Chloroboron subphthalocyanine/C60 planar heterojunction organic solar cell with N,N-dicarbazolyl-3,5-benzene blocking layer

• Published in: Solar energy materials and solar cells Vol. 122; pp. 264 - 270
• Main Authors: Lin, Chi-Feng, Nichols, Valerie M., Cheng, Yung-Chih, Bardeen, Christopher J., Wei, Mau-Kuo, Liu, Shun-Wei, Lee, Chih-Chien, Su, Wei-Cheng, Chiu, Tien-Lung, Han, Hsieh-Cheng, Chen, Li-Chyong, Chen, Chin-Ti, Lee, Jiun-Haw
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Amsterdam Elsevier B.V 01.03.2014; Elsevier
• Subjects: Applied sciences; Buckminsterfullerene; Devices; Direct energy conversion and energy accumulation; Electrical engineering. Electrical power engineering; Electrical power engineering; Energy; Exact sciences and technology; Excitation; Fullerenes; Heterojunctions; Internal quantum efficiency; Natural energy; Open-circuit voltage; Organic photovoltaic; Photoelectric conversion; Photovoltaic cells; Photovoltaic conversion; Solar cells; Solar cells. Photoelectrochemical cells; Solar energy; Volatile organic compounds; Internal quantum efficiency; Organic photovoltaic; Open-circuit voltage; Exciton; Anode; Conversion rate; Photoluminescence; Blocking layer; Organic solar cells; Fill factor; Optimization; Thin film; Boron; Tin addition; Energy conversion; Heterojunction; Short circuit currents; Crystallization; Electron blocking layer; Quantum yield; Indium oxide; Open circuit voltage; Quenching; Thickness; Benzene; High efficiency; Fullerenes; Leakage current; Electron donor; Planar technology
• ISSN: 0927-0248; 1879-3398
• DOI: 10.1016/j.solmat.2013.12.006

A planar heterojunction organic solar cell (OSC) with high internal quantum efficiency (IQE=95.6% at 590nm) was demonstrated based on boron subphthalocyanine chloride (SubPc) and C60 as the electron donor and acceptor materials. A thin layer of N,N-dicarbazolyl-3,5-benzene (mCP), acting as an electron and exciton blocking layer, was inserted between the ITO anode and the SubPc layer to prevent leakage current and exciton quenching. In the optimized device, a mCP thickness of 3nm was thick enough to block the excitons (as suggested by a high IQE and longer-lived photoluminescence), resulting in an open circuit voltage of 1.09V, a short circuit current of 7.87mA/cm2, a fill factor of 59, and a power conversion efficiency of 5.08%. Increasing the mCP thickness resulted in increased serial resistance and SubPc crystallization that reduced the fill factor, VOC, and JSC. Due to the narrow absorption band of SubPC (71nm at the full-width-at-half-maximum), this high performance (both in peak IQE and VOC) device has the potential to be used as a subcell in a spectral splitting solar cell module. •High IQE SubPc/C60 OPV device was fabricated by inserting mCP between ITO and SubPc.•Exciton and electron blocking resulted in the high IQE.•The device showed high efficiency of 5.08%, with VOC of 1.09V and IQE of 95.6%.