application of a pure small sinusoidal alternating-current to the nonmagnetic Al/Ge Schottky heterojunctions can generate a significant direct-current volt...

  8. High-efficiency omnidirectional photoresponses based on monolayer lateral p–n heterojunctions

    KAUST Repository

    Tsai, Meng-Lin; Li, Ming-yang; Shi, Yumeng; Chen, Lih-Juann; Li, Lain-Jong; He, Jr-Hau

    2016-01-01

    Electrical and optical properties of lateral monolayer WSe2–MoS2 p–n heterojunctions were characterized to demonstrate a high responsivity of 0.26 A W−1 with an excellent omnidirectional photodetection capability. The heterojunction functioning as a

  9. Distributed-feedback single heterojunction GaAs diode laser

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Scifres, D.R.; Burnham, R.D.; Streifer, W.

    1974-01-01

    Laser operation of single-heterojunction GaAl As/GaAs diode lasers using a periodic structure within the gain medium of the device, thereby obviating the need for carefully cleaved end crystal faces to produce feedback, is reported. By varying the grating period, wavelengths from 8430 to 8560 A were observed. The threshold current densities were of the same order as for normal single heterojunction diode lasers. Some advantages in output wavelengths were observed over lasers with cleared faces. (U.S.)

  10. Food Simulating Organic Solvents for Evaluating Crosslink Density of Bulk Fill Composite Resin

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Neveen M. Ayad

    2017-01-01

    Full Text Available Objectives. To evaluate crosslink densities of two bulk fill composite resins and determine if the used Food Simulating Organic Solvent (FSOS affected them. Methods. Forty specimens were prepared from SureFill and SonicFill bulk fill composite resins, 20 each. All specimens were stored dry for 24 h. Each group was divided into 2 subgroups: stored in ethanol (E 75% or in methyl ethyl ketone (MEK 100% for 24 h. Crosslink density was evaluated by calculating the difference between the Vickers hardness numbers of the specimens stored dry and after their storage in FSOS. The data were statistically analyzed using t-test. Results. The means of crosslink density in E and MEK were 6.99% and 9.44% for SureFill and 10.54% and 11.92% for SonicFill, respectively. t-test displayed significant differences between crosslink densities of SureFill and SonicFill: (P<0.0001 in E and (P=0.02 in MEK and between crosslink densities of SureFill in E and MEK (P=0.02. Conclusions. Crosslink density of bulk fill composite resin can be evaluated using E or MEK. SureFill has higher crosslink density than SonicFill in both E and MEK.

  11. Two-dimensional CsPbBr3/PCBM heterojunctions for sensitive, fast and flexible photodetectors boosted by charge transfer

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shen, Yalong; Yu, Dejian; Wang, Xiong; Huo, Chengxue; Wu, Ye; Zhu, Zhengfeng; Zeng, Haibo

    2018-02-01

    Inorganic halide perovskites exhibited promising potentials for high-performance wide-band photodetectors (PDs) due to their high light absorption coefficients, long carrier diffusion length and wide light absorption ranges. Here, we report two-dimensional (2D) CsPbBr3/PCBM heterojunctions for sensitive, fast and flexible PDs, whose performances can be greatly boosted by the charge transfer through the energy-aligned interface. The 2D CsPbBr3 nanosheets with high crystallinity were fabricated via a simple solution-process at room temperature, and then assembled into flexible heterojunctions films with polymerphenyl-C61-butyric acid methyl ester (PCBM). Significantly, the efficient and fast charge transfer at the heterojunctions interface was evidenced by the obvious photoluminescence quenching and variation of recombination dynamics. Subsequently, such heterojunctions PD exhibited an enhanced responsivity of 10.85 A W-1 and an ultrahigh detectivity of 3.06 × 1013 Jones. In addition, the PD shows a broad linear dynamic range of 73 dB, a fast response speed with rise time of 44 μs and decay time of 390 μs, respectively. Moreover, the PD lying on polyethylene terephthalate substrates exhibited an outstanding mechanical flexibility and a robust electrical stability. These results could provide a new avenue for integration of 2D perovskites and organic functional materials and for high-performance flexible PDs.

  12. Thiophene-free diphenyl-amino-stilbene-diketo-pyrrolo-pyrrole derivatives as donors for organic bulk heterojunction solar cell

    Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

    Honová, J.; Luňák, S.; Vala, M.; Stříteský, S.; Fekete, Ladislav; Weiter, M.; Kovalenko, A.

    2016-01-01

    Roč. 70, č. 10 (2016), s. 1416-1424 ISSN 0366-6352 R&D Projects: GA MŠk LO1409; GA ČR(CZ) GA15-05095S; GA MŠk LM2015088 Institutional support: RVO:68378271 Keywords : organic solar cell * thiophene-free * diphenyl-amino-stilbene * hole mobility * molecular structure Subject RIV: BM - Solid Matter Physics ; Magnetism OBOR OECD: Condensed matter physics (including formerly solid state physics, supercond.) Impact factor: 1.258, year: 2016

  13. Optical pumping of deep traps in AlGaN/GaN-on-Si HEMTs using an on-chip Schottky-on-heterojunction light-emitting diode

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Li, Baikui; Tang, Xi; Chen, Kevin J.

    2015-01-01

    In this work, by using an on-chip integrated Schottky-on-heterojunction light-emitting diode (SoH-LED) which is seamlessly integrated with the AlGaN/GaN high electron mobility transistor (HEMT), we studied the effect of on-chip light illumination on the de-trapping processes of electrons from both surface and bulk traps. Surface trapping was generated by applying OFF-state drain bias stress, while bulk trapping was generated by applying positive substrate bias stress. The de-trapping processes of surface and/or bulk traps were monitored by measuring the recovery of dynamic on-resistance R on and/or threshold voltage V th of the HEMT. The results show that the recovery processes of both dynamic R on and threshold voltage V th of the HEMT can be accelerated by the on-chip SoH-LED light illumination, demonstrating the potentiality of on-chip hybrid opto-HEMTs to minimize the influences of traps during dynamic operation of AlGaN/GaN power HEMTs

  14. High-performance photoresponse from single-walled carbon nanotube-zinc oxide heterojunctions

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Chang, Jingbo; Najeeb, Choolakadavil Khalid; Lee, Jae-Hyeok; Lee, Minsu; Kim, Jae-Ho

    2011-01-01

    Photoactive materials consisting of single-walled carbon nanotube (SWNT)-zinc oxide (ZnO) heterojunctions targeted for optoelectronic applications are investigated in terms of photoresponse and photovoltaic effects. The devices based on SWNT-ZnO heterojunction films are fabricated by two step processes: first, a well aligned SWNT monolayer is deposited on an oxide substrate by the Langmuir-Blodgett (LB) technique; then a ZnO film prepared by filtration of ZnO nanowire solution is transferred onto the SWNT film to form SWNT-ZnO junctions. The SWNT-ZnO heterojunction demonstrates faster photoresponse time (2.75 s) up to 18 times and photovoltaic efficiency (1.33 nA) up to 4 times higher than that of only a ZnO device. Furthermore, the mechanisms of UV sensitivity enhancement and photovoltaic effects are explained according to the high electron mobility in the SWNT-ZnO heterojunctions.

  15. III-nitrides, 2D transition metal dichalcogenides, and their heterojunctions

    KAUST Repository

    Mishra, Pawan

    2017-04-01

    Group III-nitride materials have attracted great attention for applications in high efficiency electronic and optoelectronics devices such as high electron mobility transistors, light emitting diodes, and laser diodes. On the other hand, group VI transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDs) in the form of MX2 has recently emerged as a novel atomic layered material system with excellent thermoelectric, electronic and optoelectronic properties. Also, the recent investigations reveal that the dissimilar heterojunctions formed by TMDs and III-nitrides provide the route for novel devices in the area of optoelectronic, electronics, and water splitting applications. In addition, integration of III-nitrides and TMDs will enable high density integrated optoelectronic circuits and the development of hybrid integration technologies. In this work, we have demonstrated kinetically controlled growth processes in plasma assisted molecular beam epitaxy (PAMBE) for the III-nitrides and their engineered heterostructures. Techniques such as Ga irradiation and nitrogen plasma exposure has been utilized to implement bulk GaN, InGaN and their heterostructures in PAMBE. For the growth of III-nitride based heterostructures, the in-situ surface stoichiometry monitoring (i-SSM) technique was developed and used for implementing stepped and compositionally graded InGaN-based multiple quantum wells (MQWs). Their optical and microstrain analysis in conjunction with theoretical studies confirmed improvement in the radiative recombination rate of the graded-MQWs as compared to that of stepped-MQWs, owing to the reduced strain in graded-MQWs. Our achievement also includes the realization of the p-type MoS2 by engineering pristine MoS2 layers in PAMBE. Mainly, Ga and nitrogen plasma irradiation on the pristine MoS2 in PAMBE has resulted in the realization of the p-type MoS2. Also, GaN epitaxial thin layers were deposited on MoS2/c-sapphire, WSe2/c-sapphire substrates by PAMBE to study the band

  16. Does interchain stacking morphology contribute to the singlet-triplet interconversion dynamics in polymer heterojunctions?

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Bittner, Eric R. [Department of Chemistry and Texas Center for Superconductivity, University of Houston, Houston, TX 77204 (United States)], E-mail: bittner@uh.edu; Burghardt, Irene [Departement de Chimie, Ecole Normale Superieure, 24 rue Lhomond, F-75231 Paris cedex 05 (France); Friend, Richard H. [Cavendish Laboratory, Madingley Road, Cambridge CB3 0HE (United Kingdom)

    2009-02-23

    Time-dependent density functional theory (TD-DFT) is used to examine the effect of stacking in a model semiconducting polymer hetrojunction system consisting of two co-facially stacked oligomers. We find that the excited electronic states are highly sensitive to the alignment of the monomer units of the two chains. In the system we examined, the exchange energy is nearly identical to both the and band off-set at the heterojunction and to the exciton binding energy. Our results indicate that the triplet excitonic states are nearly degenerate with the singlet exciplex states opening the possibility for the interconversion of singlet and triplet electronic states at the heterojunction interface via spin-orbit coupling localized on the heteroatoms. Using Russell-Saunders theory, we estimate this interconversion rate to be approximately 700-800 ps, roughly a 5-10-fold increase compared to isolated organic polymer chains.

  17. Amorphous silicon/crystalline silicon heterojunctions for nuclear radiation detector applications

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Walton, J.T.; Hong, W.S.; Luke, P.N.; Wang, N.W.; Ziemba, F.P.

    1996-10-01

    Results on characterization of electrical properties of amorphous Si films for the 3 different growth methods (RF sputtering, PECVD [plasma enhanced], LPCVD [low pressure]) are reported. Performance of these a-Si films as heterojunctions on high resistivity p-type and n- type crystalline Si is examined by measuring the noise, leakage current, and the alpha particle response of 5mm dia detector structures. It is demonstrated that heterojunction detectors formed by RF sputtered films and PECVD films are comparable in performance with conventional surface barrier detectors. Results indicate that the a-Si/c-Si heterojunctions have the potential to greatly simplify detector fabrication. Directions for future avenues of nuclear particle detector development are indicated

  18. Amorphous silicon/crystalline silicon heterojunctions for nuclear radiation detector applications

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Walton, J.T.; Hong, W.S.; Luke, P.N.; Wang, N.W.; Ziemba, F.P.

    1996-01-01

    Results on the characterization of the electrical properties of amorphous silicon films for the three different growth methods, RF sputtering, PECVD, and LPCVD are reported. The performance of these a-Si films as heterojunctions on high resistivity p-type and n-type crystalline silicon is examined by measuring the noise, leakage current and the alpha particle response of 5 mm diameter detector structures. It is demonstrated that heterojunction detectors formed by RF sputtered films and PECVD films are comparable in performance with conventional surface barrier detectors. The results indicate that the a-Si/c-Si heterojunctions have the potential to greatly simplify detector fabrication. Directions for future avenues of nuclear particle detector development are indicated

  19. Hierarchical On-Surface Synthesis of Deterministic Graphene Nanoribbon Heterojunctions

    OpenAIRE

    Bronner, Christopher; Durr, Rebecca A.; Rizzo, Daniel J.; Lee, Yea-Lee; Marangoni, Tomas; Kalayjian, Alin Miksi; Rodriguez, Henry; Zhao, William; Louie, Steven G.; Fischer, Felix R.; Crommie, Michael F.

    2017-01-01

    Bottom-up graphene nanoribbon (GNR) heterojunctions are nanoscale strips of graphene whose electronic structure abruptly changes across a covalently bonded interface. Their rational design offers opportunities for profound technological advancements enabled by their extraordinary structural and electronic properties. Thus far the most critical aspect of their synthesis, the control over sequence and position of heterojunctions along the length of a ribbon, has been plagued by randomness in mo...

  20. Organic matter in the bulk precipitations in Zagreb and Šibenik, Croatia

    Science.gov (United States)

    Orlović-Leko, Palma; Plavšić, Marta; Bura-Nakić, Elvira; Kozarac, Zlatica; Ćosović, Božena

    Dissolved organic carbon (DOC), surface active substances (SAS) and copper complexing capacity (CuCC) were studied in bulk precipitations collected periodically from 2003 to 2007 in the continental city of Croatia (Zagreb: n = 27) and in the city at the Adriatic coast (Šibenik: n = 38). DOC concentrations (Zagreb: 0.67-4.03 mgC/L with average concentration of 1.93 ± 0.76 mgC/L; Šibenik: 0.44-4.13 mgC/L with average concentration of 1.83 ± 0.83 mgC/L) are similar to those measured in other samples of continental rainwater in the northern hemisphere. The concentrations of SAS in samples from Zagreb ranged from 0.055 to 0.45 eq. Triton-X-100 mg/L with average concentration of (0.14 ± 0.06) eq. Triton-X-100 mg/L. SAS fractions were of a similar range in Šibenik (0.02-0.60 eq. Triton-X-100 mg/L) with an average concentration of 0.11 ± 0.06 eq. Triton-X-100 mg/L. However, the lowest values of SAS (between 0.02 and 0.04 eq. Triton-X-100 mg/L) were observed only in Šibenik (27%). We have estimated that the higher pH values were responsible for lower surface activity of organic matter in bulk samples from Šibenik. DOC may form complexes that control the transport and solubility of heavy metals in natural water. CuCC measured in Šibenik in the range 0.066-1.4 μM Cu 2+ was in general higher, compared to the one in Zagreb (0.010-0.586 μM Cu 2+) which is the result of biogenically driven organic contribution to the precipitation, especially in the warmer period of the year.

  1. Bulk soil and maize rhizosphere resistance genes, mobile genetic elements and microbial communities are differently impacted by organic and inorganic fertilization

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Wolters, Birgit; Jacquiod, Samuel Jehan Auguste; Sørensen, Søren Johannes

    2018-01-01

    Organic soil fertilizers, such as livestock manure and biogas digestate, frequently contain bacteria carrying resistance genes (RGs) to antimicrobial substances and mobile genetic elements (MGEs). The effects of different fertilizers (inorganic, manure, digestate) on RG and MGE abundance...... and microbial community composition were investigated in a field plot experiment. The relative abundances of RGs [sul1, sul2, tet(A), tet(M), tet(Q), tet(W), qacEΔ1/qacE] and MGEs [intI1, intI2, IncP-1, IncP-1ε and LowGC plasmids] in total community (TC)-DNA from organic fertilizers, bulk soil and maize......, integrons and few genera affiliated to Bacteroidetes and Firmicutes in bulk soil, while digestate increased sul2, tet(W) and intI2. At harvest, treatment effects vanished in bulk soil. However, organic fertilizer effects were still detectable in the rhizosphere for RGs [manure: intI1, sul1; digestate: tet...

  2. Nanomorphology of polythiophene–fullerene bulk-heterojunction films investigated by structured illumination optical imaging and time-resolved confocal microscopy

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hao, X-T; Hirvonen, L M; Smith, T A

    2013-01-01

    Structured illumination microscopy (SIM) and time-resolved confocal fluorescence microscopy are applied to investigate the nanomorphology of thin films comprising typical blends of the conjugated polymer, poly (3-hexylthiophene) (P3HT), and [6, 6]-phenyl C 61 -butyric acid methyl ester (PCBM), used for organic photovoltaic applications. SIM provides evidence for the presence of a thin emissive region around the crystalline regions of PCBM and at the tips of rod-like domains. The time-resolved measurements show that the emission surrounding the PCBM rods is longer lived than the bulk of the film. The two modes of microscopy provide complementary evidence indicating that electron–hole separation is inhibited between the polymer and the large PCBM-rich domains in these regions. We show here that structured illumination microscopy is a viable method of gaining additional information from these photovoltaic materials, despite their weak emission. (paper)

  3. Dielectric properties investigation of Cu2O/ZnO heterojunction thin films by electrodeposition

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Li, Qiang; Xu, Mengmeng; Fan, Huiqing; Wang, Hairong; Peng, Biaolin; Long, Changbai; Zhai, Yuchun

    2013-01-01

    Highlights: ► Bottom-up self-assembly Cu 2 O/ZnO heterojunction was fabricated by electrochemical deposition on indium tin oxide (ITO) flexible substrate (polyethylene terephthalate-PET). ► The dielectric response of Cu 2 O/ZnO heterojunction thin films had been investigated. ► The universal dielectric response was used to investigate the hopping behavior in Cu 2 O/ZnO heterojunction. -- Abstract: Structures and morphologies of the Cu 2 O/ZnO heterojunction electrodeposited on indium tin oxide (ITO) flexible substrate (polyethylene terephthalate-PET) were investigated by X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electronic microscopy (SEM), high resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM), respectively. The dielectric response of bottom-up self-assembly Cu 2 O/ZnO heterojunction was investigated. The low frequency dielectric dispersion (LFDD) was observed. The universal dielectric response (UDR) was used to investigate the frequency dependence of dielectric response for Cu 2 O/ZnO heterojunction, which was attributed to the long range and the short range hopping charge carriers at the low frequency and the high frequency region, respectively

  4. Rational Design of Zinc Phosphide Heterojunction Photovoltaics

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bosco, Jeffrey Paul

    The prospect of terawatt-scale electricity generation using a photovoltaic (PV) device places strict requirements on the active semiconductor optoelectronic properties and elemental abundance. After reviewing the constraints placed on an ``earth-abundant'' solar absorber, we find zinc phosphide (α-Zn 3P2) to be an ideal candidate. In addition to its near-optimal direct band gap of 1.5 eV, high visible-light absorption coefficient (>10. 4cm-1), and long minority-carrier diffusion length (>5 μm), Zn3P 2 is composed of abundant Zn and P elements and has excellent physical properties for scalable thin-film deposition. However, to date, a Zn 3P2 device of sufficient efficiency for commercial applications has not been demonstrated. Record efficiencies of 6.0% for multicrystalline and 4.3% for thin-film cells have been reported, respectively. Performance has been limited by the intrinsic p-type conductivity of Zn3P 2 which restricts us to Schottky and heterojunction device designs. Due to our poor understanding of Zn3P2 interfaces, an ideal heterojunction partner has not yet been found. The goal of this thesis is to explore the upper limit of solar conversion efficiency achievable with a Zn3P2 absorber through the design of an optimal heterojunction PV device. To do so, we investigate three key aspects of material growth, interface energetics, and device design. First, the growth of Zn3P2 on GaAs(001) is studied using compound-source molecular-beam epitaxy (MBE). We successfully demonstrate the pseudomorphic growth of Zn3P2 epilayers of controlled orientation and optoelectronic properties. Next, the energy-band alignments of epitaxial Zn3P2 and II-VI and III-V semiconductor interfaces are measured via high-resolution x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy in order to determine the most appropriate heterojunction partner. From this work, we identify ZnSe as a nearly ideal n-type emitter for a Zn3P 2 PV device. Finally, various II-VI/Zn3P2 heterojunction solar cells designs are

  5. Zinc-oxide nanorod / copper-oxide thin-film heterojunction for a nitrogen-monoxide gas sensor

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Yoo, Hwansu; Kim, Hyojin; Kim, Dojin

    2014-01-01

    A novel p - n oxide heterojunction structure was fabricated by employing n-type zinc-oxide (ZnO) nanorods grown on an indium-tin-oxide-coated glass substrate by using the hydrothermal method and a p-type copper-oxide (CuO) thin film deposited onto the ZnO nanorod array by using the sputtering method. The crystallinities and microstructures of the heterojunction materials were examined by using X-ray diffraction and scanning electron microscopy. The observed current - voltage characteristics of the p - n oxide heterojunction showed a nonlinear diode-like rectifying behavior. The effects of an oxidizing or electron acceptor gas, such as nitrogen monoxide (NO), on the ZnO nanorod/CuO thin-film heterojunction were investigated to determine the potential applications of the fabricated material for use in gas sensors. The forward current of the p - n heterojunction was remarkably reduced when NO gas was introduced into dry air at temperatures from 100 to 250 .deg. C. The NO gas response of the oxide heterojunction reached a maximum value at an operating temperature of 180 .deg. C and linearly increased as the NO gas concentration was increased from 5 to 30 ppm. The sensitivity value was observed to be as high as 170% at 180 .deg. C when biased at 2 V in the presence of 20-ppm NO. The ZnO nanorod/CuO thin-film heterojunction also exhibited a stable and repeatable response to NO gas. The experimental results suggest that the ZnO nanorod/CuO thin-film heterojunction structure may be a novel candidate for gas sensors.

  6. Zinc-oxide nanorod / copper-oxide thin-film heterojunction for a nitrogen-monoxide gas sensor

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Yoo, Hwansu; Kim, Hyojin; Kim, Dojin [Chungnam National University, Daejeon (Korea, Republic of)

    2014-11-15

    A novel p - n oxide heterojunction structure was fabricated by employing n-type zinc-oxide (ZnO) nanorods grown on an indium-tin-oxide-coated glass substrate by using the hydrothermal method and a p-type copper-oxide (CuO) thin film deposited onto the ZnO nanorod array by using the sputtering method. The crystallinities and microstructures of the heterojunction materials were examined by using X-ray diffraction and scanning electron microscopy. The observed current - voltage characteristics of the p - n oxide heterojunction showed a nonlinear diode-like rectifying behavior. The effects of an oxidizing or electron acceptor gas, such as nitrogen monoxide (NO), on the ZnO nanorod/CuO thin-film heterojunction were investigated to determine the potential applications of the fabricated material for use in gas sensors. The forward current of the p - n heterojunction was remarkably reduced when NO gas was introduced into dry air at temperatures from 100 to 250 .deg. C. The NO gas response of the oxide heterojunction reached a maximum value at an operating temperature of 180 .deg. C and linearly increased as the NO gas concentration was increased from 5 to 30 ppm. The sensitivity value was observed to be as high as 170% at 180 .deg. C when biased at 2 V in the presence of 20-ppm NO. The ZnO nanorod/CuO thin-film heterojunction also exhibited a stable and repeatable response to NO gas. The experimental results suggest that the ZnO nanorod/CuO thin-film heterojunction structure may be a novel candidate for gas sensors.

  7. Nanostructures for polymer-based organic photovoltaics

    OpenAIRE

    Guo, Shuai

    2014-01-01

    In this thesis, the influence of external parameters during the processing procedures on the active layer morphology of the polymer:fullerene PTB7:PCBM bulk heterojunction system are thoroughly investigated. It is ascertained that the power conversion efficiency can be easily manipulated by varying these external parameters (a slight chemical modification of the used polymer, the usage of host solvent, or an additional solvent treatment). The focus of the present work is to elucidate the rela...

  8. Interface Engineering of Organic Schottky Barrier Solar Cells and Its Application in Enhancing Performances of Planar Heterojunction Solar Cells

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jin, Fangming; Su, Zisheng; Chu, Bei; Cheng, Pengfei; Wang, Junbo; Zhao, Haifeng; Gao, Yuan; Yan, Xingwu; Li, Wenlian

    2016-05-01

    In this work, we describe the performance of organic Schottky barrier solar cells with the structure of ITO/molybdenum oxide (MoOx)/boron subphthalocyanine chloride (SubPc)/bathophenanthroline (BPhen)/Al. The SubPc-based Schottky barrier solar cells exhibited a short-circuit current density (Jsc) of 2.59 mA/cm2, an open-circuit voltage (Voc) of 1.06 V, and a power conversion efficiency (PCE) of 0.82% under simulated AM1.5 G solar illumination at 100 mW/cm2. Device performance was substantially enhanced by simply inserting thin organic hole transport material into the interface of MoOx and SubPc. The optimized devices realized a 180% increase in PCE of 2.30% and a peak Voc as high as 1.45 V was observed. We found that the improvement is due to the exciton and electron blocking effect of the interlayer and its thickness plays a vital role in balancing charge separation and suppressing quenching effect. Moreover, applying such interface engineering into MoOx/SubPc/C60 based planar heterojunction cells substantially enhanced the PCE of the device by 44%, from 3.48% to 5.03%. Finally, we also investigated the requirements of the interface material for Schottky barrier modification.

  9. Molecular design and theoretical characterization of benzodithiophene based organic photovoltaic materials

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bhattacharya, Labanya; Sahu, Sridhar

    2018-05-01

    Two different oligomers, containing methyl substituted Benzodithiophene (BDT) as donor unit, fluorinated thiophene as the π-bridge unit and two different kinds of acceptors based on fluorinated benzothiadiazole, fluorinated benzoselenadiazole units are designed for bulk heterojunction (BHJ) organic solar cell (OSC). The ground and excited state properties of those donor-π-acceptor-π-donor (D-π-A-π-D) oligomeric configurations are characterized via density functional (DFT) and time dependent density functional theory (TD-DFT). The parameters such as dipole moment (ρ), chemical potential (µ), electronegativity (χ), frontier molecular orbital (FMO) analysis, HOMO-LUMO gap, open circuit voltage (Voc) and driving force (ΔE) are calculated to analyze geometrical, electronic structural, quantum chemical and photovoltaic properties of the compounds. In addition, optical absorption spectra are also presented for the optical characterization of the compounds.

  10. Electrical properties of CdS/CdTe heterojunctions

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Chu, T.L.; Chu, S.S.; Ang, S.T.

    1988-01-01

    The electrical properties of n-CdS/p-CdTe heterojunctions depend strongly on the cleanliness of the interface region. In this work, CdTe films were deposited on CdS/glass substrates by close-spaced sublimation (CSS) under various conditions. The dark current-voltage characteristics of the resulting heterojunctions were measured over a wide temperature range, and the capacitance-voltage characteristics were measured in the dark and under illumination. When the CdS surface is in situ cleaned prior to the deposition of the CdTe film, the current transport across the junction is controlled by a thermally activated process. Tunneling makes an important contribution to the interface recombination at temperatures below room temperature when the in situ cleaning of CdS is not used. The dark capacitance of CdS/CdTe heterojunctions prepared with in situ etching is essentially independent of the reverse bias due to intrinsic interface states. Under white light illumination, the 1/C 2 vs V relation is nearly linear. The CdS/CdTe heterojunctions without in situ cleaning showed different 1/C 2 vs V relations due to higher density of interface states. The in situ cleaning also has pronounced effects on the frequency dependence of dark and illuminated capacitances. Using the in situ cleaning technique, solar cells of about 1 cm 2 area have achieved an AM 1.5 (global) efficiency of about 10.5%

  11. Optoelectrical Properties of a Heterojunction with Amorphous InGaZnO Film on n-Silicon Substrate

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jiang, D. L.; Ma, X. Z.; Li, L.; Xu, Z. K.

    2017-10-01

    An a-IGZO/ n-Si heterojunction device has been fabricated at room temperature by depositing amorphous InGaZnO (a-IGZO) film on n-type silicon substrate by plasma-assisted pulsed laser deposition and its optoelectrical properties studied in detail. The heterojunction showed distinct rectifying characteristic with rectification ratio of 1.93 × 103 at ±2 V bias and reverse leakage current density of 1.6 × 10-6 A cm-2 at -2 V bias. More interestingly, the heterojunction not only showed the characteristic of unbiased photoresponse, but could also detect either ultraviolet or ultraviolet-visible light by simply changing the polarity of the bias applied to the heterojunction. The variable photoresponse phenomenon and the charge transport mechanisms in the heterojunction are explained based on the energy band diagram of the heterojunction.

  12. pi-Conjugated polymers for photovoltaics

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Zoombelt, A.P.

    2009-01-01

    Polymer solar cells employ a nanoscopic phase separation or bulk heterojunction (BHJ) between two complementary molecular based p and n-type organic semiconductors to convert sunlight directly into electricity. The operational principle involves a complex sequence of events, starting with the

  13. Monolayer MoS2 heterojunction solar cells

    KAUST Repository

    Tsai, Menglin

    2014-08-26

    We realized photovoltaic operation in large-scale MoS2 monolayers by the formation of a type-II heterojunction with p-Si. The MoS 2 monolayer introduces a built-in electric field near the interface between MoS2 and p-Si to help photogenerated carrier separation. Such a heterojunction photovoltaic device achieves a power conversion efficiency of 5.23%, which is the highest efficiency among all monolayer transition-metal dichalcogenide-based solar cells. The demonstrated results of monolayer MoS 2/Si-based solar cells hold the promise for integration of 2D materials with commercially available Si-based electronics in highly efficient devices. © 2014 American Chemical Society.

  14. Photosensitive Ox/GaAs heterojunctions: Creation and properties

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Rud' , V. Yu. [St. Petersburg State Polytechnical University (Russian Federation); Rud' , Yu. V., E-mail: yuryrud@mail.ioffe.ru; Terukov, E. I.; Ushakova, T. N. [Russian Academy of Sciences, Ioffe Physical-Technical Institute (Russian Federation)

    2012-06-15

    A method for the thermal oxidation of GaAs crystals in air is suggested and the first photosensitive Ox/n-GaAs heterojunctions, where Ox is a native oxide, are fabricated. The steady current-voltage characteristics and spectra of relative quantum efficiency of the new structures are studied. The features of the spectra of photoactive absorption of the obtained heterojunctions are discussed. The potential of using vacuumfree thermal oxidation of the GaAs crystals in air to fabricate broadband heterophotoconverters of optical radiation on their basis is established.

  15. Conduction band offset at the InN/GaN heterojunction

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Wang Kejia; Lian Chuanxin; Su Ning; Jena, Debdeep; Timler, John

    2007-01-01

    The conduction-band offset between GaN and InN is experimentally determined. InN/n-type GaN isotype heterojunctions grown by molecular beam epitaxy are observed to exhibit Schottky-junction like behavior based on rectifying vertical current flow. From capacitance-voltage measurements on the heterojunction, the Schottky barrier height is found to be ∼0.94 eV. The photocurrent spectroscopy measurement by backside illumination reveals an energy barrier height of 0.95 eV across the heterojunction, consistent with the capacitance measurement. By combining electrical transport, capacitance-voltage, and photocurrent spectroscopy measurement results, the conduction band offset between InN and GaN is estimated to be ΔE C =1.68±0.1 eV

  16. Liquid phase deposition of WO3/TiO2 heterojunction films with high photoelectrocatalytic activity under visible light irradiation

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Zhang, Man; Yang, Changzhu; Pu, Wenhong; Tan, Yuanbin; Yang, Kun; Zhang, Jingdong

    2014-01-01

    Highlights: • Liquid phase deposition is developed for preparing WO 3 /TiO 2 heterojunction films. • TiO 2 film provides an excellent platform for WO 3 deposition. • WO 3 expands the absorption band edge of TiO 2 film to visible light region. • WO 3 /TiO 2 heterojunction film shows high photoelectrocatalytic activity. - ABSTRACT: The heterojunction films of WO 3 /TiO 2 were prepared by liquid phase deposition (LPD) method via two-step processes. The scanning electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopic analysis indicated that flower-like WO 3 film was successfully deposited on TiO 2 film with the LPD processes. The TiO 2 film provided an excellent platform for WO 3 deposition while WO 3 obviously expanded the absorption of TiO 2 film to visible light. As the result, the heterojunction film of WO 3 /TiO 2 exhibited higher photocurrent response to visible light illumination than pure TiO 2 or WO 3 film. The photoelectrocatalytic (PEC) activity of WO 3 /TiO 2 film was evaluated by degrading Rhodamin B (RhB) and 4-chlorophenol (4-CP) under visible light irradiation. The results showed that the LPD WO 3 /TiO 2 film possessed high PEC activity for efficient removal of various refractory organic pollutants

  17. Interface states in stressed semiconductor heterojunction with antiferromagnetic ordering

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kantser, V.G.

    1995-08-01

    The stressed heterojunctions with antiferromagnetic ordering in which the constituents have opposite band edge symmetry and their gaps have opposite signs have been investigated. The interface states have been shown to appear in these heterojunctions and they are spin-split. As a result if the Fermi level gets into one of the interface bands then it leads to magnetic ordering in the interface plane. That is if the interface magnetization effect can be observed. (author). 14 refs, 2 figs

  18. Interface magnetization effect in heterojunctions based on semimagnetic compounds

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Malkova, N.

    1998-07-01

    The electronic states of stressed heterojunctions formed from narrow-gap semimagnetic semiconductors showing antiferromagnetic ordering are studies. The model Hamiltonian is constructed in the framework of the two-band envelope function approximation including far-band corrections. Heterojunctions both with normal and inverted band arrangements in the initial semiconductors are investigated. The interface Tamm-like states have been shown recently toe appear in these heterojunctions and they are spin-split with the magnetic axis perpendicular to the interface plane. The effect of far-band corrections is shown to be conditioned by the mutual movement of the constituent bands, resulting in changes and in some cases in full disappearance of the energy interval in which the interface state exists. The interface magnetization effect is expected when the Fermi level lies in one of the spin-polarized interface bands. Using the appropriate parameters, the value of the relative interface magnetization is calculated. (author)

  19. Large rectification magnetoresistance in nonmagnetic Al/Ge/Al heterojunctions.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhang, Kun; Li, Huan-Huan; Grünberg, Peter; Li, Qiang; Ye, Sheng-Tao; Tian, Yu-Feng; Yan, Shi-Shen; Lin, Zhao-Jun; Kang, Shi-Shou; Chen, Yan-Xue; Liu, Guo-Lei; Mei, Liang-Mo

    2015-09-21

    Magnetoresistance and rectification are two fundamental physical properties of heterojunctions and respectively have wide applications in spintronics devices. Being different from the well known various magnetoresistance effects, here we report a brand new large magnetoresistance that can be regarded as rectification magnetoresistance: the application of a pure small sinusoidal alternating-current to the nonmagnetic Al/Ge Schottky heterojunctions can generate a significant direct-current voltage, and this rectification voltage strongly varies with the external magnetic field. We find that the rectification magnetoresistance in Al/Ge Schottky heterojunctions is as large as 250% at room temperature, which is greatly enhanced as compared with the conventional magnetoresistance of 70%. The findings of rectification magnetoresistance open the way to the new nonmagnetic Ge-based spintronics devices of large rectification magnetoresistance at ambient temperature under the alternating-current due to the simultaneous implementation of the rectification and magnetoresistance in the same devices.

  20. On the front and back side quantum efficiency differences in semi-transparent organic solar cells and photodiodes

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bouthinon, B.; Clerc, R.; Verilhac, J. M.; Racine, B.; De Girolamo, J.; Jacob, S.; Lienhard, P.; Joimel, J.; Dhez, O.; Revaux, A.

    2018-03-01

    The External Quantum Efficiency (EQE) of semi-transparent Bulk Hetero-Junction (BHJ) organic photodiodes processed in air shows significant differences when measured from the front or back side contacts. This difference was found significantly reduced when decreasing the active layer thickness or by applying a negative bias. This work brings new elements to help understanding this effect, providing a large set of experiments featuring different applied voltages, active layers, process conditions, and electron and hole layers. By means of detailed electrical simulations, all these measurements have been found consistent with the mechanisms of irreversible photo-oxidation, modeled as deep trap states (and not as p-type doping). The EQE measurement from front and back sides is thus a simple and efficient way of monitoring the presence and amplitude of oxygen contamination in BHJ organic solar cells and photodiodes.

  1. Multi-THz spectroscopy of mobile charge carriers in P3HT:PCBM on a sub-100 fs time scale

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Cooke, David G.; Krebs, Frederik C; Jepsen, Peter Uhd

    2013-01-01

    The dynamics of mobile charge carrier generation in polymer bulk heterojunction films is of vital importance to the development of more efficient organic photovoltaics. As with conventional semiconductors, the optical signatures of mobile carriers lie in the far-infrared (1-30 THz) although...

  2. Amorphous silicon crystalline silicon heterojunction solar cells

    CERN Document Server

    Fahrner, Wolfgang Rainer

    2013-01-01

    Amorphous Silicon/Crystalline Silicon Solar Cells deals with some typical properties of heterojunction solar cells, such as their history, the properties and the challenges of the cells, some important measurement tools, some simulation programs and a brief survey of the state of the art, aiming to provide an initial framework in this field and serve as a ready reference for all those interested in the subject. This book helps to "fill in the blanks" on heterojunction solar cells. Readers will receive a comprehensive overview of the principles, structures, processing techniques and the current developmental states of the devices. Prof. Dr. Wolfgang R. Fahrner is a professor at the University of Hagen, Germany and Nanchang University, China.

  3. Low-threshold pure UV electroluminescence from n-ZnO:Al/i-layer/n-GaN heterojunction

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Li Songzhan; Fang Guojia; Long Hao; Wang Haoning; Huang Huihui; Mo Xiaoming; Zhao Xingzhong

    2012-01-01

    Ultraviolet (UV) electroluminescence (EL) of n-ZnO:Al (AZO)/i-layer/n-GaN heterojunctions with different intrinsic layers has been obtained. Rectifying behavior and EL spectra of the heterojunctions are investigated at room temperature. Under positive voltage, a dominant UV emission peak around ∼370 nm is observed for both AZO/i-ZnO/n-GaN and AZO/i-MgO/n-GaN heterojunctions. Nevertheless, the UV emission peak intensity of AZO/i-MgO/n-GaN heterojunction is much stronger than that of AZO/i-ZnO/n-GaN heterojunction at the same voltage. The threshold voltage of AZO/i-MgO/n-GaN heterostructured device is as low as 2.3 V. The difference of EL spectra and the emission mechanism in these devices are discussed. - Highlights: ► UV electroluminescence of n-ZnO:Al/i-layer/n-GaN heterojunctions has been obtained. ► Under positive voltage, a dominant UV emission peak around ∼370 nm is observed for both heterojunctions. ► The UV emission peak intensity of the heterojunction with i-MgO layer is much stronger than that with i-ZnO layer at the same voltage. ► The threshold voltage of n-ZnO:Al/i-MgO/n-GaN heterostructured device is as low as 2.3 V.

  4. Electrostatically Gated Graphene-Zinc Oxide Nanowire Heterojunction.

    Science.gov (United States)

    You, Xueqiu; Pak, James Jungho

    2015-03-01

    This paper presents an electrostatically gated graphene-ZnO nanowire (NW) heterojunction for the purpose of device applications for the first time. A sub-nanometer-thick energy barrier width was formed between a monatomic graphene layer and electrochemically grown ZnO NWs. Because of the narrow energy barrier, electrons can tunnel through the barrier when a voltage is applied across the junction. A near-ohmic current-voltage (I-V) curve was obtained from the graphene-electrochemically grown ZnO NW heterojunction. This near-ohmic contact changed to asymmetric I-V Schottky contact when the samples were exposed to an oxygen environment. It is believed that the adsorbed oxygen atoms or molecules on the ZnO NW surface capture free electrons of the ZnO NWs, thereby creating a depletion region in the ZnO NWs. Consequentially, the electron concentration in the ZnO NWs is dramatically reduced, and the energy barrier width of the graphene-ZnO NW heterojunction increases greatly. This increased energy barrier width reduces the electron tunneling probability, resulting in a typical Schottky contact. By adjusting the back-gate voltage to control the graphene-ZnO NW Schottky energy barrier height, a large modulation on the junction current (on/off ratio of 10(3)) was achieved.

  5. Flexible organic solar cells including efficiency enhancing grating structures

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    De Oliveira Hansen, Roana Melina; Liu Yinghui; Madsen, Morten; Rubahn, Horst-Günter

    2013-01-01

    In this work, a new method for the fabrication of organic solar cells containing functional light-trapping nanostructures on flexible substrates is presented. Polyimide is spin-coated on silicon support substrates, enabling standard micro- and nanotechnology fabrication techniques, such as photolithography and electron-beam lithography, besides the steps required for the bulk-heterojunction organic solar cell fabrication. After the production steps, the solar cells on polyimide are peeled off the silicon support substrates, resulting in flexible devices containing nanostructures for light absorption enhancement. Since the solar cells avoid using brittle electrodes, the performance of the flexible devices is not affected by the peeling process. We have investigated three different nanostructured grating designs and conclude that gratings with a 500 nm pitch distance have the highest light-trapping efficiency for the selected active layer material (P3HT:PCBM), resulting in an enhancement of about 34% on the solar cell efficiency. The presented method can be applied to a large variety of flexible nanostructured devices in future applications. (paper)

  6. Optimal construction parameters of electrosprayed trilayer organic photovoltaic devices

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Shah, S K; Ali, M; Gunnella, R; Abbas, M; Hirsch, L

    2014-01-01

    A detailed investigation of the optimal set of parameters employed in multilayer device fabrication obtained through successive electrospray deposited layers is reported. In this scheme, the donor/acceptor (D/A) bulk heterojunction layer is sandwiched between two thin stacked layers of individual donor and acceptor materials. The stacked layers geometry with optimal thicknesses plays a decisive role in improving operation characteristics. Among the parameters of the multilayer organic photovoltaics device, the D/A concentration ratio, blend thickness and stacking layers thicknesses are optimized. Other parameters, such as thermal annealing and the role of top metal contacts, are also discussed. Internal photon to current efficiency is found to attain a strong response in the 500 nm optical region for the most efficient device architectures. Such an observation indicates a clear interplay between photon harvesting of active layers and transport by ancillary stacking layers, opening up the possibility to engineer both the material fine structure and the device architecture to obtain the best photovoltaic response from a complex organic heterostructure. (paper)

  7. Transition-metal impurities in semiconductors and heterojunction band lineups

    Science.gov (United States)

    Langer, Jerzy M.; Delerue, C.; Lannoo, M.; Heinrich, Helmut

    1988-10-01

    The validity of a recent proposal that transition-metal impurity levels in semiconductors may serve as a reference in band alignment in semiconductor heterojunctions is positively verified by using the most recent data on band offsets in the following lattice-matched heterojunctions: Ga1-xAlxAs/GaAs, In1-xGaxAsyP1-y/InP, In1-xGaxP/GaAs, and Cd1-xHgxTe/CdTe. The alignment procedure is justified theoretically by showing that transition-metal energy levels are effectively pinned to the average dangling-bond energy level, which serves as the reference level for the heterojunction band alignment. Experimental and theoretical arguments showing that an increasingly popular notion on transition-metal energy-level pinning to the vacuum level is unjustified and must be abandoned in favor of the internal-reference rule proposed recently [J. M. Langer and H. Heinrich, Phys. Rev. Lett. 55, 1414 (1985)] are presented.

  8. Electronic structure of defects in semiconductor heterojunctions

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Haussy, Bernard; Ganghoffer, Jean Francois

    2002-01-01

    Full text.heterojunctions and semiconductors and superlattices are well known and well used by people interested in optoelectronics communications. Components based on the use of heterojunctions are interesting for confinement of light and increase of quantum efficiency. An heterojunction is the contact zone between two different semiconductors, for example GaAs and Ga 1-x Al x As. Superlattices are a succession of heterojunctions (up to 10 or 20). These systems have been the subjects of many experiments ao analyse the contact between semiconductors. They also have been theoretically studied by different types of approach. The main result of those studies is the prediciton of band discontinuities. Defects in heterojunctions are real traps for charge carriers; they can affect the efficiency of the component decreasing the currents and the fluxes in it. the knowledge of their electronic structure is important, a great density of defects deeply modifies the electronic structure of the whole material creating real new bands of energy in the band structure of the component. in the first part of this work, we will describe the heterostructure and the defect in terms of quantum wells and discrete levels. This approach allows us to show the role of the width of the quantum well describing the structure but induces specific behaviours due to the one dimensional modelling. Then a perturbative treatment is proposed using the Green's functions formalism. We build atomic chains with different types of atoms featuring the heterostructure and the defect. Densities of states of a structure with a defect and levels associated to the defect are obtained. Results are comparable with the free electrons work, but the modelling do not induce problems due to a one dimensional approach. To extend our modelling, a three dimensions approach, based on a cavity model, is investigated. The influence of the defect, - of hydrogenoid type - introduced in the structure, is described by a cavity

  9. The evaluation of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) biodegradation kinetics in soil amended with organic fertilizers and bulking agents.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Włóka, Dariusz; Placek, Agnieszka; Rorat, Agnieszka; Smol, Marzena; Kacprzak, Małgorzata

    2017-11-01

    The aim of this study was to investigate the polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) biodegradation kinetics in soils fertilized with organic amendments (sewage sludge, compost), bulking agents (mineral sorbent, silicon dioxide in form of nano powder), and novel compositions of those materials. The scope of conducted works includes a cyclic CO 2 production measurements and the determinations of PAHs content in soil samples, before and after 3-months of incubation. Obtained results show that the use of both type of organic fertilizers have a positive effect on the PAHs removal from soil. However, the CO 2 emission remains higher only in the first stage of the process. The best acquired means in terms of PAHs removal as well as most sustained CO 2 production were noted in samples treated with the mixtures of organic fertilizers and bulking agents. In conclusion the addition of structural forming materials to the organic fertilizers was critical for the soil bioremediation efficiency. Therefore, the practical implementation of collected data could find a wide range of applications during the design of new, more effective solutions for the soil bioremediation purposes. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  10. Temperature dependence of organic solar cell parameters

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Richter, Matthias; Mueller, Klaus; Philip, Shine; Paloumpa, Ioanna; Henkel, Karsten; Schmeisser, Dieter [Brandenburgische Technische Universitaet Cottbus (Germany). Angewandte Physik - Sensorik

    2009-07-01

    The influence of an annealing step on the parameters of bulk heterojunction organic solar cells is investigated. In order to fabricate the solar cells we use glass coated with ITO (indium-tin oxide) as a substrate on which the active layer consisting of P3HT and PCBM is spincoated. Al-electrodes are evaporated on top of the active layer. We use PEDOT:PSS as buffer layer. Each sample is annealed at different temperatures for a short time. Between every temperature step the I-V characteristic of the cell is measured. The following parameters are derived afterwards: FF, I{sub sc} (density), V{sub oc}. Also the efficiency is estimated. The results show a maximum cell efficiency for drying at 100 C for 20sec. A further important step for preparation is the drying procedure of the PEDOT:PSS layer. Here an improvement of about 50% in cell efficiency is measured after drying at 50 C for 5 days under inert gas atmosphere.

  11. Dicyanovinyl sexithiophenes: self-organization and photovoltaic properties

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Levichkova, Marieta; Wynands, David; Levin, Alexandr; Leo, Karl; Riede, Moritz [Institut fuer Angewandte Photophysik, TU Dresden (Germany); Walzer, Karsten; Hildebrandt, Dirk [Heliatek GmbH, Dresden (Germany); Baeuerle, Peter [Institut fuer Organische Chemie II und Neue Materialien, Universitaet Ulm (Germany); Rentenberger, Rosina [Institut fuer Physik, TU Ilmenau (Germany)

    2010-07-01

    Recently, vacuum deposited films consisting of conjugated dicyanovinyl-capped (DCV) oligothiophenes have shown significant potential as photoactive layers in small molecule solar cells. Here, we study the structural and optical properties of films of two DCV-derivatives both comprising six thiophene rings (DCV6Ts) but having different side groups. For both derivatives, neat DCV6T and mixed DCV6T:C{sub 60} films are compared using UV-VIS absorption and photoluminescence spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction (XRD), and atomic force microscopy. It is shown that the modification of the molecular structure results in a structured and red shifted absorption band, which indicates better molecular arrangement in the solid state. The improved self-organization at room temperature deposition is confirmed by XRD. Furthermore, the nanomorphology of the mixed DCV6T:C{sub 60} films is optimized using substrate heating. Bulk heterojunction solar cells with power conversion efficiencies exceeding 4% are presented.

  12. Utilizing alkoxyphenyl substituents for side-chain engineering of efficient benzo[1,2-b:4,5-b ']dithiophene-based small molecule organic solar cells

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Du, Zhengkun; Chen, Weichao; Qiu, Meng

    2015-01-01

    -processed organic solar cells (OSCs) as an electron donor material, in which an alkoxyphenyl group was introduced as a weak electrondonating side chain of the BDT moiety. The DCA3TBDTP molecule exhibited good solubility, a deep highest occupied molecular orbital (HOMO) level (-5.25 eV), an appropriate optical band......-gap (1.82 eV) and a high decomposition temperature (362 degrees C). By applying the simple solution spin-coating fabrication process, the bulk heterojunction (BHJ) OSCs based on DCA3TBDTP and [6,6]-phenyl-C-61-butyric acid methyl ester (PC61BM) exhibited a good power conversion efficiency (PCE) of 4...

  13. Electrical parameters of metal doped n-CdO/p-Si heterojunction diodes

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Umadevi, P. [Department of Physics, Sri Vidya College of Engineering & Technology, Virudhunagar 626005, Tamilnadu (India); Prithivikumaran, N., E-mail: janavi_p@yahoo.com [Nanoscience Research Lab, Department of Physics, VHNSN College, Virudhunagar 626001, Tamilnadu (India)

    2016-11-15

    The CdO, Al doped CdO and Cu doped CdO thin films were coated on p-type silicon substrates by sol–gel spin coating method. The structural, surface morphological and electrical properties of undoped, Al and Cu doped CdO films on silicon substrate were studied. The Ag/CdO/p-Si, Ag/Al: CdO/p-Si and Ag/Cu: CdO/p-Si heterojunction diodes were fabricated and the diode parameters such as reverse saturation current, barrier height and ideality factor of the diodes were investigated by current–voltage (I–V)characteristics. The reverse current of the diode was found to increase strongly with the doping. The values of barrier height and ideality factor were decreased by doping with aluminium and copper. Photo response of the heterojunction diodes was studied and it was found that, the heterojunction diode constructed with the doped CdO has larger Photo response than the undoped heterojunction diode.

  14. Optical modeling of fiber organic photovoltaic structures using a transmission line method.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Moshonas, N; Stathopoulos, N A; O'Connor, B T; Bedeloglu, A Celik; Savaidis, S P; Vasiliadis, S

    2017-12-01

    An optical model has been developed and evaluated for the calculation of the external quantum efficiency of cylindrical fiber photovoltaic structures. The model is based on the transmission line theory and has been applied on single and bulk heterojunction fiber-photovoltaic cells. Using this model, optimum design characteristics have been proposed for both configurations, and comparison with experimental results has been assessed.

  15. Characterization of the sedimentary organic matter preserved in Messel oil shale by bulk geochemistry and stable isotopes

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Bauersachs, T.; Schouten, S.; Schwark, L.

    2014-01-01

    We investigated a 150 m thick drill core section of Messel oil shale using bulk geochemical and stable isotope techniques in order to determine the organic matter sources and the environmental conditions that prevailed during the deposition of the lacustrine sequence. High Corg values (on average

  16. Organic solar cells based on anthracene-containing PPE–PPVs and non-fullerene acceptors

    KAUST Repository

    Alam, Shahidul

    2018-04-13

    Lately, non-fullerene acceptors (NFAs) have received increasing attention for use in polymer-based bulk-heterojunction (BHJ) organic solar cells (OSCs), as improved photovoltaic performance compared to classical polymer–fullerene blends could be demonstrated. In this study, polymer solar cells based on a statistically substituted anthracene-containing poly(p-phenylene ethynylene)-alt-poly(p-phenylene vinylene)s (PPE–PPVs) copolymer (AnE-PVstat) as donor in combination with a number of different electron accepting materials were investigated. Strong photoluminescence quenching of the polymer donor indicates intimate intermixing of both materials. However, the photovoltaic performances were found to be poor compared to blends that use fullerene as acceptor. Time-delayed collection field (TDCF) measurements demonstrate: charge generation is field-independent, but bimolecular recombination processes limit the fill factor and thus the efficiency of devices.

  17. Organic solar cells based on anthracene-containing PPE–PPVs and non-fullerene acceptors

    KAUST Repository

    Alam, Shahidul; Meitzner, Rico; Nwadiaru, Ogechi V.; Friebe, Christian; Cann, Jonathan; Ahner, Johannes; Ulbricht, Christoph; Kan, Zhipeng; Hö ppener, Stephanie; Hager, Martin D.; Egbe, Daniel A. M.; Welch, Gregory C.; Laquai, Fré dé ric; Schubert, Ulrich S.; Hoppe, Harald

    2018-01-01

    Lately, non-fullerene acceptors (NFAs) have received increasing attention for use in polymer-based bulk-heterojunction (BHJ) organic solar cells (OSCs), as improved photovoltaic performance compared to classical polymer–fullerene blends could be demonstrated. In this study, polymer solar cells based on a statistically substituted anthracene-containing poly(p-phenylene ethynylene)-alt-poly(p-phenylene vinylene)s (PPE–PPVs) copolymer (AnE-PVstat) as donor in combination with a number of different electron accepting materials were investigated. Strong photoluminescence quenching of the polymer donor indicates intimate intermixing of both materials. However, the photovoltaic performances were found to be poor compared to blends that use fullerene as acceptor. Time-delayed collection field (TDCF) measurements demonstrate: charge generation is field-independent, but bimolecular recombination processes limit the fill factor and thus the efficiency of devices.

  18. Improvement of pentathiophene/fullerene planar heterojunction photovoltaic cells by improving the organic films morphology through the anode buffer bilayer

    Science.gov (United States)

    El Jouad, Zouhair; Cattin, Linda; Martinez, Francisco; Neculqueo, Gloria; Louarn, Guy; Addou, Mohammed; Predeep, Padmanabhan; Manuvel, Jayan; Bernède, Jean-Christian

    2016-05-01

    Organic photovoltaic cells (OPVCs) are based on a heterojunction electron donor (ED)/electron acceptor (EA). In the present work, the electron donor which is also the absorber of light is pentathiophene. The typical cells were ITO/HTL/pentathiophene/fullerene/Alq3/Al with HTL (hole transport layer) = MoO3, CuI, MoO3/CuI. After optimisation of the pentathiophene thickness, 70 nm, the highest efficiency, 0.81%, is obtained with the bilayer MoO3/CuI as HTL. In order to understand these results the pentathiophene films deposited onto the different HTLs were characterized by scanning electron microscopy, atomic force microscopy, X-rays diffraction, optical absorption and electrical characterization. It is shown that CuI improves the conductivity of the pentathiophene layer through the modification of the film structure, while MoO3 decreases the leakage current. Using the bilayer MoO3/CuI allows cumulating the advantages of each layer. Contribution to the topical issue "Materials for Energy Harvesting, Conversion and Storage (ICOME 2015) - Elected submissions", edited by Jean-Michel Nunzi, Rachid Bennacer and Mohammed El Ganaoui

  19. Effect of mixed hole transporting host on the mobility, Gaussian density of states and efficiencies of a heterojunction phosphorescent organic light emitting diode

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Talik, N A; Woon, K L; Yap, B K

    2016-01-01

    We present an in-depth study of the hole transport in poly(vinylcarbazole) PVK films blended with small molecule tris(4-carbazoyl-9-ylphenyl)amine (TcTa). Doping TcTa in PVK introduces shallow hole traps when the doping concentration is lower than 20 wt%. It becomes percolative at higher concentrations. The energetic disorder σ of the blended system reduces from ∼72 meV at 0 wt% TcTa to ∼41 meV at 50 wt% TcTa. A correlation between σ and the film morphologies suggests that the blending of TcTa molecules in the film does not only change the film homogeneity and roughness but also the energetic disorder. In addition to the mobility study, we fabricated a red phosphorescent organic light emitting diode with the same blending system. By doping merely 5 wt% of TcTa into PVK as mixed hole-transporting hosts, the efficiency of the deep red heterojunction phosphorescent organic light emitting diode increased from 2 cd A −1 to 4 cd A −1 , suggesting that TcTa molecules assist in hole injection. (paper)

  20. Evaluating effect of surface state density at the interfaces in degraded bulk heterojunction organic solar cell

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Arora, Swati; Singh, Vinamrita; Arora, Manoj; Pal Tandon, Ram

    2012-01-01

    Degradation and short shelf life have been observed experimentally in poly(3-hexylthiophene) (P3HT): 6,6-phenyl C61-butyric acid methyl ester (PCBM) based blend solar cells. Both dark and illuminated current-voltage characteristics could be explained quantitatively with a proposed single model for a typical degraded organic solar cell-glass/ITO/PEDOT:PSS/P3HT:PCBM/Al. It has been found that surface state density, interface thickness, tunneling coefficient and occupation probabilities of the interface states becomes important with the passage of time. To look into the problem the activity at ITO/PEDOT:PSS and P3HT:PCBM/Al interfaces are studied using realistic values of the interfaces. The experimental J-V characteristics is well explained with the inclusion of tunneling current through these surface states and becomes the dominant current component for the degraded cell. It is also found that surface state density increases to 10 12 -10 13 cm -2 eV -1 , which has been verified with C-V measurements and also is in agreement with our proposed model for BHJ solar cell after 150 h of fabrication.