Magnetic fields: a tool for the study of organic solar cells

Abstract

Charge transfer in polymer devices represents a crucial, though highly inaccessible stage of photocurrent generation. In this article we propose studying the properties and behaviour of organic solar cells through the modification of photocurrent generation when an external magnetic field is applied. By allowing the parameters of our theoretical model not to be constrained to any specific material, we are able to show that not only a modest external magnetic field leads to a significant increase in photocurrent intensity, but also how such magnetic field can be used to study in detail the energy levels and transition rates within the polymer compound. Systematic exploration of key properties in organic composites thus can lead to highly optimised devices in which a magnetic field produces an enhancement in the efficiency of polymer solar cells.

Effect of External Magnetic Field on Bulk Heterojunction Polymer Solar Cells

“…[ 4–7 ] Various approaches have been attempted to realize efficient PSCs, [ 4–9 ] but the utilization of both magnetic nanoparticles (MNPs) and external magnetic field (EMF) to boost PCEs of the PTB7‐DT‐based BHJ PSCs was less reported. [ 10–13 ]…”

“…[4][5][6][7] Various approaches have been attempted to realize efficient PSCs, [4][5][6][7][8][9] but the utilization of both magnetic nanoparticles (MNPs) and external magnetic field (EMF) to boost PCEs of the PTB7-DT-based BHJ PSCs was less reported. [10][11][12][13] In the past years, both MNPs and EMF have drawn great attention in both academic and industrial sectors. [14] Iron oxide (II, III) (Fe 3 O 4 ) is one of the most commonly used MNPs because of its well-crystallinity, good thermodynamic stability, and more importantly, the outstanding superparamagnetic behavior.…”

Quantum systems in and out of equilibrium

“…A sizable number of contributions cover the field of quantum thermodynamics from quite different perspectives. In particular, Vinjanampathy and coworkers [1] report on a variational control algorithm to speed up thermalization in open quantum systems; Gallavotti [2] addresses the problem of finite thermostats in classical and quantum nonequilibrium; Barra and Lledo [3] study the thermodynamics of a quantum system interacting with different baths in the repeated interaction framework; del Campo et al [4] investigate the decay of a thermofield-double state in chaotic quantum systems; Prior and coworkers [5] propose studying the properties and behaviour of organic solar cells through the modification of photocurrent generation when an external magnetic field is applied; Sugino and Padmanabhan [6] use modified Motzkin walks to study quantum phase transitions in a frustration-free spin chain; and Manzano [7] reports on entropy production and fluctuations in a Maxwell's refrigerator with squeezing.…”