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2021 Vol.9, Issue 4 Preview Page
Effective Interfacial Trap Passivation with Organic Dye Molecule to Enhance Efficiency and Light Soaking Stability in Polymer Solar Cells
Shafket Rasool1†
,
Haoran Zhou2†
,
Doan Van Vu1
,
Muhammad Haris13
,
Chang Eun Song13*
,
Hwan Kyu Kim2**
,
Won Suk Shin134***
1Energy Materials Research Center, Korea Research Institute of Chemical Technology (KRICT), 141 Gajeong-ro, Yuseong-gu, Daejeon 34114, Korea
2Global GET-Future Laboratory & Department of Advanced Materials Chemistry, Korea University, 2511, Sejong-ro, Sejong 339-700, Korea
3Advanced Materials and Chemical Engineering, University of Science and Technology (UST), 217 Gajeong-ro, Yuseong-gu, Daejeon 34113, Korea
4KU-KRICT Collaborative Research Center & Division of Display and Semiconductor Physics & Department of Advanced Materials Chemistry, Korea University, 2511 Sejong-ro, Sejong 30019, Korea
*Corresponding Author
**Corresponding Author
***Corresponding Author
† S. Rasool and H. Zhou contributed equally to this paper.
31 December 2021. pp. 145-159
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Abstract

Light soaking (LS) stability in polymer solar cells (PSCs) has always been a challenge to achieve due to unstable photoactive layer-electrode interface. Especially, the electron transport layer (ETL) and photoactive layer interface limits the LS stability of PSCs. Herein, we have modified the most commonly used and robust zinc oxide (ZnO) ETL-interface using an organic dye molecule and a co-adsorbent. Power conversion efficiencies have been slightly improved but when these PSCs were subjected to long term LS stability chamber, equipped with heat and humidity (45°C and 85% relative humidity), an outstanding stability in the case of ZnO/dye+co-adsorbent ETL containing devices have been achieved. The enhanced LS stability occurred due to the suppressed interfacial defects and robust contact between the ZnO and photoactive layer. Current density as well as fill factors have been retained after LS with the modified ETL as compared to un-modified ETL, owing to their higher charge collection efficiencies which originated from higher electron mobilities. Moreover, the existence of less traps (as observed from light intensity-open circuit voltage measurements and dark currents at -2V) are also found to be one of the reasons for enhanced LS stability in the current study. We conclude that the mitigation ETL-surface traps using an organic dye with a co-adsorbent is an effective and robust approach to enhance the LS stability in PSCs.

Keywords
polymer solar cells
interfacial trap passivation
organic dye molecule
zinc oxide
light soaking stability
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Information
  • Publisher :Korea Photovoltaic Society
  • Publisher(Ko) :한국태양광발전학회
  • Journal Title :Current Photovoltaic Research
  • Volume : 9
  • No :4
  • Pages :145-159
  • Received Date : 2021-12-07
  • Revised Date : 2021-12-15
  • Accepted Date : 2021-12-15
  • DOI :https://doi.org/10.21218/CPR.2021.9.4.145
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