Quantitative Phase Fraction Detection in Organic Photovoltaic Materials through EELS Imaging
- Univ. of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN (United States)
- Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States)
- Univ. of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN (United States); Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States)
Organic photovoltaic materials have recently seen intense interest from the research community. Improvements in device performance are occurring at an impressive rate; however, visualization of the active layer phase separation still remains a challenge. Our paper outlines the application of two electron energy-loss spectroscopic (EELS) imaging techniques that can complement and enhance current phase detection techniques. Specifically, the bulk plasmon peak position, often used to produce contrast between phases in energy filtered transmission electron microscopy (EFTEM), is quantitatively mapped across a sample cross section. One complementary spectrum image capturing the carbon and sulfur core loss edges is compared with the plasmon peak map and found to agree quite well, indicating that carbon and sulfur density differences between the two phases also allows phase discrimination. Additionally, an analytical technique for determining absolute atomic areal density is used to produce an absolute carbon and sulfur areal density map. We also show how these maps may be re-interpreted as a phase ratio map, giving quantitative information about the purity of the phases within the junction.
- Research Organization:
- Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States). Center for Nanophase Materials Sciences (CNMS); Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States). Spallation Neutron Source (SNS)
- Sponsoring Organization:
- USDOE Office of Science (SC), Basic Energy Sciences (BES)
- Grant/Contract Number:
- AC05-00OR22725
- OSTI ID:
- 1261486
- Journal Information:
- Polymers, Vol. 7, Issue 12; ISSN 2073-4360
- Publisher:
- MDPICopyright Statement
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
Web of Science
Similar Records
Optical spectroscopy and energy-filtered transmission electron microscopy of surface plasmons in core-shell nanoparticles.
Application of EELS to the study of metal-hydrogen systems