Performance correlated with device layout and illumination area in solar cells based on polymer and aligned ZnO nanorods

• Published in: Solar energy Vol. 86; no. 5; pp. 1459 - 1469
• Main Authors: Wu, Fan, Yue, Wenjin, Cui, Qi, Liu, Changwen, Qiu, Zeliang, Shen, Wei, Zhang, Hui, Wang, Mingtai
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Kidlington Elsevier Ltd 01.05.2012; Elsevier; Pergamon Press Inc
• Subjects: Applied sciences; Characterization; Conjugated polymer; Device layout; Direct energy conversion and energy accumulation; Electrical engineering. Electrical power engineering; Electrical power engineering; Electrodes; Energy; Exact sciences and technology; Materials; Natural energy; Photoelectric conversion; Photovoltaic cells; Photovoltaic conversion; Polymers; Solar cells; Solar cells. Photoelectrochemical cells; Solar energy; ZnO; Solar cells; Characterization; Conjugated polymer; Device layout; ZnO; Performance evaluation; Phenylenevinylene polymer; Dynamic response; Phenylenevinylene derivative polymer; Organic solar cells; Indium oxide; Steady state; Optimization; Solar cell; Tin addition; Diversity combining; Layout; Size effect; Illumination; Zinc oxide; Properties of materials; Nanorod
• ISSN: 0038-092X; 1471-1257
• DOI: 10.1016/j.solener.2012.02.006

[Display omitted] ► Device layout and illumination area size influence the performance of MEH-PPV/ZnO solar cells. ► Photomask calibration enables accurate current measurement in spite of distinct device layouts. ► We explore the manners in which the performance correlates to device layout and ILA size. ► We reveal the optimized layouts for the efficient device design and accurate characterization. Performances correlated with the device layout (sizes of ITO electrode and photoactive layer) and the illuminated photoactive area (ILA) in polymer-based solar cells (PSCs) consisting of poly(2-methoxy-5-(2-ethylhexyloxy)-1,4-phenylenevinylene) (MEH-PPV) and vertically aligned ZnO nanorod array (ZnO-NA) are systematically investigated. MEH-PPV/ZnO-NA solar cells with the same architecture are prepared with three kinds of layouts. It is found that the device layout and ILA size impose significant effects on the steady-state and dynamic performances of the devices even though the device architecture, the materials property and the Au electrode in the devices are not changed, and the manners in which the device characteristics correlate to the device layout and ILA size are revealed, providing the optimized layout for efficient MEH-PPV/ZnO-NA device and the appropriate layout for accurate performance characterization. The present study reports the significant advances in understanding the ILA- and layout-correlated device performances, which will help to guide the design and characterization of PSCs.