Improved performance of P3HT：PCBM solar cells by both anode modification and short-wavelength energy utilization using Tb(aca)3phen

doi:10.1088/1674-1056/23/9/098802

Abstract The performance of P3HT:PCBM solar cells was improved by anode modification using spin-coated Tb(aca)₃phen ultrathin films. The modification of the Tb(aca)₃phen ultrathin film between the indium tin oxide (ITO) anode and the PEDOT:PSS layer resulted in a maximum power conversion efficiency (PCE) of 2.99% compared to 2.66% for the reference device, which was due to the increase in the short-circuit current density (J_sc). The PCE improvement could be attributed to the short-wavelength energy utilization and the optimized morphology of the active layers. Tb(aca)₃phen with its strong down-conversion luminescence properties is suitable for the P3HT:PCBM blend active layer, and the absorption region of the ternary blend films is extended into the near ultraviolet region. Furthermore, the crystallization and the surface morphology of P3HT:PCBM films were improved with the Tb(aca)₃phen ultrathin film. The ultraviolent-visible absorption spectra, atomic force microscope (AFM), and X-ray diffraction (XRD) of the films were investigated. Both anode modification and short-wavelength energy utilization using Tb(aca)₃phen in P3HT:PCBM solar cells led to about a 12% PCE increase.

Keywords: P3HT：PCBM anode modification polymer solar cells

Received: 19 December 2013
Revised: 17 March 2014
Accepted manuscript online:

PACS:	88.40.jn	(Thin film Cu-based I-III-VI2 solar cells)
	76.30.Kg	(Rare-earth ions and impurities)
	84.60.Jt	(Photoelectric conversion)

Fund: Project supported by the National Basic Research Program of China (Grant Nos. 2011CB932700 and 2011CB932703), the National Outstanding Youth Science Foundation of China (Grant No. 60825407), the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant Nos. 61335006, 61378073, 60877025, 61077044, and 91123025), the Beijing Natural Science Foundation, China (Grant No. 4132031), and the Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities, China (Grant No. 2012YJS116).

Corresponding Authors: Wang Yong-Sheng, He Da-Wei
E-mail: yshwang@bjtu.edu.cn;dwhe@bjtu.edu.cn

Cite this article:

Zhuo Zu-Liang (卓祖亮), Wang Yong-Sheng (王永生), He Da-Wei (何大伟), Fu Ming (富鸣) Improved performance of P3HT：PCBM solar cells by both anode modification and short-wavelength energy utilization using Tb(aca)₃phen 2014 Chin. Phys. B 23 098802

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Improved performance of P3HT：PCBM solar cells by both anode modification and short-wavelength energy utilization using Tb(aca)3phen

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Improved performance of P3HT：PCBM solar cells by both anode modification and short-wavelength energy utilization using Tb(aca)₃phen