Solar cells based on a polymer blend with a maximum external quantum efficiency of 52 % and a power conversion efficiency of 1.5 %

Proceedings of SPIE - The International Society for Optical Engineering

Volumn 5938, Issue , 2005, Pages 1-7

  Veenstra, Sjoerd C ^a,b   Smaal, Wiljan ^a,b   Slooff, Lenneke ^a,b   Kroon, Jan M ^a,b   Koetse, Marc M ^a,b   Sweelssen, Jörgen ^a,b   Hoekerd, Kornel ^a,b   Schoo, Herman F M ^a,b  

^a TNO   (Netherlands)

^b DUTCH POLYMER INSTITUTE DPI   (Netherlands)

Author keywords

Bulk heterojunction; Conjugated polymers; n type polymer; Polymer blend; Polymeric photovoltaics

Indexed keywords

HETEROJUNCTIONS; ORGANIC POLYMERS; OXIDATION; PHOTOVOLTAIC CELLS; POLYMER BLENDS; QUANTUM EFFICIENCY;

ELECTRON ACCEPTORS; N-TYPE POLYMERS; POLYMERIC PHOTOVOLTAICS;

SOLAR CELLS;

EID: 31744447434     PISSN: 0277786X     EISSN: None     Source Type: Conference Proceeding    
DOI: 10.1117/12.616308     Document Type: Conference Paper

References (25)

1. For an overview of the field see the following journals with special issues on organic photovoltaics: Sol. Energy Mater. Sol. Cells, 83, 125-321, 2004, Ed. by F.C. Krebs;
2. MRS Bull., 30, 10-52, 2005, Ed. by S.E Shaheen, D.S. Ginley, G.E. Jabbour.
3. G. Yu, J. Gao, J. C. Hummelen, F. Wudl, A. J. Heeger, "Polymer photovoltaic cells: enhanced efficiencies via a network of internal donor-acceptor heterojunctions", Science, 270, 1789-1791, 1995.
4. C. J. Brabec, "Organic photovoltaics: technology and market", Sol. Energy Mater. Sol. Cells, 83, 273-292, 2004.
5. M. M. Wienk, J. M. Kroon, W. J. H. Verhees, J. Knol, J. C. Hummelen, P. A. van Hal, R. A. J. Janssen, "Efficient Methano[70]fullerene/MDMO-PPV Bulk Heterojunction Photovoltaic Cells", Angew. Chem. Int. Ed., 42, 3371-3375, 2003.
6. K. M. Coakley, Y. Liu, M. D. McGehee, K. M. Frindell, G. D. Stucky, "Infiltrating semiconducting polymers into self-assembled mesoporous titania films for photovoltaic applications", Adv. Funct. Mater., 13, 301-306, 2003.
7. W. J. E. Beek, M. M. Wienk, R. A. J. Janssen, "Efficient hybrid solar cells from zinc oxide nanoparticles and a conjugated polymer", Adv. Mat., 16, 1009-1013, 2004.
8. B. Sun, H. J. Snaith, A. S. Dhoot, S. Westenhoff, N. C. Greenham, "Vertically segregated hybrid blends for photovoltaic devices with improved efficiency", J. Appl. Phys., 97, 014914/1-014914/6, 2005.
9. Halls, J. J. M.; Walsh, C. A.; Greenham, N. C.; Marseglia, E. A.; Friend, R. H.; Moratti, S. C.; Holmes, A. B., "Efficient photodiodes from interpenetrating polymer networks", Nature, 376, 498-500, 1995.
10. G. Yu, A. J. Heeger, "Charge separation and photovoltaic conversion in polymer composites with internal donor/acceptor heterojunctions", J. Appl. Phys., 78, 4510-4514, 1995.
11. A. J. Breeze, Z. Schlesinger, S. A. Carter, H. Tillmann, H.-H. Hörhold, "Improving power efficiencies in polymer - polymer blend photovoltaics", Sol. Energy Mater. Sol. Cells, 83, 263-271, 2004.
12. S. C. Veenstra, W. J. H. Verhees, J. M. Kroon, M. M. Koetse, J. Sweelssen, J. J. A. M. Bastiaansen, H. F. M. Schoo, X. Yang, A. Alexeev, J. Loos, U. S. Schubert, M. M. Wienk, "Photovoltaic properties of a conjugated polymer blend of MDMO-PPV and PCNEPV", Chem. Mater., 16, 2503-2508, 2004.
13. J. Loos, X. Yang, M. M. Koetse, J. Sweelssen, H. F. M. Schoo, S. C. Veenstra, W. Grogger, G. Kothleitner, F. Hofer," Morphology Determination of Functional Poly[2-methoxy-5-(3,7-dimethyloctyloxy)-1,4-phenylenevinylene]/ Poly[oxa-1,4-phenylene-1,2-(1-cyanovinylene)-2-methoxy,5-(3,7-dimethyloctyloxy) -1,4-phenylene-1,2-(2-cyanovinylene)-1,4-phenylene] Blends as Used for All-Polymer Solar Cells", J. Appl. polym Sci, 97, 1001-1007, 2005.
14. D.-H. Hwang, N. S. Cho, B.-J. Jung, H.-K. Shim, J.-I. Lee, L.-M. Do, T. Zyung, "Band gap tuning of new light emitting conjugated polymers", Opt. Mater., 21, 199-203, 2002;
15. S. Beaupré, M. Leclec, "Optical and Electrical Properties of π-Conjugated Polymers Based on Electron-Rich 3,6-Dimethoxy-9,9- dihexylfluorene Unit", Macromolecules, 36, 8986-8991, 2003;
16. P. Wagner, P.-H. Aubert, L. Lutsen, D. Vanderzande, "Conjugated polymers based on new thienylene - PPV derivatives for solar cell applications", Electrochem. Commun., 4, 912-916, 2002.
17. N.S. Cho, D.H. Hwang, B.J. Jung, E. Lim, J. Lee, and H.K. Shim, "Synthesis, Characterization, and Electroluminescence of New Conjugated Polyfluorene Derivatives Containing Various Dyes as Comonomers", Macromolecules, 37, 5265-5273, 2004.
18. J. M. Kroon, M. M. Wienk, W. J. H. Verhees, J. C. Hummelen, "Accurate efficiency determination and stability studies of conjugated polymer/fullerene solar cells", Thin Solid Films, 403-404, 223-228, 2002.
19. Another way to increase the absorption of the cell would be by using an increased layer thickness of the polymer blend. However, increasing the layer thickness did not yield better devices: either the short-circuit current did not increase or was compensated by a decreasing fill factor.
20. J. J. M. Halls, J. Cornil, D. A. dos Santos, R. Silbey, D.-H. Hwang, J. L. Brédas, R. H. Friend, "Charge- and energy-transfer processes at polymer/polymer interfaces: A joint experimental and theoretical study", Phys. Rev. B, 60, 5721-5727, 1999.
21. ΔLUMO represents the difference in LUMO levels (0.45eV)
22. In recent papers, it is shown that the system is more complicated. Nevertheless, the fact that charge transfer is energetically favorable is a strong indication that this system is a candidate for photovoltaic applications. See for example: A. C. Morteani, P. Sreearunothai, L. H. Hertz, R. H. Friend, C. Silva, "Exciton Regeneration at Polymeric Semiconductor Heterojunctions", Phys. Rev. Lett., 92, 247402/1-247402/4, 2004.
23. T. Offermans, P.A. van Hal, S.C.J.Meskers, M.M. Koetse, R.A. Janssen, "Exciplex dynamics in a blend of π-conjugated polymers with electron donating and accepting properties: MDMO-PPV and PCNEPV", accepted for publication in Phys. Rev. B.
24. F. Padinger, R.S. Rittberger, N.S. Sariciftci, "Effects of Postproduction Treatment on Plastic Solar Cells", Adv. Funct. Mater., 13, 85-88, 2003.
25. α, with α = 0.93.