Microstructures and photovoltaic properties of C₆₀based solar cells with copper oxides, CuInS₂, phthalocyanines, porphyrin, PVK, nanodiamond, germanium and exciton diffusion blocking layers

Abstract

Organic solar cells have a potential for use in lightweight, flexible, inexpensive and large scale solar cells. However, significant improvements of photovoltaic efficiencies are mandatory for use in future solar power plants. One of the improvements is donor–acceptor proximity in the devices, which are called bulk heterojunction solar cells. Bulk heterojunction is an efficient method to generate free charge carriers, and the charge transfer is possible at the semiconductor interface. The purpose of the present work is to fabricate and characterise C60 based solar cells with copper oxides, CuInS2, phthalocyanines, porphyrin, poly-vinylcarbazole, nanodiamond, germanium and exciton diffusion blocking layers. In the present work, C60 and fullerenol [C60(OH)10–12] were used for n-type semiconductors, and metal copper oxides, metal phthalocyanine derivative, porphyrin and poly-vinylcarbazole were used for p-type semiconductors. In addition, nanodiamond and germanium based molecules were added into the active layers of the solar cells. The novel aspect of the research is to investigate the relation between properties and microstructures of the solar cells using transmission electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction and electronic structure calculation. The impact of the research concerns the study of organic solar cells by means of microstructural analysis, property measurements and theoretical calculations.