Abstract
Matrix-assisted pulsed laser evaporation (MAPLE) was used to deposit hybrid nanocomposite thin films based on cobalt phthalocyanine (CoPc), C60 fullerene and ZnO nanoparticles. The inorganic nanoparticles, with a size of about 20 nm, having the structural and optical properties characteristic of ZnO, were chemically synthesized by a simple precipitation method. Furthermore, ZnO nanoparticles were dispersed in a dimethyl sulfoxide solution in which CoPc and C60 had been dissolved, ready for the freezing MAPLE target. The effect of the concentration of ZnO nanoparticles on the structural, morphological, optical and electrical properties of the CoPc:C60:ZnO hybrid nanocomposite layers deposited by MAPLE was evaluated. The infrared spectra of the hybrid nanocomposite films confirm that the CoPc and C60 preserve their chemical structure during the laser deposition process. The CoPc optical signature is recognized in the ultraviolet–visible (UV–Vis) spectra of the obtained layers, these being dominated by the absorption bands associated to this organic compound while the ZnO optical fingerprint is identified in the photoluminescence spectra of the prepared layers, these disclosing the emission bands linked to this inorganic semiconductor. The hybrid nanocomposite layers exhibit globular morphology, which is typical for the thin films deposited by MAPLE. Current-voltage (J-V) characteristics of the structures developed on CoPc:C60:ZnO layers reveal that the addition of an appropriate amount of ZnO nanoparticles in the CoPc:C60 mixture leads to a more efficient charge transfer between the organic and inorganic components. Due to their photovoltaic effect, structures featuring such hybrid nanocomposite thin films deposited by MAPLE can have potential applications in the field of photovoltaic devices.
Highlights
Hybrid nanocomposites, materials that combine the advantages of both organic and inorganic components, have currently received increased interest due to their potential applications in a large variety of technological areas such as optics, electronics, energy, medicine [1,2,3,4]
Even if the values of the electrical parameters of these hybrid nanocomposite structures are small, further studies being necessary to improve them, the results prove that the addition of an appropriate amount of ZnO nanoparticles in the cobalt phthalocyanine (CoPc):C60 mixture results in an improvement of the JSC value due to a more efficient charge transfer between the organic and inorganic components
The present study demonstrates that the Matrix-assisted pulsed laser evaporation (MAPLE) technique can be considered an alternative fabrication path in the deposition of hybrid photovoltaic structures
Summary
Materials that combine the advantages of both organic and inorganic components, have currently received increased interest due to their potential applications in a large variety of technological areas such as optics, electronics, energy, medicine [1,2,3,4]. In the field of solar cells, even the structures containing organic materials (OSC) as active layer present lower electrical parameters in comparison with those based on inorganic compounds, their efficiency has recently exceeded 17% [6]. The OSC limitations related to the low mobility of the organic semiconductors or to an inefficient charge transport can be overcome by adding inorganic semiconductors in order to obtain hybrid structures [5,7]. The organic and inorganic components can be used as separate layers or mixed into a bulk heterojunction (BHJ) [5]
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