Inverted Polymer Solar Cells Using Inkjet Printed ZnO as Electron Transport Layer: Characterization and Degradation Study

Angel Sacramento,Magaly Ramirez-Como,Magali Estrada,Lluis F Marsal,Victor S Balderrama,Salvador I Garduno

doi:10.1109/jeds.2020.2968001

Abstract

In this work, stability and degradation of inverted organic solar cells (iOSCs) partially manufactured under air environment are analyzed. The degradation of iOSCs fabricated with inkjet printed ZnO and with spin coated PFN as electron transport layer (ETL) is compared. The PTB7 and PC 70 BM materials are used as donor and acceptor in the active layer, respectively, for all photovoltaic devices. During all the degradation study of the iOSCs, performance parameters such as open circuit voltage (V OC ), short circuit current density (J SC ), fill factor (FF) and Power conversion efficiency (PCE), are extracted from the current density - voltage measurements (J-V) under dark and light conditions. The PCE of the unencapsulated iOSCs with PFN as ETL, left under N2, decreased to 80% after 58 h, while the same PCE reduction for iOSCs with inkjet printed ZnO as ETL, occurred after 189 h. Under air environment, the PCE of unencapsulated iOSCs fabricated with ZnO as ETL devices decreases to 80% after 160 h.

Highlights

Inverted organic solar cells, using polymer:fullerene as the bulk heterojunction (BHJ) active layer, have attracted much interest due to their high performance parameters
The power conversion efficiency (PCE) over time of the three groups of inverted organic solar cells (iOSCs) is shown in Fig. 1 (a)
Mechanism is related to the photochemical reaction between the different layers of the photovoltaic device [14]

Summary

Introduction

Inverted organic solar cells (iOSCs), using polymer:fullerene as the bulk heterojunction (BHJ) active layer, have attracted much interest due to their high performance parameters. INDEX TERMS Air environment, degradation study, inkjet printed ZnO, iOSCs, performance parameters, stability. Either inkjet printed ZnO or spin coated PFN layers were used as ETL in the fabrication of the iOSCs. The degradation of the electrical parameters of the iOSCs exposed under different environments (N2 and air) were analyzed.

Results

Conclusion