Features in optical absorption and photocurrent spectra of organic solar cells due to organic/organic interface

Abstract

We surprisingly found that, organic/organic interface had a direct and pronounced impact on optical absorption and photocurrent spectra of organic solar cell at a favorable wavelength region of the visible solar spectrum. The organic/organic interface was formed as a result of connection between coumarin 6 (C6): [6,6]-phenyl-C61 butyric acid methyl ester (PCBM) blend films and indium-tin oxide (ITO)/poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) doped with poly(styrene sulfonate) (PEDOT:PSS) electrode. Optical absorption measurement was carried out for ITO/PEDOT:PSS/C6:PCBM films, while external quantum efficiency measurement was carried out for ITO/PEDOT:PSS/C6:PCBM/Al solar cells, with varying C6:PCBM blend concentration. We found that, the C6:PCBM blend in the ITO/PEDOT:PSS/C6:PCBM films had an additional feature in the absorption spectra at the wavelength range of 520–800 nm, at which the C6 dye, PCBM, PEDOT:PSS, and ITO were transparent. An additional feature, also, appeared in photocurrent spectra of the C6:PCBM films in the ITO/PEDOT:PSS/C6:PCBM/Al solar cells at the same wavelength range. The new features in the optical absorption and photocurrent spectra of the investigated solar cells originated, in all probability, due to optically induced sup-band transitions in the C6:PCBM blend films at the interface with ITO/PEDOT:PSS electrode. Thus, the C6:PCBM blend films produced a charge carrier generation interface due to connection with ITO/PEDOT:PSS electrode. As a result of this charge carrier generation interface, the power conversion efficiency of the corresponding solar cell is improved. Taking into consideration these new findings, the high-band-gap organic materials will take more importance as sensitizers in organic optoelectronic applications.