High Performance Polymer Solar Cells Using Grating Nanostructure and Plasmonic Nanoparticles.

Ali Elrashidi,Khaled Elleithy

doi:10.3390/polym14050862

Abstract

This work introduces a high-efficiency organic solar cell with grating nanostructure in both hole and electron transport layers and plasmonic gold nanoparticles (Au NPs) distributed on the zinc oxide (ZnO) layer. The periods of the grating structure in both hole and electro transport layers were optimized using Lumerical finite difference time domain (FDTD) solution software. The optimum AuNP radius distributed on the ZnO layer was also simulated and analyzed before studying the effect of changing the temperature on the solar cell performance, fill factor, and power conversion efficiency. In addition, optical and electrical models were used to calculate the short circuit current density, fill factor, and overall efficiency of the produced polymer solar cell nanostructure. The maximum obtained short circuit current density and efficiency of the solar cell were 18.11 mA/cm2 and 9.46%, respectively, which gives a high light absorption in the visible region. Furthermore, the effect of light polarization for incident light angles from θ = 0° to 70° with step angle 10° on the electrical and optical parameters were also studied. Finally, optical power, electric field, and magnetic field distribution inside the nanostructure are also illustrated.

Highlights

Organic photovoltaic solar cells have drawn much research interest in the last years due to their flexibility, low cost, lightweight, and production compatibility [1,2,3]
The surface plasmon localization (SPL) technique on metallic nanoparticles is used as one of the most efficient methods used to improve the optical absorption of organic solar cells [8]
Much effort has been made in the literature using different techniques to increase the power conversion efficiency (PCE) of a solar cell using plasmonic nanoparticles

Summary

Introduction

Organic photovoltaic solar cells have drawn much research interest in the last years due to their flexibility, low cost, lightweight, and production compatibility [1,2,3]. A lot of research has been conducted to improve the solar cell performance, especially the power conversion efficiency (PCE), by plasmonic cavity [5], optimizing the device structure [6] and using graphene and nanoparticles [7]. The surface plasmon localization (SPL) technique on metallic nanoparticles is used as one of the most efficient methods used to improve the optical absorption of organic solar cells [8]. Much effort has been made in the literature using different techniques to increase the PCE of a solar cell using plasmonic nanoparticles. A novel design for high efficiency was produced by reducing the thickness of the active layer of the solar cell, which led to enhancing the performance through the superposition of tooth-grating structures. AuNPs are used to enhance the absorption of the solar cell, which decorate the

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Results

Conclusion