Indium tin oxide-free and metal-free semitransparent organic solar cells

Zhou, Yinhua; Cheun, Hyeunseok; Choi, Sung-Soon; Potscavage, William J.; Fuentes-Hernández, Canek; Kippelen, Bernard

doi:10.1063/1.3499299

Cited by 141 publications

(99 citation statements)

References 25 publications

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“…Highly conductive PEDOT(PSS) dispersions have been proven to be a sustainable substitute for ITO [5][6][7] as the transparent electrode. The high work function of PEDOT(PSS) makes it a suitable anode without further modification.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Asymmetric photocurrent extraction in semitransparent laminated flexible organic solar cells

et al. 2018

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1Scalable production methods and low-cost materials with low embodied energy are key to success for organic solar cells. PEDOT (PSS) electrodes meet these criteria and allow for low-cost and all solution-processed solar cells. However, such devices are prone to shunting. In this work we introduce a roll-to-roll lamination method to construct semitransparent solar cells with a PEDOT(PSS) anode and an polyethyleneimine (PEI) modified PEDOT(PSS) cathode. We use the polymer:PCBM active layer coated on the electrodes as the lamination adhesive. Our lamination method efficiently eliminates any shunting. Extended exposure to ambient degrades the laminated devices, which manifests in a significantly reduced photocurrent extraction when the device is illuminated through the anode, despite the fact that the PEDOT(PSS) electrodes are optically equivalent. We show that degradation-induced electron traps lead to increased trap-assisted recombination at the anode side of the device. By limiting the exposure time to ambient during production, degradation is significantly reduced. We show that lamination using the active layer as the adhesive can result in device performance equal to that of conventional sequential coating.npj Flexible Electronics (2018) 2:4 ; doi:10.1038/s41528-017-0017-6 INTRODUCTIONThere is an urgent need to replace the present fossil-based energy production with sustainable energy sources. Thin-film solar cells and organic photovoltaics (OPV) in particular are technologies with a large potential to contribute to the energy transition due to very short energy payback times 1 and scalable production methods.2 The best devices approach 12% power conversion efficiency (PCE) 3 and due to improved OPV performance under low light-intensity conditions the yearly-average energy output is improved, reducing the competitive gap between OPV and silicon photovoltaics. Nevertheless, the OPV technology is not intended to compete with the high PCE of silicon-based solar cell installations but is instead targeted for entry markets that require the unique features of OPV, such as curved form factors enabled by flexible substrates, color tunability, semitransparency, low weight and the uniquely low energy payback times.To realize these advantages materials and production methods must be scalable with high throughput, such as roll-to-roll printing under ambient atmosphere. Vacuum-based processing, commonly used to deposit reflective (such as aluminum/chromium or silver) or transparent metal electrodes (indium tin oxide (ITO)), should ideally be avoided due to their high energy input.4 Indium in ITO is in addition too scarce to be a scalable alternative. Solution-processed electrodes have a significantly lower embodied energy and allow for the high speed printing needed for scalable production. To fully utilize the benefits of solution processing all layers in the device should be coated or printed.The use of semitransparent Poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene)-poly(styrenesulfonate), PEDOT(PSS) electrodes for both the anode

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Asymmetric photocurrent extraction in semitransparent laminated flexible organic solar cells

et al. 2018

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“…This electrode must be deposited when the absorber layer has already been deposited on the substrate and a nonaggressive deposition procedure needs to be used. Several different options have been considered, such as low-temperature annealed indium tin oxide (ITO), [42][43][44][45][46][47][48] a three-layer architecture combining a dielectric layer, an ultra thin metal layer, and a second dielectric layer, [49][50][51][52][53][54][55][56][57][58][59][60][61][62][63][64] PEDOT, [65][66][67] silver grid, 68 graphene, [69][70][71] carbon nanotubes, 67,72 and silver nanowires (AgNW). [73][74][75][76][77][78] However, the need for a nondestructive deposition technique for the top semi-transparent electrode is probably not the major issue that semi-transparent OPV cells must overcome before becoming an industrially viable solution.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Semi-transparent polymer solar cells

et al. 2015

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Abstract. Over the last three decades, progress in the organic photovoltaic field has resulted in some device features which make organic cells applicable in electricity generation configurations where the standard silicon-based technology is not suitable, for instance, when a semitransparent photovoltaic panel is needed. When the thin film solar cell performance is evaluated in terms of the device's visible transparency and power conversion efficiency, organic solar cells offer the most promising solution. During the last three years, research in the field has consolidated several approaches for the fabrication of high performance semi-transparent organic solar cells. We have grouped these approaches under three categories: devices where the absorber layer includes near-infrared absorption polymers, devices incorporating one-dimensional photonic crystals, and devices with a metal cavity light trapping configuration. We herein review these approaches.

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“…Apart from the processing of ITO, the material involves the very rare metal indium and possesses some less critical attributes such as brittleness and poor thermomechanical properties. There has been a significant research effort aimed at replacing ITO, and while there have been some successful laboratory reports [8][9][10][11][12] only few are directly compatible with large scale processing of Department of Energy Conversion and Storage, Technical University of Denmark, Frederiksborgvej 399, DK-4000 Roskilde, Denmark. E-mail: frkr@dtu.dk…”

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confidence: 99%

All printed transparent electrodes through an electrical switching mechanism: A convincing alternative to indium-tin-oxide, silver and vacuum

Larsen-Olsen

Søndergaard

Norrman

et al. 2012

Energy Environ. Sci.

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Here we show polymer solar cells manufactured using only printing and coating of abundant materials directly on flexible plastic substrates or barrier foil using only roll-to-roll methods. Central to the development is a particular roll-to-roll compatible post-processing step that converts the pristine and non-functional multilayercoated stack into a functional solar cell through formation of a charge selective interface, in situ, following a short electrical pulse with a high current density. After the fast post-processing step the device stack becomes active and all devices are functional with a technical yield and consistency that is compelling.

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Indium tin oxide-free and metal-free semitransparent organic solar cells

Cited by 141 publications

References 25 publications

Asymmetric photocurrent extraction in semitransparent laminated flexible organic solar cells

Asymmetric photocurrent extraction in semitransparent laminated flexible organic solar cells

Semi-transparent polymer solar cells

All printed transparent electrodes through an electrical switching mechanism: A convincing alternative to indium-tin-oxide, silver and vacuum

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