Characteristics of organic solar cells with various cathodes and n-type organic semiconductors

Jay Chang, Hong Long Cheng, Shyh Jiun Liu, Szu Yu Lin, Fu Ching Tang, Jen Sue Chen, Steve Lien Chung Hsu, Yu Jen Wang, Wei Yang Chou

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceedingConference contribution

Abstract

The influence of the cathode electrode on the characteristics of pentacene/perylene derivatives based organic solar cells was analysed by means of absorption, photoluminescence, and X-ray spectroscopies. We report the characteristics of a series of organic solar cells fabricated with Al, Ag, and Au electrodes for the interface between metals and organic semiconductors, which play a central role in the physics of organic solar cells. Donor and acceptor layers of a solar cell were pentacene and N,N′-dioctyl-3,4,9,10- perylenetetracarboxylic diimide (PTCDI-8C) and N,N′-ditridecyl-3,4,9,10- perylene-tetracarboxylic diimide (PTCDI-13C) respectively. Two organic solar cells with pentacene/PTCDI-8C and pentacene/PTCDI-13C heterojunctions as active layers were fabricated to compare the influence of power conversion efficiency among perylene derivatives with various numbers of carbon molecules by means of J-V measurements. Under the sunlight simulator with an AM1.5G filter and power of 100 mW/cm2, the solar cells of the pentacene/PTCDI-13C heterojunction with the Ag cathode had J-V characteristics of short-circuit current density of 0.415 mA/cm2, open-circuit voltage of 0.413 V, fill factor of 0.55, and power conversion efficiency of 0.1%, which were better than those of the pentacene/PTCDI-8C heterojunction. Moreover, according to the thin film analysis, the PTCDI-13C thin film's excitons at the interface of the heterojunction for dissociation were more, and the probability of radiative recombination of the electron-hole pair was less than for the PTCDI-8C. The PTCDI-13C thin-film possessed better carrier mobility than PTCDI-8C. Therefore, we could conclude that the factors mentioned above are keys to the pentacene/PTCDI-13C-based solar cells' better power conversion efficiency. The carrier transportation mechanism of these solar cells is discussed clearly.

Original languageEnglish
Title of host publicationPhotovoltaic Cell and Module Technologies II
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 2008
EventPhotovoltaic Cell and Module Technologies II - San Diego, CA, United States
Duration: 2008 Aug 102008 Aug 11

Publication series

NameProceedings of SPIE - The International Society for Optical Engineering
Volume7045
ISSN (Print)0277-786X

Other

OtherPhotovoltaic Cell and Module Technologies II
Country/TerritoryUnited States
CitySan Diego, CA
Period08-08-1008-08-11

All Science Journal Classification (ASJC) codes

  • Electronic, Optical and Magnetic Materials
  • Condensed Matter Physics
  • Computer Science Applications
  • Applied Mathematics
  • Electrical and Electronic Engineering

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