Optimization of active-layer thickness, top electrode and annealing temperature for polymeric solar cells

Said Karim Shah; Jahangeer Khan; Irfan Ullah; Yaqoob Khan; Said Karim Shah; Jahangeer Khan; Irfan Ullah; Yaqoob Khan

doi:10.3934/matersci.2017.3.789

AIMS Materials Science

2017, Volume 4, Issue 3: 789-799. doi: 10.3934/matersci.2017.3.789

Previous Article Next Article

Research article Topical Sections

Optimization of active-layer thickness, top electrode and annealing temperature for polymeric solar cells

1.
Department of Physics, Abdul Wali Khan University, Mardan 23200, Khyber Pukhtunkhwa, Pakistan
2.
Wuhan National Laboratory for Optoelectronics, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, China
3.
National Centre for Physics, 44000, Islamabad, Pakistan

Received: 07 March 2017 Accepted: 08 June 2017 Published: 16 June 2017

Organic solar cells, processed from solution at various optimizing device parameters, were investigated. The device’s active-layer film-thicknesses were optimized while depositing at different spin speeds where 120-nm-thick layer (D2) gives maximum power conversion efficiency of 2.9%, annealed at 165 °C. The reason is ascribed as sufficient light absorption, excitons dissociation/diffusion and carriers transportation. In the case of Ca/Al, being as a top electrode rather than LiF/Al and Al, substantial efficiency enhancement, from 1.70% to 2.78%, was obtained at low temperature, 130 °C, providing ease for charge collection and pertaining conductive nature of increased resistivity at high temperature.
- polymeric solar cells,
- solution processed,
- spin coating,
- active-layer thicknesses,
- top-metal electrodes,
- thermal annealing
Citation: Said Karim Shah, Jahangeer Khan, Irfan Ullah, Yaqoob Khan. Optimization of active-layer thickness, top electrode and annealing temperature for polymeric solar cells[J]. AIMS Materials Science, 2017, 4(3): 789-799. doi: 10.3934/matersci.2017.3.789

Related Papers:

Abstract

Organic solar cells, processed from solution at various optimizing device parameters, were investigated. The device’s active-layer film-thicknesses were optimized while depositing at different spin speeds where 120-nm-thick layer (D2) gives maximum power conversion efficiency of 2.9%, annealed at 165 °C. The reason is ascribed as sufficient light absorption, excitons dissociation/diffusion and carriers transportation. In the case of Ca/Al, being as a top electrode rather than LiF/Al and Al, substantial efficiency enhancement, from 1.70% to 2.78%, was obtained at low temperature, 130 °C, providing ease for charge collection and pertaining conductive nature of increased resistivity at high temperature.

References

[1]	Yu G, Gao J, Hummelen JC, et al. (1995) Polymer photovoltiac cells: Enhanced efficiencies via a network of internal donor-acceptor heterojunctions. Science 270: 1789. doi: 10.1126/science.270.5243.1789
[2]	Halls J, Walsh C, Greenham N, et al. (1995) Efficient photodiodes from interpenetrating polymer networks. Nature 376: 498. doi: 10.1038/376498a0
[3]	Ma W, Yang C, Gong X, et al. (2005) Thermally stable, efficient polymer solar cells with nanoscale control of the interpenetrating network morphology. Adv Funct Mater 15: 1617–1622. doi: 10.1002/adfm.200500211
[4]	Dennler G, Scharber MC, Brabec CJ (2009) Polymer-Fullerene bulk-heterojunction solar cells. Adv Mater 21: 1323–1338. doi: 10.1002/adma.200801283
[5]	Xie Y, Zabihi F, Eslamian M (2016) Fabrication of highly reproducible polymer solar cells using ultrasonic substrate vibration posttreatment. J Photon Energy 6: 045502–045502. doi: 10.1117/1.JPE.6.045502
[6]	Zabihi F, Chen Q, Xie Y, et al. (2016) Fabrication of efficient graphene-doped polymer/fullerene bilayer organic solar cells in air using spin coating followed by ultrasonic vibration post treatment. Superlattice Microst 100: 1177–1192. doi: 10.1016/j.spmi.2016.10.087
[7]	Anderson TE, Köse ME (2016) Impact of solution casting temperature on power conversion efficiencies of bulk heterojunction organic solar cells. J Photoch Photobio A 318: 51–55. doi: 10.1016/j.jphotochem.2015.11.026
[8]	Oklobia O, Shafai T (2013) A quantitative study of the formation of PCBM clusters upon thermal annealing of P3HT/PCBM bulk heterojunction solar cell. Sol Energ Mat Sol C 117: 1–8. doi: 10.1016/j.solmat.2013.05.011
[9]	Vanlaeke P, Swinnen A, Haeldermans I, et al. (2006) P3HT/PCBM bulk heterojunction solar cells: Relation between morphology and electro-optical characteristics. Sol Energ Mat Sol C 90: 2150–2158. doi: 10.1016/j.solmat.2006.02.010
[10]	Oklobia O, Shafai T (2013) A study of donor/acceptor interfaces in a blend of P3HT/PCBM solar cell: Effects of annealing and PCBM loading on optical and electrical properties. Solid State Electron 87: 64–68. doi: 10.1016/j.sse.2013.05.005
[11]	Wang Q, Xie Y, Soltani-Kordshuli F, et al. (2016) Progress in emerging solution-processed thin film solar cells-Part I: polymer solar cells. Renew Sustain Ener Rev 56: 347–361. doi: 10.1016/j.rser.2015.11.063
[12]	Reyes-Reyes M, Kim K, Carroll DL (2005) High-efficiency photovoltaic devices based on annealed poly(3-hexylthiophene) and 1-(3-methoxycarbonyl)-propyl-1-phenyl-(6,6)C₆₁ blends. Appl Phys Lett 87: 083506. doi: 10.1063/1.2006986
[13]	Reyes-Reyes M, Kim K, Dewald J, et al. (2005) Meso-structure formation for enhanced organic photovoltaic cells. Org Lett 7: 5749–5752. doi: 10.1021/ol051950y
[14]	Li G, Shrotriya V, Huang J, et al. (2005) High-efficiency solution processable polymer photovoltaic cells by self-organization of polymer blends. Nat Mater 4: 864–868. doi: 10.1038/nmat1500
[15]	Service R (2011) Solar energy. Outlook brightens for plastic solar cells. Science 332: 293.
[16]	Li G, Shrotriya V, Yao Y, et al. (2005) Investigation of annealing effects and film thickness dependence of polymer solar cells based on poly(3-hexylthiophene). J Appl Phys 98: 043704. doi: 10.1063/1.2008386
[17]	Moulé AJ, Bonekamp JB, Meerholz K (2006) The effect of active layer thickness and composition on the performance of bulk-heterojunction solar cells. J Appl Phys 100: 094503. doi: 10.1063/1.2360780
[18]	Nam YM, Huh J, Jo WH (2010) Optimization of thickness and morphology of active layer for high performance of bulk-heterojunction organic solar cells. Sol Energ Mat Sol C 94: 1118–1124. doi: 10.1016/j.solmat.2010.02.041
[19]	Kirchartz T, Agostinelli T, Campoy-Quiles M, et al. (2012) Understanding the thickness-dependent performance of organic bulk heterojunction solar cells: the influence of mobility, lifetime, and space charge. J Phys Chem Lett 3: 3470–3475. doi: 10.1021/jz301639y
[20]	Rim SB, Fink RF, Schöneboom JC, et al. (2007) Effect of molecular packing on the exciton diffusion length in organic solar cells. Appl Phys Lett 91: 173504. doi: 10.1063/1.2783202
[21]	O'Connor B, An KH, Pipe KP, et al. (2006) Enhanced optical field intensity distribution in organic photovoltaic devices using external coatings. Appl Phys Lett 89: 233502. doi: 10.1063/1.2399937
[22]	Breyer C, Vogel M, Mohr M, et al. (2006) Influence of exciton distribution on external quantum efficiency in bilayer organic solar cells. Phys Status Solidi B 243: 3176–3180. doi: 10.1002/pssb.200669172
[23]	Chang CC, Lin CF, Chiou JM, et al. (2010) Effects of cathode buffer layers on the efficiency of bulk-heterojunction solar cells. Appl Phys Lett 96: 263506. doi: 10.1063/1.3456530
[24]	Vogel M, Doka S, Breyer C, et al. (2006) On the function of a bathocuproine buffer layer in organic photovoltaic cells. Appl Phys Lett 89: 163501. doi: 10.1063/1.2362624
[25]	Jiang X, Xu H, Yang L, et al. (2009) Effect of CsF interlayer on the performance of polymer bulk heterojunction solar cells. Sol Energ Mat Sol C 93: 650–653. doi: 10.1016/j.solmat.2009.01.005
[26]	Wang Y, Yang L, Yao C, et al. (2011) Enhanced performance and stability in polymer photovoltaic cells using lithium benzoate as cathode interfacial layer. Sol Energ Mat Sol C 95: 1243–1247. doi: 10.1016/j.solmat.2011.01.012
[27]	Abachi T, Cattin L, Louarn G, et al. (2013) Highly flexible, conductive and transparent MoO₃/Ag/MoO₃ multilayer electrode for organic photovoltaic cells. Thin Solid Films 545: 438–444. doi: 10.1016/j.tsf.2013.07.048
[28]	Zhao SH, Chang JK, Fang JJ, et al. (2013) Efficiency enhancement caused by using LiF to change electronic structures in polymer photovoltaics. Thin Solid Films 545: 361–364. doi: 10.1016/j.tsf.2013.08.061
[29]	Brabec CJ, Shaheen SE, Winder C, et al. (2002) Effect of LiF/metal electrodes on the performance of plastic solar cells. Appl Phys Lett 80: 1288–1290. doi: 10.1063/1.1446988
[30]	Zhao C, Qiao X, Chen B, et al. (2013) Thermal annealing effect on internal electrical polarization in organic solar cells. Org Electron 14: 2192–2197. doi: 10.1016/j.orgel.2013.05.016
[31]	Yazawa K, Inoue Y, Yamamoto T, et al. (2006) Twist glass transition in regioregulated poly(3-alkylthiophene). Phys Rev B 74: 094204. doi: 10.1103/PhysRevB.74.094204
[32]	Kim K, Liu J, Namboothiry MA, et al. (2007) Roles of donor and acceptor nanodomains in 6% efficient thermally annealed polymer photovoltaics. Appl Phys Lett 90: 163511. doi: 10.1063/1.2730756
[33]	Sariciftci NS, Smilowitz L, Heeger AJ, et al. (1992) Photoinduced electron transfer from a conducting polymer to buckminsterfullerene. Science 258: 1474–1476. doi: 10.1126/science.258.5087.1474
[34]	Brabec CJ, Gowrisanker S, Halls JJ, et al. (2010) Polymer-fullerene bulk-heterojunction solar cells. Adv Mater 22: 3839–3856. doi: 10.1002/adma.200903697
[35]	Park SH, Roy A, Beaupré S, et al. (2009) Bulk heterojunction solar cells with internal quantum efficiency approaching 100%. Nat Photonics 3: 297–302. doi: 10.1038/nphoton.2009.69
[36]	Shah SK, Abbas M, Ali M, et al. (2013) Optimal construction parameters of electrosprayed trilayer organic photovoltaic devices. J Phys D Appl Phys 47: 045106.
[37]	Ali M, Abbas M, Shah SK, et al. (2012) Realization of solution processed multi-layer bulk heterojunction organic solar cells by electro-spray deposition. Org Electron 13: 2130–2137. doi: 10.1016/j.orgel.2012.06.016
[38]	Pope M, Swenberg CE (1999) Electronic processes in organic crystals and polymers, Oxford University Press on Demand.
[39]	Bertho S, Janssen G, Cleij TJ, et al. (2008) Effect of temperature on the morphological and photovoltaic stability of bulk heterojunction polymer: fullerene solar cells. Sol Energ Mat Sol C 92: 753–760. doi: 10.1016/j.solmat.2008.01.006
[40]	Jørgensen M, Norrman K, Gevorgyan SA, et al. (2012) Stability of polymer solar cells. Adv Mater 24: 580–612. doi: 10.1002/adma.201104187
[41]	Hong J, Kim YJ, Kim YH, et al. (2016) Thermally Stable Dibenzo[def,mno]chrysene-Based Polymer Solar Cells: Effect of Thermal Annealing on the Morphology and Photovoltaic Performances. Macromol Chem Phys 217: 2116–2124. doi: 10.1002/macp.201600219

Reader Comments

Your name:*

Email:*
© 2017 the Author(s), licensee AIMS Press. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0)