Organic Solar Cells

Daniel Lehmann, 11.01.2005

Contents
Motivation History Basics and Structure Principle of Operation Dyes and Conjugated Polymers Excitons The Heterojunction Concept Bulk, Molecular and Multiple Heterojunctions Light Trap and Stacked Cells Overview Production Issues Summary References

Daniel Lehmann, 11.01.2005

Motivation
Inorganic Solar Cell
Power conversion efficiency up to 24% in lab High energy consumption at fabrication Cost-intensive fabrication

Organic Solar Cell

Only 6% achieved in lab Low energy consumption at fabrication Cheap fabrication Mechanical flexible on appropriate substrates

Daniel Lehmann, 11.01.2005

History
1906s POCHETTINO dicovered photoconductivity in solid anthracene 1950s Chlorophyll and related organic dyes were studied1958s 1958s KEARNS and CALVIN worked with magenesium phthalocyanine 1980s First polymere based solar cells 1986s Breakthrough: first cell with donor and acceptor by TANG 1991s First dye/dye based cell by HIRAMOTO 1993s First polymere/C60 based cell by SARICIFTCI 1995s First polymere/polymere based cell by YU and HALL 2000s Oligomer-C60 dyads/triads as active materials by PETERS 1958s and VAN HAL 2001s Cell with double-cable polymers by RAMOS

Daniel Lehmann, 11.01.2005

Basics
Characteristic curves in darkness illuminated

Square with maximum power

Daniel Lehmann, 11.01.2005

Structure
Planar-layered structure Equivalent for OPV and OLED Organic material is sandwiched between two electrodes One electrode is transparent Organic material absorbs/emitts light (OPV/OLED)

Daniel Lehmann, 11.01.2005

Principle of Operation

Daniel Lehmann, 11.01.2005

Dyes
Phthalocyanines
MgPc

and

Porphyrins
Chlorophyll-a

Easy to prepare Form crystaline films by vacuum sublimation Good semiconducting properties Low power conversion efficiency (< 0,1%) Daniel Lehmann, 11.01.2005

Conjugated Polymers
poly(sulphur nitride) polyacetylene poly(3-alkyl-thiophene)

poly(p-phenylene vinylene) (PPV)

MEH-PPV

CN-PPV

Easy to prepare Good semiconducting properties Very low power conversion efficiency (< 0,1%) Daniel Lehmann, 11.01.2005

Excitons

Binding energy in organics ~ 0,4 eV

Must be dissociated to get free charge carriers !

Dissociation sites: Electrode interface Crystal defects Impurities Thin layers needed

Diffusion lenght ~ 10 nm

Daniel Lehmann, 11.01.2005

The Heterojunction Concept

Two different organic materials Exciton dissociation at the interface Power conversion efficiency > 1% is possible

Daniel Lehmann, 11.01.2005

The Bulk Heterojunction

Short exciton ways to interface Thick layers (up to 100 nm) to harvest most light Unconnected Islands

Daniel Lehmann, 11.01.2005

Molecular Heterojunction
Covalently linked polymer/C60 Double-Cable polymer

High short circuit current Phase separation and clustering

C60 connected to donor polymer backbone Great potential for the future Many critical design paramters

Daniel Lehmann, 11.01.2005

Molecular Heterojunction
Diblock-Copolymers

Self organizing by phase separation Great potential for the future

Daniel Lehmann, 11.01.2005

Multiple Heterojunctions

Bathocuproine: Exciton blocking layer Hole blocking layer Prevents metal diffusion into acceptor PEDOT:PSS: Smoothes rough ITO surface Exciton blocking layer

Excitons traped inside active layers

Daniel Lehmann, 11.01.2005

Light Trap

95 % of incident light is kept in the cell

Daniel Lehmann, 11.01.2005

Stacked Cells

Daniel Lehmann, 11.01.2005

Overview

Daniel Lehmann, 11.01.2005

Production Issues
Only small active areas currently: Typically ~ 1 mm2 in labs Largest device: 2 cm 3 cm by Screen Printing Vulnerable by oxygen: Half-life times on air only a few hours Laminated with foils Methods: Organic Molecular Beam Deposition Spin Coating Screen Printing

Daniel Lehmann, 11.01.2005

Summary

Organic solar cell research since 1950s Heterojunction concept was a breakthrough Many other enhancements are tested Power conversion efficiency still below 5 % Industrial like production not possible right now

Daniel Lehmann, 11.01.2005

References
[1] H. Spanggaard et al.: A brief history of the development of organic and polymeric photovoltaics. Solar Energy Materials & Solar Cells 83 (2004) 125146 [2] Sigma Aldrich. URL http://www.sigmaaldrich.com [3] Petritsch, Klaus: Organic Solar Cell Architectures, Technische Universitt Graz (Austria), Diss., 2000 [4] Zahn, Dietrich R. T.: Strukturelle, chemische und elektronische Eigenschaften von Grenzflchen - Inorganic/Organic Interfaces. Juli 2004. Vorlesungsskript [5] Peumans, Peter et al.: Small molecular weight organic thin-film photodetectors and solar cells. Journal of Applied Physics 93-7 (2003) 3693-3723 [6] Solar Club CERN. URL http://solar-club.web.cern.ch [7] Ebest, G.: Vorlesungsskripten - Elektronische Bauelemente und Schaltungen. September 2002. Technische Universitt Chemnitz [8] K. Fostiropoulos, W. Harneit B. Mertesacker A. W.: Statusbericht zum Thema Organische Solarzellen. URL http://www.hmi.de/bereiche/SE/SE2-/arbeitsg/konzepte/organisch/statusbericht2001.pdf. Januar 2002. Hahn-Meitner-Institut [9] Kap. Solarzelle In: Klaus Andres, Katja Bammel e.: Lexikon der Physik in sechs Bnden - Fnfter Band Sc bis Zz. Spektrum Akademischer Verlag Heidelberg/Berlin, 2000, S. 84. ISBN 386025295X

Daniel Lehmann, 11.01.2005