Theoretical design of multi-colored semi-transparent organic solar cells with both efficient color filtering and light harvesting

Abstract

Solar cells incorporated with multi-coloring capability not only offer an aesthetic solution to bridge the gap between solar modules and building decorations but also open up the possibility for self-powered colorful display. In this paper, we proposed a multi-colored semi-transparent organic solar cells (TOSCs) design containing metallic nanostructures with the both high color purity and efficiency based on theoretical considerations. By employing guided mode resonance effect, the multi-colored TOSC behave like an efficient color filter that selectively transmits light with the desired wavelengths and generates electricity with light of other wavelengths. Broad range of coloring and luminosity adjusting for the transmission light can be achieved by simply tuning the period and the duty cycle of the metallic nanostructures. Furthermore, accompanying with the efficient color filtering characteristics, the optical absorption of TOSCs was improved due to the marked suppression of transmission loss at the off-resonance wavelengths and the increased light trapping in TOSCs. The mechanisms of the light guiding in photoactive layer and broadband backward scattering from the metallic nanostructures were identified to make an essential contribution to the improved light-harvesting. By enabling efficient color control and high efficiency simultaneously, this approach holds great promise for future versatile photovoltaic energy utilization.

Semitransparent Blue, Green, and Red Organic Solar Cells Using Color Filtering Electrodes

“…

protocols that tailor the absorption spectrum of the active material. This implies that the short-circuit current density, which is largely a function of the optical absorption, must be higher for a CF-integrated OPV compared to a transparent OPV, under the condition that the two devices show similar peak transmission efficiencies.The use of photonic structures as optical filters in OPVs or inorganic solar cells has been previously reported in the form of distributed Bragg reflectors, [7][8][9] photonic arrays, [10][11][12] and plasmonic resonators. Their use has also resulted in varied performances among devices of different colors, adding to the difficulty for practical implementation.

…”

“…The use of photonic structures as optical filters in OPVs or inorganic solar cells has been previously reported in the form of distributed Bragg reflectors, [7][8][9] photonic arrays, [10][11][12] and plasmonic resonators. [13][14][15] While such filters enable various colors to be transmitted or reflected through tuning of the characteristic dimension of the filter components, in many cases they suffer from increased fabrication costs and duration because of the structural complexity.…”

Nanophotonic Image Sensors

“…Therefore, it is applied as narrowband wavelength filter and demonstrates color tunability with the vision angle. Usually, dielectric and metallic gratings are used for reflective and transmissive filters, respectively . As shown in Figure d, red (R), green (G) and blue (R) filters can be obtained by tuning the metallic grating period.…”

“…Although GMR filters have both high transmittances and color purity, the angular sensitivity may hamper their applications in imaging . Metallic nanohole array color filters is easy to be used as electrodes and therefore may be integrated into active devices to make it tunable or multifunctional . Considering the application in ISs, the integration is another criterion.…”

High Chromaticity Aluminum Plasmonic Pixels for Active Liquid Crystal Displays

“…[2][3][4] Previously, semiconducting quantum dots with their quantum confinement-based luminescence were initially incorporated into existing display technology, 5,6 but currently a variety of novel plasmon-based coloration schemes are in rapid development. To date, gold, 7 silver, [8][9][10] and aluminum [11][12][13][14][15][16] nanostructures have shown significant potential in coloration-based applications. In particular, aluminum in nanostructured form has received much recent attention for several reasons: its plasmon resonance is tunable across the entire visible wavelength range, it is an inherently low-cost, sustainable material, and it is compatible with complementary metal-oxide semiconductor (CMOS) manufacturing techniques.…”