Flexible organic inorganic hybrid solar cells based on conjugated polymer and ZnO nanorod array

• Published in: Semiconductor science and technology Vol. 27; no. 10; pp. 105005 - 105009
• Main Authors: Tong, Fei, Kim, Kyusang, Martinez, Daniel, Thapa, Resham, Ahyi, Ayayi, Williams, John, Kim, Dong-Joo, Lee, Sungkoo, Lim, Eunhee, Lee, Kyeong K, Park, Minseo
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: IOP Publishing 10.10.2012
• Subjects: 6)-phenyl C61 butyric acid methyl ester; hybrid photovoltaic devices; ITO-coated PET; Poly (3-hexylthiophene); solution process; ZnO nanorods
• ISSN: 0268-1242; 1361-6641
• DOI: 10.1088/0268-1242/27/10/105005

We report on the photovoltaic characteristics of organic inorganic hybrid solar cells fabricated on 'flexible' transparent substrates. The solar cell device is composed of ZnO nanorod array and the bulk heterojunction structured organic layer which is the blend of poly(3-hexylthiophene) (P3HT) and (6,6)-phenyl C61 butyric acid methyl ester (PCBM). The ZnO nanorod array was grown on indium tin oxide (ITO)-coated polyethylene terephthalate (PET) substrates via a low-temperature (85 °C) aqueous solution process. The blend solution consisting of conjugated polymer P3HT and fullerene PCBM was spin coated at a low spinning rate of 400 rpm on top of the ZnO nanorod array structure and then the photoactive layer was slow dried at room temperature in air to promote its infiltration into the nanorod network. As a top electrode, silver was sputtered on top of the photoactive layer. The flexible solar cell with the structure of PET ITO ZnO thin film ZnO nanorods P3HT:PCBM Ag exhibited a photovoltaic performance with an open circuit voltage (VOC) of 0.52 V, a short circuit current density (JSC) of 9.82 mA cm−2, a fill factor (FF) of 35% and a power conversion efficiency (η) of 1.78%. All the measurements were performed under 100 mW cm−2 of illumination with an air mass 1.5 G filter. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first presentation of investigation into the fabrication and characterization of organic inorganic hybrid solar cells based on bulk heterojunction structured conjugated polymer fullerene photoactive layer and ZnO nanorod array constructed on flexible transparent substrates.