Measurement of nanoscale external quantum efficiency of conjugated polymer. Fullerene solar cells by photoconductive atomic force microscopy

Journal Article · Fri Sep 17 04:00:00 EDT 2010 · Applied Physics Letters

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1063/1.3483613· OSTI ID:1064874

Dang, Xuan-Dung ^[1]; Mikhailovsky, Alexander ^[1]; Nguyen, Thuc-Quyen ^[1]

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1. Univ. of California, Berkeley, CA (United States)

Photoconductive atomic force microscopy is used to investigate nanoscale incident photon-to-current efficiency spectra of polymer bulk heterojunction solar cells based on poly[2-methoxy-5-(3,7-dimethyloctyloxy)]-1,4-phenylenevinylene (MDMO-PPV) and [6,6]-phenyl-C₇₁ -butyric acid methyl ester (PC₇₁ BM) . Nanoscale external quantum efficiency reveals the complex morphology of MDMO-PPV:PC₇₁ BM films cast from toluene solution. Not only electron transfer from the photoexcited donor to the fullerene but also hole transfer process from photoexcited fullerene to the donor phase due to highest occupied molecular orbital offset is observed. The difference in performance between toluene and chlorobenzene-cast devices is explained by the variation in relative contributions from two charge transfer mechanisms.

• Research Organization: Energy Frontier Research Centers (EFRC); Center for Energy Efficient Materials (CEEM)
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE SC Office of Basic Energy Sciences (SC-22)
• DOE Contract Number: SC0001009
• OSTI ID: 1064874
• Journal Information: Applied Physics Letters, Journal Name: Applied Physics Letters Journal Issue: 11 Vol. 97; ISSN 0003-6951
• Publisher: American Institute of Physics (AIP)
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

14 SOLAR ENERGY
ATOMIC FORCE MICROSCOPY
POLYMERS
SOLAR CELLS
bio-inspired
charge transport
defects
electrodes - solar
energy storage (including batteries and capacitors)
materials and chemistry by design
optics
phonons
solar (photovoltaic)
solid state lighting
synthesis (novel materials)
synthesis (scalable processing)
synthesis (self-assembly)
thermoelectric