A New Architecture for Transparent Electrodes: Relieving the Trade‐Off Between Electrical Conductivity and Optical Transmittance

Abstract

A novel architecture with high‐aspect‐ratio nanoscale metallic periodic patterns is fabricated as transparent electrodes. The structure shows high visible light transmission and has superior electrical conductivity compared to standard indium tin oxide (ITO) coated glass. A proof‐of‐principle organic photovoltaic device is successfully fabricated with the electrode.

Photonic crystal: energy-related applications

“…[43][44][45] Furthermore a new photonic-crystal architecture of high-aspect metal grating or mesh structures was proposed and demonstrated to decouple the trade off between high optical transmittance and high electrical conductivity. 47,48 In addition, such metallic PCs have high reflectance in IR which can be used as heat-blocking mirrors. IR reflection prevents unnecessary heating of the devices and improves device performance and lifetime.…”

“…48 not only matches and outperforms ITO in its transparency and conductivity, respectively, but can additionally enhance light absorption in organic photovoltaic (OPV) cells for both polarizations. A P3HT:PCBM-based OPV cell was simulated to illustrate the field enhancements produced by a high-aspect-ratio silver grating similar to the one reported in Ref.…”

Photonic crystal: energy-related applications

“…8), making the structures visibly transparent and suitable for display and imaging devices. 48 To demonstrate ITO-free large-area and low-cost TEs, high-aspect metallic grating structures were fabricated using 50-by-50-cm nano-imprinted PU. The TEs showed high transmission even though the incidence angle is large up to 70 deg.…”

“…A P3HT:PCBM-based OPV cell was simulated to illustrate the field enhancements produced by a high-aspect-ratio silver grating similar to the one reported in Ref. 48. A remarkable ten-folds-high peak light-absorption enhancement at specific wavelengths and a ∼23% broadband enhancement were expected using the design, when compared to an ordinary cell using a 150-nm-thick ITO-coated glass as the transparent electrode.…”

Metal-nanowall grating transparent electrodes: Achieving high optical transmittance at high incident angles with minimal diffraction

“…Recently, we reported a new architecture consisting of transparent nanoscale high aspectratio metallic photonic structures fabricated via a combination of processes, including soft lithography, oblique angle metal deposition and argon plasma ion etching [19]. The optical and electrical properties of these structures were characterized and evaluated to determine their applicability as transparent electrodes.…”