Polymer Solar Cells with 90% External Quantum Efficiency Featuring an Ideal Light‐ and Charge‐Manipulation Layer

Abstract

Rapid progress in the power conversion efficiency (PCE) of polymer solar cells (PSEs) is beneficial from the factors that match the irradiated solar spectrum, maximize incident light absorption, and reduce photogenerated charge recombination. To optimize the device efficiency, a nanopatterned ZnO:Al O composite film is presented as an efficient light- and charge-manipulation layer (LCML). The Al O shells on the ZnO nanoparticles offer the passivation effect that allows optimal electron collection by suppressing charge-recombination loss. Both the increased refractive index and the patterned deterministic aperiodic nanostructure in the ZnO:Al O LCML cause broadband light harvesting. Highly efficient single-junction PSCs for different binary blends are obtained with a peak external quantum efficiency of up to 90%, showing certified PCEs of 9.69% and 13.03% for a fullerene blend of PTB7:PC BM and a nonfullerene blend, FTAZ:IDIC, respectively. Because of the substantial increase in efficiency, this method unlocks the full potential of the ZnO:Al O LCML toward future photovoltaic applications.

Light Management in Organic Photovoltaics Processed in Ambient Conditions Using ZnO Nanowire and Antireflection Layer with Nanocone Array

“…Polymer semiconductors suffer from low mobilities and short diffusion lengths as compared to other types of semiconductors, which limits the active layer thickness and the light absorption. Therefore, optimizing the structure of an OPV is a promising approach toward enhanced light absorption and carrier collection . For example, it has been shown that by introducing a buffer layer between the active layer and electrodes, it is possible to modify the band alignment and reduce the undesired charge carrier recombination sites .…”

A small molecular electron acceptor based on asymmetric hexacyclic core of thieno[1,2- b ]indaceno[5,6- b ′]thienothiophene for efficient fullerene-free polymer solar cells

“…Beside the optimization in the side chains and the end groups, researchers also try to change the fused ring to investigate the effect of conjugation length on the properties of this kind of acceptors. By decreasing the conjugation length of D part to pentacyclic rings, many SMAs such as IC-1IDT-IC [23], IDIC [23,24] and CO5IC [25], were reported with PCEs of 7.39% (PDBT-T1: IC-1IDT-IC), 11.03% (PTFBDT-BZS: IDIC) and 7.49% (PBDB-T: CO5IC) respectively. Furthermore, IHIC [26] and IHIC1 [27] with hexacyclic middle part achieved PCEs of 9.77% (IHIC with PTB7-Th) and 9.21% (IHIC1 paired with FTAZ).…”

Mechanically Tunable Bilayer Composite Grating for Unique Light Manipulation and Information Storage

“…Precise manipulation of light propagation is highly desired in information technology, high power lasers, sensing, and even in light‐harvesting/optical trapping systems . However, such manipulation is highly challenging.…”