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High efficiency polymer solar cells with vertically modulated nanoscale morphology

Ankit Kumar1, Gang Li2, Ziruo Hong1 and Yang Yang1,2

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Nanoscale morphology has been shown to be a critical parameter governing charge transport properties of polymer bulk heterojunction (BHJ) solar cells. Recent results on vertical phase separation have intensified the research on 3D morphology control. In this paper, we intend to modify the distribution of donors and acceptors in a classical BHJ polymer solar cell by making the active layer richer in donors and acceptors near the anode and cathode respectively. Here, we chose [6,6]-phenyl- C61-butyric acid methyl ester (PCBM) to be the acceptor material to be thermally deposited on top of [poly(3-hexylthiophene)] P3HT: the PCBM active layer to achieve a vertical composition gradient in the BHJ structure. Here we report on a solar cell with enhanced power conversion efficiency of 4.5% which can be directly correlated with the decrease in series resistance of the device.


PACS

84.60.Jt Photoelectric conversion: solar cells and arrays

81.05.Lg Polymers and plastics; rubber; synthetic and natural fibers; organometallic and organic materials

64.75.-g Phase equilibria

81.07.-b Nanoscale materials and structures: fabrication and characterization

61.46.-w Structure of nanoscale materials

Subjects

Soft matter, liquids and polymers

Electronics and devices

Nanoscale science and low-D systems

Condensed matter: structural, mechanical & thermal

Dates

Issue 16 (22 April 2009)

Received 19 January 2009, in final form 26 February 2009

Published 31 March 2009



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