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Title: Doped Interlayers for Improved Selectivity in Bulk Herterojunction Organic Photovoltaic Devices

Journal Article · · Advanced Materials Interfaces
 [1];  [2];  [1];  [3];  [3];  [1]
  1. National Renewable Energy Lab. (NREL), Golden, CO (United States). Chemistry and Nanoscience Center
  2. Colorado School of Mines, Golden, CO (United States)
  3. Univ. of California, Santa Cruz, CA (United States). Dept. of Chemistry and Biochemistry

Poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene):poly(styrene sulfonate) (PEDOT:PSS) is less selective for holes in inverted-architecture organic photovoltaic (OPV) than it is in a conventional-architecture OPV device due differences between the interfacial-PSS concentration at the top and bottom of the PEDOT:PSS layer. In this work, thin layers of polysulfonic acids are inserted between the P3HT:ICBA bulk heterojunction (BHJ) active layer and PEDOT:PSS to create a higher concentration of acid at this interface and, therefore, mimic the distribution of materials present in a conventional device. Upon thermal annealing, this acid layer oxidizes P3HT, creating a thin p-type interlayer of P3HT+/acid- on top of the BHJ. Using x-ray absorption spectroscopy, Kelvin probe and ellipsometry measurements, this P3HT+/acid- layer is shown to be insoluble in water, indicating it remains intact during the subsequent deposition of PEDOT:PSS. Current density - voltage measurements show this doped interlayer reduces injected dark current while increasing both open-circuit voltage and fill factor through the creation of a more hole selective BHJ-PEDOT:PSS interface.

Research Organization:
National Renewable Energy Lab. (NREL), Golden, CO (United States)
Sponsoring Organization:
USDOE Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE), Renewable Power Office. Solar Energy Technologies Office
Grant/Contract Number:
AC36-08GO28308
OSTI ID:
1237038
Report Number(s):
NREL/JA-5900-64540
Journal Information:
Advanced Materials Interfaces, Vol. 3, Issue 2; ISSN 2196-7350
Publisher:
Wiley-VCHCopyright Statement
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Citation Metrics:
Cited by: 5 works
Citation information provided by
Web of Science