Disclosure of the nanostructure of MDMO-PPV:PCBM bulk hetero-junction organic solar cells by a combination of SPM and TEM

Martens, Tom; D’Haen, Jan; Munters, Tom; Beelen, Z.; Goris, Ludwig; Manca, Jean; D’Olieslaeger, M.; Vanderzande, Dirk; Schepper, L. De; Andriessen, Ronn

doi:10.1016/s0379-6779(02)01311-5

Cited by 211 publications

(131 citation statements)

References 12 publications

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“…21 Martens et al used TEM to investigate the morphology of MDMO-PPV:PCBM blends, and observed that with increasing of PCBM concentration, the domain size of the PCBM-rich phase (dark clusters in the image) increased. 22 They also observed that by reducing the drying time of device fabrication, the extent of phase separation was reduced. 23 A detailed characterization of the morphology was performed by Hoppe et al using a high-resolution scanning electron microscopy (HR-SEM) on cross sections of toluene-and chlorobenzene-processed MDMO-PPV:PCBM blends.…”

Section: Morphology Of Polymer Based Opvsmentioning

confidence: 99%

On the morphology of polymer‐based photovoltaics

Liu

Jung

et al. 2012

J Polym Sci B Polym Phys

308

248

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We review the morphologies of polymer-based solar cells and the parameters that govern the evolution of the morphologies and describe different approaches to achieve the optimum morphology for a BHJ OPV. While there are some distinct differences, there are also some commonalities. It is evident that morphology and the control of the morphology are important for device performance and, by controlling the thermodynamics, in particular, the interactions of the components, and by controlling kinetic parameters, like the rate of solvent evaporation, crystallization and phase separation, optimized morphologies for a given system can be achieved. While much research has focused on P3HT, it is evident that a clearer understanding of the morphology and the evolution of the morphology in low bad gap polymer systems will increase the efficiency further. While current OPVs are on the verge of breaking the 10% barrier, manipulating and controlling the morphology will still be key for device optimization and, equally important, for the fabrication of these devices in an industrial setting.

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Section: Morphology Of Polymer Based Opvsmentioning

confidence: 99%

On the morphology of polymer‐based photovoltaics

Liu

Jung

et al. 2012

J Polym Sci B Polym Phys

308

248

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“…[45][46][47][48] However, applying this technique to polymer blends turned out less successful, again due to lack of contrast between the polymer phases. 49 An exception was presented by Blache et al, who applied environmental scanning EM (E-SEM) to PFB:F8BT blends and obtained well-resolved images.…”

Section: Toolbox To Probe the Morphologymentioning

confidence: 99%

“…[45][46][47][48]54 These studies have been important for developing and understanding the device physics of polymer:fullerene PV devices. Similar studies on polymer blend PV devices are unfortunately still scarce.…”

Section: Factors Influencing the Morphology Of The Photoactive Layer mentioning

confidence: 99%

Nanoscale structure of solar cells based on pure conjugated polymer blends

Veenstra

Loos

Kroon

2007

Progress in Photovoltaics

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This paper gives an overview of the status of photovoltaic devices based on blends of semiconducting polymers. The polymer blends form the bulk heterojunction in these photovoltaic devices. The fundamental mechanisms governing the performance of these devices are discussed as well as the specificities of these all-polymer solar cells. The morphology of the polymer blend layer is expected to influence the device performance of these bulk heterojunctions. An overview is presented of factors that influence the morphology of the active layer of polymer blend photovoltaic devices together with a summary of tools available to study the structure of this layer. An advanced electron microscopy technique is applied to study the morphology of polymer blends of MDMO-PPV and PCNEPV with differing molecular weights. It is shown that the molecular weight of the polymer influences the typical domain size from $200 nm down to less than 5 nm in these bulk heterojunction PV devices. No strong relation is observed between the typical length scale of the phase separated domains and the measured external quantum efficiency, indicating that the phases are intermixed.

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“…Whilst early models of device function employed structural pictures of the photoactive layer based on the formation of well defined, and chemically pure, polymer and fullerene phases, it is now understood that many donor polymers are highly miscible with fullerenes, forming complex film structures in which pure polymer and/or fullerene phases co-exist with a molecularly intermixed polymer-fullerene phase. [4][5][6][7][8][9] Such complex, but more realistic, structural models are motivating studies of the correlations between film morphology and the processes of charge generation and device function in OSC. 6,8,[10][11][12][13][14][15][16][17][18][19] In this study, we address this issue for blend films and devices employing an amorphous donor polymer silaindacenodithiophene donor (SiIDT-DTBT) previously shown to exhibit high miscibility with PC60BM.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Charge Separation in Intermixed Polymer:PC₇₀BM Photovoltaic Blends: Correlating Structural and Photophysical Length Scales as a Function of Blend Composition

et al. 2017

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A key challenge in achieving control over photocurrent generation by bulk-heterojunction organic solar cells is understanding how the morphology of the active layer impacts charge separation and in particular the separation dynamics within molecularly-intermixed donor-acceptor domains versus the dynamics between phase-segregated domains. This paper addresses this issue by studying blends and devices of the amorphous silicon-indacenodithiophene polymer SiIDT-DTBT and the acceptor PC70BM. By changing the blend composition, we modulate the size and density of the pure and intermixed domains on the nanometre lengthscale. Laser spectroscopic studies show that these changes in morphology correlate quantitatively with the changes in charge separation dynamics on the 2 nanosecond timescale, and with device photocurrent densities. At low fullerene compositions, where only a single, molecularly intermixed polymer-fullerene phase is observed, photoexcitation results in a ~30% charge loss from geminate polaron pair recombination, which is further studied via light intensity experiments showing that the radius of the polaron pairs in the intermixed phase is 3-5 nm. At high fullerene compositions (≥ 67%), where the intermixed domains are 1-3 nm and the pure fullerene phases reach ~4 nm, the geminate recombination is suppressed by the reduction of the intermixed phase making the fullerene domains accessible for electron escape.

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Disclosure of the nanostructure of MDMO-PPV:PCBM bulk hetero-junction organic solar cells by a combination of SPM and TEM

Cited by 211 publications

References 12 publications

On the morphology of polymer‐based photovoltaics

On the morphology of polymer‐based photovoltaics

Nanoscale structure of solar cells based on pure conjugated polymer blends

Charge Separation in Intermixed Polymer:PC₇₀BM Photovoltaic Blends: Correlating Structural and Photophysical Length Scales as a Function of Blend Composition

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Disclosure of the nanostructure of MDMO-PPV:PCBM bulk hetero-junction organic solar cells by a combination of SPM and TEM

Cited by 211 publications

References 12 publications

On the morphology of polymer‐based photovoltaics

On the morphology of polymer‐based photovoltaics

Nanoscale structure of solar cells based on pure conjugated polymer blends

Charge Separation in Intermixed Polymer:PC70BM Photovoltaic Blends: Correlating Structural and Photophysical Length Scales as a Function of Blend Composition

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Charge Separation in Intermixed Polymer:PC₇₀BM Photovoltaic Blends: Correlating Structural and Photophysical Length Scales as a Function of Blend Composition