Abstract
To avoid complexity, a uniform light absorption profile is usually used when modelling organic photovoltaic cells (OPVs). However, the actual light absorption profile is not uniform. It is found that a uniform light absorption profile can be used as a replacement for the actual non-uniform light absorption profile in modelling an OPV provided that the actual light absorption profile inside the OPV has a peak absorption value that is roughly less than twice its average absorption value. Nevertheless, the use of a uniform light absorption profile in investigating the effect of a certain parameter (e.g. the active layer thickness) on the performance of OPVs should still be used with care if variations in the value of the said parameter lead to different light absorption profiles.
Highlights
IntroductionOrganic photovoltaic cells (OPVs) have unique advantages compared with traditional photovoltaic cells such as high mechanical flexibility, low production cost, ease of mechanical integration on various shapes, high transparency, and lightweight [1]
It is found that a uniform light absorption profile can be used as a replacement for the actual non-uniform light absorption profile in modelling an organic photovoltaic cells (OPVs) provided that the actual light absorption profile inside the OPV has a peak absorption value that is roughly less than twice its average absorption value
The use of a uniform light absorption profile in investigating the effect of a certain parameter on the performance of OPVs should still be used with care if variations in the value of the said parameter lead to different light absorption profiles
Summary
Organic photovoltaic cells (OPVs) have unique advantages compared with traditional photovoltaic cells such as high mechanical flexibility, low production cost, ease of mechanical integration on various shapes, high transparency, and lightweight [1]. OPVs could be an attractive power source for existing applications. This is partly due to the prospect of a high ratio of the power output to the production cost. OPVs are being explored as power sources for new applications, for example, for powering next-generation self-driven biomedical devices [2] and off-grid devices for Internet of Things [3]. It is convenient to use a uniform light absorption profile when calculating the current-voltage (J-V) characteristics since this assumption greatly simplifies the calculations by eliminating the need to use the optical transfer matrix method to determine the actual light absorption profile. Many previous studies used uniform light absorption profiles [9,10] or approximately uniform light absorption profiles [11,12] in calculating the J-V characteristics
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