Abstract
In this study, hybrid BHJ – bulk heterojunction polymer solar cells were fabricated by incorporating CdS quantum dots (QDs) in a blend of P3HT (donor) and PCBM (acceptor) using dichlorobenzene and chlorobenzene as solvents. CdS QDs at various ratios were mixed in a fixed amount of the P3HT and PCBM blend. The prepared samples have been characterized by a variety of techniques such as I–V and EQE measurements, atomic force microscopy (AFM), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and ultraviolet-visible (UV-vis) spectroscopy. The mixing of QDs in the polymer blends improved the PCE – power conversion efficiency of the solar cells under standard light conditions. The improved PCE from 2.95 to 4.41% is mostly due to the increase in the fill factor (FF) and short-circuit current (Jsc) of the devices with an optimum amount of CdS in the P3HT:PCBM blend. The increase in Jsc possibly originated from the formation of a percolation network of CdS. The conjugation of QDs has increased the absorption of the active layers in the visible region. These results well matched as reported, conjugation of CdS in the perovskite active layer increased the absorption and PCE of the devices relative to those of the perovskite films. This increment in parameters is attributed to the decrease in charge recombinations that improved the performance of the doped device.
Highlights
IntroductionTo overcome above stated issues of polymer solar cells (PSCs), a recent trend is towards the addition of inorganic SCs nanostructured have turned to hybrid organic–inorganic devices
Bulk heterojunction (BHJ) polymer solar cells (PSCs) have demonstrated great potential for assembling mechanically exible and large-area panels through cost-effective solution processing techniques.[1,2,3,4] Conventionally, BHJ-based devices have an active layer of the conjugated polymer P3HT – poly(3hexylthiophene) as an electron donor-D and the organic compound PCBM – (6,6) phenyl-C61-butyric acid methyl ester as an electron acceptor-A.5–9 Still, solution-based PSCs have low PCE – power conversion efficiency relative to inorganic the semiconductor Si and CIGS-based solar cells.[10]
It is clear from the gure that PCE increases when different amounts of CdS-quantum dots (QDs) are incorporated into the P3HT:PCBM active layer
Summary
To overcome above stated issues of PSCs, a recent trend is towards the addition of inorganic SCs nanostructured have turned to hybrid organic–inorganic devices These hybrid active layers of conjugated polymers and inorganic semiconductor nanocrystals (NCs) have the bene t of high charge mobility and chemical and physical stability as compared to organic SC materials.[17] Oh et al incorporated CdS NPs (nanoparticles) in the active layer of P3HT:PCBM, and the resulting devices exhibited improved Voc – open circuit voltage, Jsc – short-circuit current density, FF – ll factor and PCE.[18] Yoon et al investigated the performance of a ternary blend with PbS-NP and reported a 47% increase in the efficiency.[19] Ikram et al utilized TiO2, NiO, and CuO-NPs in P3HT:PCBM-based conventional and inverted systems to replace PCBM and P3HT, and increased PCEs of the device with an optimum doping concentration of NPs were achieved.[20,21,22]. The pure and doped lms were characterized by a variety of techniques to check the surface morphology, lm roughness, and optical and electrical properties of the devices
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