Transparent and conductive electrodes based on unpatterned, thin metal films

O’Connor, Brendan; Haughn, Chelsea R.; An, Kwang Hyup; Pipe, Kevin P.; Shtein, Max

doi:10.1063/1.3028046

Cited by 202 publications

(159 citation statements)

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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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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Semi-transparent polymer solar cells

et al. 2015

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“…Based on the electrode structure, there are two types of TCEs: Type I is based on continuous films such as ITO, aluminum-doped zinc oxide (AZO), novel oxide, metal thin films, large-area graphene and conducting polymers. At T ¼ 90%, R s values for good ITO are 5-20 O sq À 1 , for graphene 30-1,000 O sq À 1 and for conducting polymers 100-450 O sq À 1 , respectively 4,10,[24][25][26][27][28][29][30] . Type II is based on networks of onedimensional (1D) nanomaterials including CNTs, graphene nanoribbons, metal nanowires and nanowires of oxides and other compounds.…”

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confidence: 99%

Performance enhancement of metal nanowire transparent conducting electrodes by mesoscale metal wires

et al. 2013

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For transparent conducting electrodes in optoelectronic devices, electrical sheet resistance and optical transmittance are two of the main criteria. Recently, metal nanowires have been demonstrated to be a promising type of transparent conducting electrode because of low sheet resistance and high transmittance. Here we incorporate a mesoscale metal wire (1-5 mm in diameter) into metal nanowire transparent conducting electrodes and demonstrate at least a one order of magnitude reduction in sheet resistance at a given transmittance. We realize experimentally a hybrid of mesoscale and nanoscale metal nanowires with high performance, including a sheet resistance of 0.36 O sq À 1 and transmittance of 92%. In addition, the mesoscale metal wires are applied to a wide range of transparent conducting electrodes including conducting polymers and oxides with improvement up to several orders of magnitude. The metal mesowires can be synthesized by electrospinning methods and their general applicability opens up opportunities for many transparent conducting electrode applications.

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“…1(c). Accordingly, semitransparent Ag film is considered the best combination of optical and conductive aspects in optoelectronic devices [13]. The overall %T of 15 nm in the Ag films is more than 40%, which is higher than the transmittance values of other thin metals, indicating that a thin Ag electrode is a fitting candidate for a semitransparent electrode at visible wavelengths.…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Although a smaller photo-generated current of a semitransparent OPV device is mainly influenced from the lesser reflectivity of metal electrodes [5], an unfavorable increment in the R s of an OPV device employing a 10-nm Ag electrode is possibly involved in a low charge collection efficiency with smaller FF. It has been reported that thin metal films have exhibited low conductivity owing to electron scattering and the formation of remaining voids [13], [15].…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Transparent conducting oxides, conducting polymers, carbon nanotubes, metal nanowires, graphene, thin metals, and combinations of these materials have been introduced in OPV devices with improving efficiencies [4], [7]- [13]. Conducting polymers, metal nanowires, and thin metals have shown desirable compatibility with organic photoactive layers.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Thin Metal Electrodes for Semitransparent Organic Photovoltaics

Lee¹

2013

ETRI J

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We demonstrate semitransparent organic photovoltaics (OPVs) based on thin metal electrodes and polymer photoactive layers consisting of poly(3-hexylthiophene) and [6,6]-phenyl C 61 butyric acid methyl ester. The power conversion efficiency of a semitransparent OPV device comprising a 15-nm silver (Ag) rear electrode is 1.98% under AM 1.5-G illumination through the indium-tinoxide side of the front anode at 100 mW/cm 2 with 15.6% average transmittance of the entire cell in the visible wavelength range. As its thickness increases, a thin Ag electrode mainly influences the enhancement of the short circuit current density and fill factor. Its relatively low absorption intensity makes a Ag thin film a viable option for semitransparent electrodes compatible with organic layers.Keywords: Thin metal electrodes, semitransparent, organic photovoltaics. Manuscript received Dec. 13, 2012; revised June 11, 2013; accepted June 19, 2013 I. IntroductionOrganic photovoltaic (OPV) cells are promising candidates for various power generating applications, and their recent progress shows ascending power conversion efficiency (PCE) of up to 10.6% based on a tandem structure [1]. It is thought that the manufacturing processes of OPV cells are more costeffective than those of crystalline silicon solar cells and inorganic thin film solar cells by minimizing the vacuum deposition process [1]- [3]. The flexibility of substrates using plastic films, stainless steel foil, and even paper is also considered a unique advantage of OPV devices [3], [4]. The ultra-thinness and absorption band tunability of OPV photoactive layers enable the development of transparent and colorful PV products for power-generating windows of building-integrated photovoltaics and automatic vehicles [5]- [9].To enhance the transparency of OPV electrodes for various applications, different approaches have been reported. Transparent conducting oxides, conducting polymers, carbon nanotubes, metal nanowires, graphene, thin metals, and combinations of these materials have been introduced in OPV devices with improving efficiencies [4], [7]-[13]. Conducting polymers, metal nanowires, and thin metals have shown desirable compatibility with organic photoactive layers. However, consecutive solution-processed electrodes on polymer layers might result in the dissolution of bottom photoactive layers or provide differences in wettability between polymers and electrode materials [10]. In this study, thin metal electrodes as top cathodes are investigated to achieve higher PCE of semitransparent OPV devices without solvent damage or a wettability issue of the bottom organic layers. The current density-voltage (J-V) characteristics are obtained using a source measure unit under AM 1.5-G illumination through the ITO side of the front anode at 100 mW/cm 2 . The device fabrication steps and J-V measurements of the OPV devices are processed in nitrogen glove boxes. Their external quantum efficiencies (EQEs) and internal quantum efficiencies (IQEs) are evaluated in air at wavelengths of 35...

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Transparent and conductive electrodes based on unpatterned, thin metal films

Cited by 202 publications

References 31 publications

Semi-transparent polymer solar cells

Semi-transparent polymer solar cells

Performance enhancement of metal nanowire transparent conducting electrodes by mesoscale metal wires

Thin Metal Electrodes for Semitransparent Organic Photovoltaics

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