Novel semi-analytical optoelectronic modeling based on homogenization theory for realistic plasmonic polymer solar cells

Abstract

Numerical-based simulations of plasmonic polymer solar cells (PSCs) incorporating a disordered array of non-uniform sized plasmonic nanoparticles (NPs) impose a prohibitively long-time and complex computational demand. To surmount this limitation, we present a novel semi-analytical modeling, which dramatically reduces computational time and resource consumption and yet is acceptably accurate. For this purpose, the optical modeling of active layer-incorporated plasmonic metal NPs, which is described by a homogenization theory based on a modified Maxwell–Garnett-Mie theory, is inputted in the electrical modeling based on the coupled equations of Poisson, continuity, and drift–diffusion. Besides, our modeling considers the effects of absorption in the non-active layers, interference induced by electrodes, and scattered light escaping from the PSC. The modeling results satisfactorily reproduce a series of experimental data for photovoltaic parameters of plasmonic PSCs, demonstrating the validity of our modeling approach. According to this, we implement the semi-analytical modeling to propose a new high-efficiency plasmonic PSC based on the PM6:Y6 PSC, having the highest reported power conversion efficiency (PCE) to date. The results show that the incorporation of plasmonic NPs into PM6:Y6 active layer leads to the PCE over 18%.

Integrating machine learning and the finite element method for assessing stiffness degradation in photovoltaic modules

“…To achieve this, the mean-field homogenization (MFH) method is employed to standardize the mechanical behavior of PSSCs. MFH provides a systematic approach to evaluate material responses by averaging the effects of microstructural features such as grain orientation and size within PSSCs [30,31]. This methodology facilitates the translation of complex microstructural behaviors into effective macroscopic properties.…”

An analytical model for organic bulk heterojunction solar cells based on Saha equation for exciton dissociation

“…The popular theoretical models for OSCs are the driftdiffusion model developed by Koster et al 2,3 and its various improvements. 28,29,[32][33][34][35][36][37][38][39][40][41] However, most of these studies 16,28,29,[32][33][34] adopted the uniform-electric-field approximation (UEFA) and treated the mobility as a constant independent of the density of states (DOS), electric field and carrier density, and some studies 16,[32][33][34][35][36][37][38][39][40][41] adopted the Boltzmann statistics and ignored the degeneracy effect. Because some important physical factors are ignored, these models are merely applicable to low-efficiency OSCs.…”

Plasmonic Photocurrent Improvement in P3HT:PCBM Organic Solar Cells

“…Overcoming these problems by adding noble metal nanoparticles (NPs) with different morphologies and sizes into different layers or different positions into active layer, ETL or HTL with different three mechanisms localized surface Plasmon resonance (LSPR), light scattering, surface Plasmon polariton(s), SPP(s) to investigate harvesting light and photon management ( [14], [15]). The most metal NPs used in BHJ for plasmonic enhancement are silver(Ag) and gold(Au).…”