Effect of localized surface plasmon resonance from incorporated gold nanoparticles in PEDOT:PSS hole transport layer for hybrid solar cell applications

Abstract

We report optical and structural properties of poly (3,4-ethylene dioxythiophene):poly(styrene sulfonate) (PEDOT:PSS) incorporated gold nanoparticles capped by citrates (Au-citrates) as hole transport layer for hybrid organic-inorganic solar cell applications. PEDOT:PSS and Au-citrates both are water solution and the mixed are done in 2.378 wt%, 2.978 wt% and 3.144 wt% of Au-citrates. Plasmonic peak in the wavelength area of ∼525 nm for Au-citrates is found quite stable after addition of iso-propanol for wettability purpose. In our result, enhanced absorbance spectra of PEDOT:PSS incorporated Au-citrates indicates the effect of localized surface plasmon resonance from Au-citrates and it is estimated to enhance performance of hybrid solar cell efficiency. Optical properties of the thin films in hybrid solar cell device are done in the structure of ITO/ZnO/P3HT:PCBM(active layer)/(PEDOT:PSS:Au-citrates). The complete layer structure shows the enhancement of optical property in all UV-vis region in comparison to that structure without Au-citrates.