We have modeled experimental short-circuit photocurrent action spectra of poly(3-(4′-(1″,4″,7″-trioxaoctyl)phenyl)thiophene) (PEOPT)/fullerene (C60) thin film heterojunction photovoltaic devices. Modeling was based on the assumption that the photocurrent generation process is the result of the creation and diffusion of photogenerated species (excitons), which are dissociated by charge transfer at the PEOPT/C60 interface. The internal optical electric field distribution inside the devices was calculated with the use of complex indices of refraction and layer thickness of the materials as determined by spectroscopic ellipsometry. Contributions to the photocurrent from optical absorption in polymer and fullerene layers were both necessary to model the experimental photocurrent action spectra. We obtained values for the exciton diffusion range of 4.7 and 7.7 nm for PEOPT and C60, respectively. The calculated internal optical electric field distribution and resulting photocurrent action spectra were used in order to study the influence of the geometrical structure with respect to the efficiency of the thin film devices. In this way the photocurrent was optimized.

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Articles you may be interested inDielectric response of transformer oil based ferrofluid in low frequency range J. Appl. Phys. 114, 034313 (2013); 10.1063/1.4816012 Effect of nanoparticle polarization on relative permittivity of transformer oil-based nanofluids Iron oxide nanoparticles fabricated by electric explosion of wire: focus on magnetic nanofluids AIP Advances 2, 022154 (2012); 10.1063/1.4730405Effect of electron shallow trap on breakdown performance of transformer oil-based nanofluids Transformer oil-based nanofluids with conductive nanoparticle suspensions defy conventional wisdom as past experimental work showed that such nanofluids have substantially higher positive voltage breakdown levels with slower positive streamer velocities than that of pure transformer oil. This paradoxical superior electrical breakdown performance compared to that of pure oil is due to the electron charging of the nanoparticles to convert fast electrons from field ionization to slow negatively charged nanoparticle charge carriers with effective mobility reduction by a factor of about 1 ϫ 10 5 . The charging dynamics of a nanoparticle in transformer oil with both infinite and finite conductivities shows that this electron trapping is the cause of the decrease in positive streamer velocity, resulting in higher electrical breakdown strength. Analysis derives the electric field in the vicinity of the nanoparticles, electron trajectories on electric field lines that charge nanoparticles, and expressions for the charging characteristics of the nanoparticles as a function of time and dielectric permittivity and conductivity of nanoparticles and the surrounding transformer oil. This charged nanoparticle model is used with a comprehensive electrodynamic analysis for the charge generation, recombination, and transport of positive and negative ions, electrons, and charged nanoparticles between a positive high voltage sharp needle electrode and a large spherical ground electrode. Case studies show that transformer oil molecular ionization without nanoparticles cause an electric field and space charge wave to propagate between electrodes, generating heat that can cause transformer oil to vaporize, creating the positive streamer. With nanoparticles as electron scavengers, the speed of the streamer is reduced, offering improved high voltage equipment performance and reliability.

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The structural anisotropy of various poly(alkylthiophene) films have been studied by X-ray diffraction, using both conventional methods and synchrotron radiation at grazing incidence. Solutioncast films orient with the side chains preferably normal to the film surface, whereas spin-cast films of nonstereoregular material orient with both the main and the side chains in the film plane. For thick (10-50 µm) solution-cast films, the degree of orientation depends strongly on the solvent used for casting, and on the stereoregularity of the polymer, films of stereoregular materials being more oriented than those of nonregular materials. The most oriented nonregular films are those cast from mixtures of chloroform and tetrahydrofuran. Thin (50-500 nm) solution-cast films are more oriented than the thicker ones, and the effects of different stereoregularity or different casting solvents are small. For spin-cast films, the degree of orientation is independent of substrate and solvent. Spin-cast films of stereoregular material have two different phases: One with the side chains normal to the substrate, and another where they are parallel to the substrate. The diffraction peaks of spin-cast poly(octylthiophene) narrow considerably upon heating.

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