The Molecular Ordering and Double-Channel Carrier Generation of Nonfullerene Photovoltaics within Multi-Length-Scale Morphology

Xu, Jinqiu; Jo, Sae Byeok; Chen, Xiankai; Zhou, Guanqing; Zhang, Ming; Shi, Xueliang; Lin, Francis; Zhu, Lei; Hao, Tianyu; Gao, Ke; Zou, Yecheng; Su, Xuan; Feng, Wei; Jen, Alex K.‐Y.; Zhang, Yongming; Liu, Feng

doi:10.1002/adma.202108317

Title: The Molecular Ordering and Double-Channel Carrier Generation of Nonfullerene Photovoltaics within Multi-Length-Scale Morphology

Journal Article · 26 February 2022 · Advanced Materials

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1002/adma.202108317 · OSTI ID:1981350

Xu, Jinqiu ^[1]; Jo, Sae Byeok ^[2]; Chen, Xiankai ^[3]; Zhou, Guanqing ^[1]; Zhang, Ming ^[1]; Shi, Xueliang ^[4]; Lin, Francis ^[4]; Zhu, Lei ^[1]; Hao, Tianyu ^[1]; Gao, Ke ^[5]; Zou, Yecheng ^[6]; Su, Xuan ^[6]; Feng, Wei ^[6]; Jen, Alex K.‐Y. ^[7]; Zhang, Yongming ^[1];

^[1]

Shanghai Jiao Tong Univ. (China)
Univ. of Washington, Seattle, WA (United States); Sungkyunkwan Univ., Suwon (Republic of Korea)
Kyushu Univ., Fukuoka (Japan)
Univ. of Washington, Seattle, WA (United States)
Univ. of Washington, Seattle, WA (United States); Shandong Univ. (China)
State Key Laboratory of Fluorinated Functional Membrane Materials (China); Dongyue Future Hydrogen Energy Materials Company (China)
Univ. of Washington, Seattle, WA (United States); City Univ. of Hong Kong, Kowloon (Hong Kong)

The success of nonfullerene acceptor (NFA) solar cells lies in their unique physical properties beyond the extended absorption and suitable energy levels. The current study investigates the morphology and photophysical behavior of PBDB-T donor blending with ITIC, 4TIC, and 6TIC acceptors. Single-crystal study shows that the π–π stacking and side-chain interaction dictate molecular assembly, which can be carried to blended films, forming a multi-length-scale morphology. Spontaneous carrier generation is seen in ITIC, 4TIC, and 6TIC neat films and their blended thin films using the PBDB-T donor, providing a new avenue of zero-energy-loss carrier formation. The molecular packing associated with specific contacts and geometry is key in influencing the photophysics, as demonstrated by the charge transfer and carrier lifetime results. The 2D layer of 6TIC facilitates the exciton-to-polaron conversion, and the largest photogenerated polaron yield is obtained. Finally, the new mechanism, together with the highly efficient blending region carrier generation, has the prospect of the fundamental advantage for NFA solar cells, from molecular assembly to thin-film morphology.

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Research Organization:: Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (LBNL), Berkeley, CA (United States). Advanced Light Source (ALS)

Sponsoring Organization:: USDOE Office of Science (SC), Basic Energy Sciences (BES)

Grant/Contract Number:: AC02-05CH11231

OSTI ID:: 1981350

Journal Information:: Advanced Materials, Journal Name: Advanced Materials Journal Issue: 16 Vol. 34; ISSN 0935-9648

Publisher:: WileyCopyright Statement

Country of Publication:: United States

Language:: English

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36 MATERIALS SCIENCE
energy loss
morphology
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single crystals
transient absorption spectroscopy

Title: The Molecular Ordering and Double-Channel Carrier Generation of Nonfullerene Photovoltaics within Multi-Length-Scale Morphology

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