All-polymer bulk heterojunction solar cells with high fill factors based on blends of poly-3-hexylthiophene: poly(perylene diimide-alt-terthiophene)

MRS Online Proceedings Library volume 1390, Article number: 00788 (2012) Cite this article

Abstract

The photovoltaic characteristics of all polymer bulk heterojunction solar cells made of P3HT and a perylene diimide-based copolymer (PEK3) have been studied. Thermal annealing is needed to improve the performances. Annealing optimization induces an enhancement of the power conversion efficiency from 0.06 to 1%, Jsc from 0.24 to 2.9 mA/cm2 and FF from 0.32 to 0.59. The origin of such improvements has been investigated by studying the P3HT:PEK3 blend morphology, by means of absorption and emission spectroscopy and charge transport, from single carrier measurements on P3HT:PEK3 diodes. Upon annealing we have observed an increase in phase segregation and a 100-fold enhancement of the hole and electron mobilities, that favor the dissociation of bound electron-hole pairs and their transport to the electrodes. This explains the high FF of the annealed P3HT:PEK3 solar cell.

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Acknowledgments

The research was supported by the EU Marie Curie ERG project “Damasco”, PERG07-GA-2010-268229 and by CARIPLO Foundation grant no. 2008.2393.

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  1. Istituto per lo Studio delle Macromolecole - CNR, via Bassini 15, 20133, Milano, Italy

    Dariusz Kotowski, Erika Kozma, Marinella Catellani & Silvia Luzzati

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  1. Dariusz Kotowski
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  2. Erika Kozma
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  3. Marinella Catellani
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  4. Silvia Luzzati
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Correspondence to Dariusz Kotowski.

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Kotowski, D., Kozma, E., Catellani, M. et al. All-polymer bulk heterojunction solar cells with high fill factors based on blends of poly-3-hexylthiophene: poly(perylene diimide-alt-terthiophene). MRS Online Proceedings Library 1390, 00788 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1557/opl.2012.788

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