Dominant Effects of First Monolayer Energetics at Donor/Acceptor Interfaces on Organic Photovoltaics

Abstract

Energy levels of the first monolayer are manipulated at donor/acceptor interfaces in planar heterojunction organic photovoltaics by using molecular self-organization. A "cascade" energy landscape allows thermal-activation-free charge generation by photoirradiation, destabilizes the energy of the interfacial charge-transfer state, and suppresses bimolecular charge recombination, resulting in a higher open-circuit voltage and fill factor.