Abstract
Optical enhancement is demonstrated in a bilayer P3HT-C60 solar cell by embedding gold nanoparticles directly into the P3HT layer of the photovoltaic device. FDTD simulations are used to model the observed performance gain. A qualitative agreement between the experimental and numerical results is achieved. This validates the numerical model and the simulation is subsequently extended to predict the performance gain of the bilayer device constructed with thinner P3HT layer. The numerical results reveal that the plasmonic structure has even larger effect on such thinner bilayer device. The enhancement is expected to be most significant when the p-n interface is allowed to assume the conformal hemispherical profile of the metal particles.
Highlights
Plasmonic structure has been widely used to enhance the performance of silicon-based solar cells [1,2,3]
Another possible architecture is to deposit the plasmonic element within the photoactive layer [6,7] but since this layer is usually composed of a random intermixing of p-n junction, the presence of the electrically conducting element would often lead to substantial charge recombination and internal short [7]
Gold nanoparticles of hemispheric and oblate in shape were observed by atomic force microscope (AFM) on the PEDOT:PSS surface after evaporation (Fig. 2)
Summary
Plasmonic structure has been widely used to enhance the performance of silicon-based solar cells [1,2,3]. One of the demonstrated architectures is by having the plasmonic element in the PEDOT:PSS layer [4,5]. Another possible architecture is to deposit the plasmonic element within the photoactive layer [6,7] but since this layer is usually composed of a random intermixing of p-n junction, the presence of the electrically conducting element would often lead to substantial charge recombination and internal short [7]. The thickness of the C60 layer can be tuned so that the p-n junction is at an appropriate distance from the reflective Ca/Al electrode This ensures maximum light intensity developed across the p-n junction. Gold was chosen in this work as the plasmonic element (in the form of gold nanoparticles) given its stability as well as compatibility with the photoactive layer [12,13]
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