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Fabrication of Photovoltaic Devices using Novel Organic Polymer/Nanostructure Blends

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  03 March 2011

David Black ,
Iulia Salaoru  and
Shashi Paul
David Black
Affiliation:
Emerging Technologies Research Centre, Room 00.43, Hawthorn Building, De Montfort University, The Gateway, Leicester, UK, LE1 9BH
Iulia Salaoru
Affiliation:
Emerging Technologies Research Centre, Room 00.43, Hawthorn Building, De Montfort University, The Gateway, Leicester, UK, LE1 9BH
Shashi Paul
Affiliation:
Emerging Technologies Research Centre, Room 00.43, Hawthorn Building, De Montfort University, The Gateway, Leicester, UK, LE1 9BH
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Abstract

Organic photovoltaic devices offer a potentially cheap source of electrical power due to the relative ease of processing compared to silicon devices. Over the last decade the efficiency of these devices has improved significantly and the best devices are currently have >6% power conversion efficiency and ~100% quantum efficiency.

A novel blend of ferroelectric nanostructures, poly(3-hexylthiophene) (P3HT) and [6, 6]-phenyl-C61-butyric acid methyl ester (PCBM) has been used to fabricate hybrid organic and inorganic photovoltaic devices. These devices comprise a glass substrate coated with indium tin oxide (ITO) and an layer of PEDOT:PSS to form the first electrode. The active layer was deposited by spin coating and finally metallic top contacts have been added by thermal evaporation. The devices were characterized using standard current-voltage (IV) measurements under illuminated and dark conditions using an AM1.5 solar simulator and a source-voltage device and the results indicate a difference in efficiency compared to similar devices fabricated at the same time without the novel nanostructures. Additional UV-Vis measurements were used to determine the absorption characteristics of the active layers. The initial results suggest an improvement in the absorption of light in the visible region and higher open circuit voltages and short circuit currents compared to P3HT/PCBM alone.

Keywords

organicphotovoltaicelectrical properties
Type
Research Article
Information
MRS Online Proceedings Library (OPL) , Volume 1303: Symposium Y – Nanomaterials Integration for Electronics, Energy and Sensing , 2011 , mrsf10-1303-y03-29
Copyright
Copyright © Materials Research Society 2011

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References

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