Ultra-Flexible Organic Solar Cell Based on Indium-Zinc-Tin Oxide Transparent Electrode for Power Source of Wearable Devices

Abstract

We have developed a novel structure of ultra-flexible organic photovoltaics (UFOPVs) for application as a power source for wearable devices with excellent biocompatibility and flexibility. Parylene was applied as an ultra-flexible substrate through chemical vapor deposition. Indium-zinc-tin oxide (IZTO) thin film was used as a transparent electrode. The sputtering target composed of 70 at.% In2O3-15 at.% ZnO-15 at.% SnO2 was used. It was fabricated at room temperature, using pulsed DC magnetron sputtering, with an amorphous structure. UFOPVs, in which a 1D grating pattern was introduced into the hole-transport and photoactive layers were fabricated, showed a 13.6% improvement (maximum power conversion efficiency (PCE): 8.35%) compared to the reference device, thereby minimizing reliance on the incident angle of the light. In addition, after 1000 compression/relaxation tests with a compression strain of 33%, the PCE of the UFOPVs maintained a maximum of 93.3% of their initial value.

Organic Solar Cells Improved by Optically Resonant Silicon Nanoparticles

“…Organic solar cells (OSCs) are a prospective class of devices owing to their solution fabrication techniques, high stability, and ability to be flexible, semitransparent, or even colorful, which is important for building-integrated and wearable photovoltaics [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 ]. Although the harvesting efficiency of OSCs is constantly increasing, there are still many issues that have to be addressed before commercialization [ 5 ].…”

Improved mechanical stability of indium zinc tin oxide based flexible transparent electrode through interlayer treatment

“…[12][13][14][15] Later various alternative TCO materials, such as indium zinc oxide (IZO), zinc indium tin oxide (ZITO), indium tin zinc oxide (ITZO), and indium zinc tin oxide (IZTO) have been tried to overcome the issues faced while using ITO as flexible electrodes. [16][17][18][19][20] Among those TCO materials, IZTO films have exhibited a great potential for use as the transparent anode material in various flexible transparent electronic devices owing to its high transparency, lower sheet resistance, high work function (6.1 eV), and lower processing temperature value. 20 Recently, Heo et al reported a utilization of IZTO film as a transparent electrode of a flexible organic solar cell that exhibited a maximum of 93.3% of its initial power conversion efficiency (PCE) value after bending it a 1000 times (i.e., compression and relaxation tests).…”

“…[16][17][18][19][20] Among those TCO materials, IZTO films have exhibited a great potential for use as the transparent anode material in various flexible transparent electronic devices owing to its high transparency, lower sheet resistance, high work function (6.1 eV), and lower processing temperature value. 20 Recently, Heo et al reported a utilization of IZTO film as a transparent electrode of a flexible organic solar cell that exhibited a maximum of 93.3% of its initial power conversion efficiency (PCE) value after bending it a 1000 times (i.e., compression and relaxation tests). 20 Further, the same group has developed ultra-flexible OPVs with lowtemperature deposited IZTO on a cyclic polymer substrate.…”

Investigation of Dye Dopant Influence on Electrooptical and Morphology Properties of Polymeric Acceptor Matrix Dedicated for Ternary Organic Solar Cells

“…Organic photovoltaics (OPV) has been developing in recent years due to its cost, solution processibility, semi-transparency, mechanical flexibility, light weight, and has become increasingly interesting for technology [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]. The possibility of application in wearable systems, connection to IOT (Internet of Things) and powering personal devices [ 4 , 5 , 6 ] as well as the hope for the use of organic cells in space [ 7 ], causes substantial popularity of the organic photovoltaic.…”