Broad spectral sensitivity and improved efficiency in CuPc/Sub-Pc organic photovoltaic devices

Abstract

We demonstrate organic photovoltaic devices incorporating two donors, namely, copper phthalocyanine (CuPc) and boron sub-phthalocyanine chloride (Sub-Pc) in association with single acceptor fullerene (C60) with sensitivity extending across the visible solar spectrum. It has been found that the absorption in different spectral regions in CuPc and Sub-Pc results in efficient harvesting of incident light photons which leads to enhanced power conversion efficiency (η). An enhancement in η from 0.64%, in the device architecture indium-tin-oxide (ITO)/CuPc(20 nm)/C60(40 nm)/bathophenanthroline (BPhen) (8 nm)/Al(150 nm), to ∼1.3% in the optimized device having a 2 nm layer of Sub-Pc in the geometry ITO/CuPc(18 nm)/Sub-Pc(2 nm)/C60 (40 nm)/BPhen (8 nm)/Al(150 nm) has been observed. This enhancement in η is dominantly attributed to the increment in short circuit current density (Jsc) due to efficient photon harvesting by incorporation of dual donors.