Photoconductivity in Donor−Acceptor Polyferrocenylsilane−Fullerene Composite Films

Organometallic polymer-based solid-state photoconductive and photovoltaic devices using thin films of blends of poly(ferrocenylmethylphenylsilane) (PFMPS) and fullerenes as the active layers were fabricated. Buckminsterfullerene C60 and [6,6]-phenyl C61 butyric acid methyl ester (PCBM) fullerene derivative were investigated as electron acceptors in the devices, in the range of 5−18 mol % relative to the ferrocenyl electron donor in PFMPS. The devices show a predominantly UV spectral response. The short circuit currents were on the order of nanoamperes under white light illumination of ca. 160 mW/cm2, and the open circuit voltage was found to vary from ca. 0.3 V for devices with C60 to ca. 0.45 V for devices with PCBM.