Improved efficiency of organic solar cells using Au NPs incorporated into PEDOT:PSS buffer layer

• Published in: AIP advances Vol. 7; no. 8; pp. 085302 - 085302-10
• Main Authors: Otieno, Francis, Shumbula, Ndivhuwo P., Airo, Mildred, Mbuso, Mlambo, Moloto, Nosipho, Erasmus, Rudolph M., Quandt, Alexander, Wamwangi, Daniel
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Melville American Institute of Physics 01.08.2017; AIP Publishing LLC
• Subjects: Atomic beam spectroscopy; Atomic force microscopy; Buffer layers; Butyric acid; Chemical reduction; Chemical synthesis; Gold; Nanoparticles; Organic chemistry; Photoelectric effect; Photoelectric emission; Photovoltaic cells; Solar cells; Transport phenomena
• ISSN: 2158-3226; 2158-3226
• DOI: 10.1063/1.4995803

Au based plasmonic phenomenon inside the hole transport layer poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene)-poly(styrenesulfonate) (PEDOT:PSS) of an organic solar cell based on blend of poly(3-hexylthiophene) (P3HT) and [6:6]-phenyl-C61-butyric acid (PCBM) is investigated. The concentration of the Au nanoparticles synthesized by wet chemical reduction is one of the key factors to strong light trapping when the spherical gold nanoparticles are blended into the PEDOT:PSS solution. Studies of the influence of the concentration of nanoparticles distribution in the PEDOT:PSS were carried out using UV–Vis spectroscopy and atomic force microscopy. Electrical characteristics of the pristine device and of device with metallic nanostructures were analyzed from J –V characteristics to observe the plasmonic effects on the performance in the P3HT:PCBM organic solar cells. The origin of the photocurrent enhancements with varying Au nanoparticles concentrations on PEDOT:PSS are discussed.