The roles of poly(ethylene oxide) electrode buffers in efficient polymer photovoltaics

Jun Yuan Jeng, Ming Wei Lin, Yao Jane Hsu, Ten Chin Wen, Tzung Fang Guo

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

28 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

The role of poly(ethylene oxide) polymer is investigated as an effective buffer with Al electrodes to markedly improve the electrode interface and enhance the open-circuit voltage ( V OC) and the power conversion efficiency ( PCE,η) of poly(3-hexylthiophene) (P3HT):[6,6]-phenyl C61-butyric acid methyl ester (PCBM)-based bulk-heterojunction ( BHJ ) solar cells. A unique process is developed by thermally co-evaporating the poly(ethylene glycol) dimethyl ether (PEGDE, Mn ca. 2000) polymer with Al metal simultaneously at different ratios in vacuum (10 -6Torr) to prepare the electrode buffers. The instant formation of a carbide-like junction at the ethylene oxide/Al interface during the thermal evaporation is of essential importance to the extraction of electrons through the Al electrode. The performance of P3HT:PCBM-based solar cells can be optimized by modulating the co-evaporation ratios of the PEGDE polymer with Al metal due to the changes in the work functions of the electrodes. The V OC and η for devices fabricated with Al electrode are 0.44 V and 1.64%, respectively, and significantly improve to 0.58 V and 4.00% when applying the PEGDE:Al(2:1)/Al electrode. This research leads to a novel electrode design - free of salts, additives, complicated syntheses, and having tunable work function - for fabricating high-performance photovoltaic cells.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)1192-1198
Number of pages7
JournalAdvanced Energy Materials
Volume1
Issue number6
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 2011 Nov

All Science Journal Classification (ASJC) codes

  • Renewable Energy, Sustainability and the Environment
  • General Materials Science

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