Improved high-efficiency organic solar cells via incorporation of a conjugated polyelectrolyte interlayer

Jung Hwa Seo; Andrea Gutacker; Yanming Sun; Hongbin Wu; Fei Huang; Yong Cao; Ullrich Scherf; Alan J. Heeger; Guillermo C. Bazan

doi:10.1021/ja2037673

Improved high-efficiency organic solar cells via incorporation of a conjugated polyelectrolyte interlayer

Jung Hwa Seo, Andrea Gutacker, Yanming Sun, Hongbin Wu, Fei Huang, Yong Cao, Ullrich Scherf, Alan J. Heeger, Guillermo C. Bazan

Department of Physics

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

560 Scopus citations

Abstract

The power conversion efficiencies of bulk heterojunction (BHJ) solar cells can be increased from 5 to 6.5% by incorporating an ultrathin conjugated polyelectrolyte (CPE) layer between the active layer and the metal cathode. Poly[N-9′′-heptadecanyl-2,7-carbazole-alt-5,5-(4′, 7′-di-2-thienyl-2′,1′,3′-benzothiadiazole)] (PCDTBT) and [6,6]-phenyl C₇₁ butyric acid methyl ester (PC₇₁BM) were chosen for the photoactive layer. CPEs with cationic polythiophenes, in both homopolymer and block copolymer configurations, were used to improve the electronic characteristics. The significant improvement in device performance and the simplicity of fabrication by solution processing suggest a promising and practical pathway for improving polymer solar cells with high efficiencies.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	8416-8419
Number of pages	4
Journal	Journal of the American Chemical Society
Volume	133
Issue number	22
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1021/ja2037673
State	Published - 8 Jun 2011

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abstract = "The power conversion efficiencies of bulk heterojunction (BHJ) solar cells can be increased from 5 to 6.5% by incorporating an ultrathin conjugated polyelectrolyte (CPE) layer between the active layer and the metal cathode. Poly[N-9′′-heptadecanyl-2,7-carbazole-alt-5,5-(4′, 7′-di-2-thienyl-2′,1′,3′-benzothiadiazole)] (PCDTBT) and [6,6]-phenyl C71 butyric acid methyl ester (PC71BM) were chosen for the photoactive layer. CPEs with cationic polythiophenes, in both homopolymer and block copolymer configurations, were used to improve the electronic characteristics. The significant improvement in device performance and the simplicity of fabrication by solution processing suggest a promising and practical pathway for improving polymer solar cells with high efficiencies.",

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AU - Seo, Jung Hwa

AU - Gutacker, Andrea

AU - Sun, Yanming

AU - Wu, Hongbin

AU - Huang, Fei

AU - Cao, Yong

AU - Scherf, Ullrich

AU - Heeger, Alan J.

AU - Bazan, Guillermo C.

PY - 2011/6/8

Y1 - 2011/6/8

N2 - The power conversion efficiencies of bulk heterojunction (BHJ) solar cells can be increased from 5 to 6.5% by incorporating an ultrathin conjugated polyelectrolyte (CPE) layer between the active layer and the metal cathode. Poly[N-9′′-heptadecanyl-2,7-carbazole-alt-5,5-(4′, 7′-di-2-thienyl-2′,1′,3′-benzothiadiazole)] (PCDTBT) and [6,6]-phenyl C71 butyric acid methyl ester (PC71BM) were chosen for the photoactive layer. CPEs with cationic polythiophenes, in both homopolymer and block copolymer configurations, were used to improve the electronic characteristics. The significant improvement in device performance and the simplicity of fabrication by solution processing suggest a promising and practical pathway for improving polymer solar cells with high efficiencies.

AB - The power conversion efficiencies of bulk heterojunction (BHJ) solar cells can be increased from 5 to 6.5% by incorporating an ultrathin conjugated polyelectrolyte (CPE) layer between the active layer and the metal cathode. Poly[N-9′′-heptadecanyl-2,7-carbazole-alt-5,5-(4′, 7′-di-2-thienyl-2′,1′,3′-benzothiadiazole)] (PCDTBT) and [6,6]-phenyl C71 butyric acid methyl ester (PC71BM) were chosen for the photoactive layer. CPEs with cationic polythiophenes, in both homopolymer and block copolymer configurations, were used to improve the electronic characteristics. The significant improvement in device performance and the simplicity of fabrication by solution processing suggest a promising and practical pathway for improving polymer solar cells with high efficiencies.

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Improved high-efficiency organic solar cells via incorporation of a conjugated polyelectrolyte interlayer

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