Spray‐Coated Silver Nanowires as Top Electrode Layer in Semitransparent P3HT:PCBM‐Based Organic Solar Cell Devices

Abstract

Figure 7 . Photograph of the semitransparent devices discussed in this manuscript. The performance of the device on the left is presented in Figure 5a, the EQE for the device on the right in Figure 5b and its performance in Figure 6. The high transmittance of the electrode layer makes it diffi cult to identify them, but underlines the outstanding optical properties of the NW electrode. Each substrate contains six separate devices.

Fully Solution-Processed Semitransparent Organic Solar Cells with a Silver Nanowire Cathode and a Conducting Polymer Anode

“…Despite their fully solution-processed nature, they are comparable in efficiency to previously reported semitransparent OSCs with ITO, which have been reported to have PCEs in the range 1.9 to 2.5 %. [27][28][29][30][31] The efficiencies also compare well with a very recent report by Guo et al 32 where PCEs of 2.3 % were achieved using AgNWs for both electrodes (although, in contrast to the devices described here, a ternary-blend of P3HT, …”

“…14,[18][19][20] Several groups have tested solution-deposited AgNW films in OSCs, using them as a bottom or a top electrode, and frequently achieving comparable PCEs to equivalent ITO-based devices. [21][22][23][24][25][26][27] Virtually all devices reported to date, however, have used ITO or a thermally evaporated metal as the counter electrode, with a consequent need for vacuum processing during fabrication. The development of fully solution-processed devices, fabricated at plastic-compatible temperatures, would greatly enhance the industrial viability of OSC technology.…”

Semi-transparent polymer solar cells

“…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. Indeed, when the top electrode of an OPV cell is made semi-transparent, the capacity of the solar device to trap the electromagnetic field in the absorber layer diminishes.…”

Influence of Physical Load on the Stability of Organic Solar Cells with Polymer : Fullerene Bulk Heterojunction Nanolayers

“…A thermal annealing method has been proposed for crystalline polymerbased BHJ systems [20][21][22][23][24][25][26][27][28][29][30][31][32][33][34][35][36] , while an additive method is currently used for less-crystalline (amorphous) polymer-based BHJ layers [37][38][39][40][41][42][43][44][45][46][47] . However, it is doubtable that such an optimized BHJ layer (system) can withstand external physical loads such as pressing, hitting, rubbing and the like when it comes to the fullerene nano-domains dispersed in the polymer:fullerene mixture structures.…”