Title: Architectures and criteria for the design of high efficiency organic photovoltaic cells

Abstract

An organic photovoltaic cell includes an anode and a cathode, and a plurality of organic semiconductor layers between the anode and the cathode. At least one of the anode and the cathode is transparent. Each two adjacent layers of the plurality of organic semiconductor layers are in direct contact. The plurality of organic semiconductor layers includes an intermediate layer consisting essentially of a photoconductive material, and two sets of at least three layers. A first set of at least three layers is between the intermediate layer and the anode. Each layer of the first set consists essentially of a different organic semiconductor material having a higher LUMO and a higher HOMO, relative to the material of an adjacent layer of the plurality of organic semiconductor layers closer to the cathode. A second set of at least three layers is between the intermediate layer and the cathode. Each layer of the second set consists essentially of a different organic semiconductor material having a lower LUMO and a lower HOMO, relative to the material of an adjacent layer of the plurality of organic semiconductor layers closer to the anode.

Inventors:

Rand, Barry; Forrest, Stephen R; Burk, Diana Pendergrast

Issue Date:

Tue Mar 24 00:00:00 EDT 2015

Research Org.:

National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), Golden, CO (United States)

Sponsoring Org.:

USDOE

OSTI Identifier:

1174192

Patent Number(s):

8987589

Application Number:

11/486,163

Assignee:

The Regents of the University of Michigan (Ann Arbor, MI); The Trustees of Princeton University (Princeton, NJ)

Patent Classifications (CPCs):

B - PERFORMING OPERATIONS B82 - NANOTECHNOLOGY B82Y - SPECIFIC USES OR APPLICATIONS OF NANOSTRUCTURES

Y - NEW / CROSS SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES Y02 - TECHNOLOGIES OR APPLICATIONS FOR MITIGATION OR ADAPTATION AGAINST CLIMATE CHANGE Y02E - REDUCTION OF GREENHOUSE GAS [GHG] EMISSIONS, RELATED TO ENERGY GENERATION, TRANSMISSION OR DISTRIBUTION

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B - PERFORMING OPERATIONS B82 - NANOTECHNOLOGY B82Y - SPECIFIC USES OR APPLICATIONS OF NANOSTRUCTURES

B82Y10/00 - Nanotechnology for information processing, storage or transmission, e.g. quantum computing or single electron logic

Y - NEW / CROSS SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES Y02 - TECHNOLOGIES OR APPLICATIONS FOR MITIGATION OR ADAPTATION AGAINST CLIMATE CHANGE Y02E - REDUCTION OF GREENHOUSE GAS [GHG] EMISSIONS, RELATED TO ENERGY GENERATION, TRANSMISSION OR DISTRIBUTION

Y02E10/549 - organic PV cells

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DOE Contract Number:  

AC36-98-GO10337

Resource Type:

Patent

Resource Relation:

Patent File Date: 2006 Jul 14

Country of Publication:

United States

Language:

English

Subject:

14 SOLAR ENERGY