Monolithic parallel tandem organic photovoltaic cell with transparent carbon nanotube interlayer

Tanaka, Shigeki; Mielczarek, Kamil; Ovalle‐Robles, Raquel; Wang, B.; Hsu, David S.; Zakhidov, Anvar A.

doi:10.1063/1.3095594

Cited by 52 publications

(41 citation statements)

References 15 publications

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“…[200] Considering this trend, there is no doubt that the excellent properties of SWNTs give them the potential to become the next-generation electrode for photovoltaic devices. This review touched on the syntheses of SWNT electrodes and went over their applications in organic solar cells, DSSCs, and PSCs.…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Single‐Walled Carbon Nanotubes in Emerging Solar Cells: Synthesis and Electrode Applications

Jeon

Xiang

Shawky

et al. 2018

Advanced Energy Materials

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years, because of growing concerns over the energy security. Among different types of photovoltaics, silicon solar cells give power conversion efficiencies (PCEs) of over 26% with excellent durability. This technology has already reached the market, and the products are readily available. However as recent technologies, such as flexible smartphones and IoT (internet of things), evolve into more versatile and portable electronics, there is a shift of demand from performance-centric technologies to versatility-oriented technologies. In other words, the paradigm is shifting to flexible, wearable, and light-weight electronic devices. Energy-generating devices are also following the same path. This means that the thin-film solar cell technologies, such as organic solar cells (OSCs) [1][2][3] and perovskite solar cells (PSCs), [4,5] are considered to be the wave of the future with their critical attributes of being ultrathin (<1 mm), light-weight, and solution-processable. [6] These emerging thin-film solar cells have the potential to equal or surpass the PCE of silicon solar cells while having major advantages in terms of production cost, enhanced design and a variety of new functionalities. Furthermore, tandem photovoltaics, [7] which are combined solar cells of PSCs, silicon solar cells, [8] or OSCs, [9,10] are another new and promising category for the future photovoltaic technology. Despite different names of solar cell types, the device structure is largely the same. They commonly share the typical configuration of one photoactive layer in the center, two charge selective layers above and below the active layer, and two electrodes at each end-at least one of which has to be transparent so that sunlight can pass through it. While there has been an intense efficiency race within the emerging thin-film solar cell community, less attention has been paid to other features, such as flexibility and stability. These traits can be enhanced by using new electrodes and charge-selective layers. Not only the functionalities but also photovoltaic performance is heavily dependent on the electrode and the charge-selective layers. Many scientists around the world, thus far, have focused on these layers by developing novel materials and modifying conventional materials to push the boundaries of current thin-film photovoltaic technology.Abundant and mechanically resilient carbon allotropes are composed of carbon atoms only, yet manifest different electronic properties depending on their configurations and arrangements. Of the carbon species, carbon nanotubes (CNTs) are promising materials to be incorporated into the thin-film solar cells owing to a wide range of properties ranging from conductors to semiconductors with different bandgaps based Emerging solar cells, namely, organic solar cells and perovskite solar cells, are the thin-film photovoltaics that have light to electricity conversion efficiencies close to that of silicon solar cells while possessing advantages in having additional functionalities, facile-processability, an...

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Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Single‐Walled Carbon Nanotubes in Emerging Solar Cells: Synthesis and Electrode Applications

Jeon

Xiang

Shawky

et al. 2018

Advanced Energy Materials

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“…[143] In addition, Tanaka et al introduced transparent multiwalled carbon nanotube sheets into the PEDOT:PSS intermediate layer in the tandem OSC device, so that the contact resistance was decreased and the hole collection ability was improved.…”

Section: Wwwadvancedsciencenewscommentioning

confidence: 99%

Solution‐Processable Conjugated Polymers as Anode Interfacial Layer Materials for Organic Solar Cells

Hou

2018

Advanced Energy Materials

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With appropriate charge transport layers, one can rationally engineer the driving force, which generally refers to the built-in electric field in devices, so that electrons and holes can be effectively extracted to their respective electrodes, and thereby maximize the efficiency of OSCs. [4] There are two main types of charge transport materials that are commonly used in OSCs: anode interfacial layer (AIL) materials for hole collection and electron transport layer (ETL) materials for electron collection. However, at present, the development of AIL materials is comparatively lagging, as compared to ETL materials. For ETL materials, many materials, such as low-work-function metal, [5] small-molecule organic compounds, [6] nonconjugated and conjugated polymers, [7] and transition metal oxides (TMO), [8] have been proven effective in improving the electron collection efficiency in OSCs. In sharp contrast, only a few materials, such as poly(3,4ethylenedioxythiophene): (styrenesulfonate) (PEDOT:PSS) [9] and MoO 3 , [10] have been extensively used as AILs in OSCs. Generally, the AIL serves two functions: 1) Improving the selectivity and efficiency of hole transport and collection. First, by using AILs, the work function (W F ) of the anode can be effectively enhanced, which helps to construct a built-in electric field in the device with the combination of a low-W F cathode. The built-in electric field provides the fundamental driving force that transfers holes to the anode, where the holes are subsequently collected (Figure 1a). [11] Second, with the modification of the AILs, the W F of the anode can be enhanced to be higher than the positive integer charge-transfer state (E ICT + ) of the donor, in which case the Fermi-level pinning to the E ICT + level occurs to reduce the hole collection barrier at the anode interface (Figure 1b). [12] Third, AILs should effectively block the electrons, reducing the charge recombination at the interface. [13] 2) Improving the physical contact between the anodes and the active layers. With the modification of AILs, the hydrophilic surface of anodes can be changed, which enhances the wettability and film quality of the active layers deposited on the anode surfaces. Moreover, the anode surface can be smoothed by an AIL to passivate surface defects and pinholes, which decreases the leakage current of the OSC devices. To efficiently realize the above functions, AIL materials should possess several characteristics, including a high W F value, exceptional optical transparency, excellent hole In recent years, solution-processed conjugated polymers have been extensively used as anode interfacial layer (AIL) materials in organic solar cells (OSCs) due to their excellent film-forming property and low-temperature processing advantages. In this review, the authors focus on the recent advances in conjugated polymers as AIL materials in OSCs. Several of the main classes of solution-processable conjugated polymers, including poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene):(styrenesulfonate), polyaniline, polyt...

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“…Indeed in a recent independent study the substrate cost was identifi ed as the most important factor in the manufacturing cost of OPVs. [ 18 ] Possible replacements for ITO glass include other transparent conducting oxides, [ 19 ] conducting polymers, [20][21][22] carbon nanotube fi lms, [23][24][25] graphene [ 26 ] and silver nanowires. [ 27 , 28 ] Unfortunately, very few of these electrodes have yielded devices with performance comparable to those utilizing ITO glass.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Ultrathin Transparent Au Electrodes for Organic Photovoltaics Fabricated Using a Mixed Mono‐Molecular Nucleation Layer

Stec

Williams

Jones

et al. 2011

Adv Funct Materials

110

100

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A rapid, solvent free method for the fabrication of highly transparent ultrathin (∼8 nm) Au films on glass has been developed. This is achieved by derivatizing the glass surface with a mixed monolayer of 3‐mercaptopropyl(trimethoxysilane) and 3‐aminopropyl(trimethoxysilane) via co‐deposition from the vapor phase, prior to Au deposition by thermal evaporation. The mixed monolayer modifies the growth kinetics, producing highly conductive films (∼11 Ω per square) with a remarkably low root‐mean‐square roughness (∼0.4 nm) that are exceptionally robust towards UV/O3 treatment and ultrasonic agitation in a range of common solvents. As such, they are potentially widely applicable for a variety of large area applications, particularly where stable, chemically well‐defined, ultrasmooth substrate electrodes are required, such as in organic optoelectronics and the emerging fields of nanoelectronics and nanophotonics. By integrating microsphere lithography into the fabrication process, we also demonstrate a means of tuning the transparency by incorporating a random array of circular apertures into the film. The application of these nanostructured Au electrodes is demonstrated in efficient organic photovoltaic devices where it offers a compelling alternative to indium tin oxide coated glass.

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Monolithic parallel tandem organic photovoltaic cell with transparent carbon nanotube interlayer

Cited by 52 publications

References 15 publications

Single‐Walled Carbon Nanotubes in Emerging Solar Cells: Synthesis and Electrode Applications

Single‐Walled Carbon Nanotubes in Emerging Solar Cells: Synthesis and Electrode Applications

Solution‐Processable Conjugated Polymers as Anode Interfacial Layer Materials for Organic Solar Cells

Ultrathin Transparent Au Electrodes for Organic Photovoltaics Fabricated Using a Mixed Mono‐Molecular Nucleation Layer

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