Development of High Efficiency Organic Solar Cell Based on Surface Plasmon Resonance

Abstract

In this work we will develop a plasmon activated organic solar cell based on hybrid films of conjugated polymers and a fullerene derivative (PCBM). The Poly(3-hexylthiophene) (P3HT)/PCBM and the polyfluorene (APFO3)/PCBM films will be deposited onto a electrode where periodically ordered nanostructures will be fabricated, generating surface plasmon resonance (SPR). By controlling the periodicity and the diameter of the nanostructures, surface plasmons (SP) will be generated within and specific wavelength range, aiming to enhance absorption of light and also improving exciton dissociation. Arrays of nanoholes will be fabricated by Focused Ion Beam technique, Surface-Relief Gratings will be obtained by the photoisomerization of azopolymers using laser interference, and a third system will be obtained printing microstructures of conjugated polymer on the substrate by inkjet method. The conjugated polymers P3HT and APFO3 will be used as light absorber material, due to their many advantages such as flexibility, malleability, these materials also present low production cost. The PCBM nanoparticles will used in this project due to their well known efficiency as charge dissociation center. The efficiency of the devices will be monitored by current versus potential and Incident photon-to-current efficiency (IPCE) measurements. We will also measure the photoluminescence of films deposited on the SPR active electrode and compare with photoluminescence from same film deposited on bare gold (without SPR). In fact, photoluminescence quenching in a bulk heterojunction is a useful indication of the degree of success of exciton dissociation (photoinduced charge transfer from the donor to acceptor).