Charge transfer complex states in diketopyrrolopyrrole polymers and fullerene blends: Implications for organic solar cell efficiency

Abstract

The spectral photocurrent characteristics of two donor-acceptor diketopyrrolopyrrole (DPP)-based copolymers (PDPP-BBT and TDPP-BBT) blended with a fullerene derivative [6,6]-phenyl C61-butyric acid methyl ester (PCBM) were studied using Fourier-transform photocurrent spectroscopy (FTPS) and monochromatic photocurrent (PC) method. PDPP-BBT:PCBM shows the onset of the lowest charge transfer complex (CTC) state at 1.42 eV, whereas TDPP-BBT:PCBM shows no evidence of the formation of a midgap CTC state. The FTPS and PC spectra of P3HT:PCBM are also compared. The larger singlet state energy difference of TDPP-BBT and PCBM compared to PDPP-BBT/P3HT and PCBM obliterates the formation of a midgap CTC state resulting in an enhanced photovoltaic efficiency over PDPP-BBT:PCBM.