Improved Performance of Organic Star-Shaped Molecule Solar Cells with SiO2 Nanoparticles Embedded in a Buffer Layer

Abstract

We have studied the effect of spherical SiO2 nanoparticles with sizes of 20, 50, and 80 nm embedded in a PEDOT : PSS buffer layer on the performance of organic solar cells (OSCs) based on star-shaped oligomers. The current–voltage characteristics and absorption spectra of samples have been measured and analyzed; the morphology of the buffer layer surface with embedded nanoparticles has been studied. It has been shown that an increase in the OSC performance occurs in the case of embedded nanoparticles with a diameter of 20 and 50 nm and weakly depends on the concentration of the nanoparticles in the layer.