Charge extraction analysis of charge carrier densities in a polythiophene/fullerene solar cell: Analysis of the origin of the device dark current

Abstract

We demonstrate the use of a simple charge extraction measurement to determine the charge carrier densities n in annealed poly(3-hexylthiophene):methanofullerene solar cells under operating conditions. By applying charge extraction to the device under forward bias in the dark (Jdark), we find Jdark∝n2.6. This dependence on charge density is the same as that we find for bimolecular recombination losses observed in such devices under irradiation at open circuit, suggesting that the dark current originates from bimolecular recombination at the polymer/fullerene interface.