Organic and Hybrid Solar Cells Based on Small Molecules

Abstract

In this chapter, the recent literature involving small molecule-based organic solar cells (OSCs) will be reviewed. The number of papers published in the fields of organic semiconductor and OSCs has grown exponentially in the past decade. Such growth is stimulated by the exciting properties of these materials, combined with the possibility to produce colored, flexible, transparent and cheap solar cells. The main focus of this review is to give an overview and a perspective of the recent advances in this area, highlighting the most interesting results, novel materials as well as their limitations and challenges. This chapter will explore the properties and applications of several classes of small organic molecules, as electron donors and acceptors, dyes, and hole transport materials. Different architectures and techniques will be also discussed in the assembly of double, heterojunction, and multilayer films.