Enhanced efficiency in polymer solar cells viahydrogen plasma treatment of ZnO electron transport layers

Bulk heterojunction (BHJ) solar cells with a solution-processed ZnO electron transport layer (ETL) were fabricated, and the effects of surface modification of the ZnO ETL by H-plasma treatment on the device performance were systemically investigated. It was found that the open circuit voltage (V sub...

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Veröffentlicht in:Journal of materials chemistry. A, Materials for energy and sustainability Materials for energy and sustainability, 2015-02, Vol.3 (7), p.3719-3725
Hauptverfasser: Gao, Hong Li, Zhang, Xing Wang, Meng, Jun Hua, Yin, Zhi Gang, Zhang, Liu Qi, Wu, Jin Liang, Liu, Xin
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Sprache:eng
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Zusammenfassung:Bulk heterojunction (BHJ) solar cells with a solution-processed ZnO electron transport layer (ETL) were fabricated, and the effects of surface modification of the ZnO ETL by H-plasma treatment on the device performance were systemically investigated. It was found that the open circuit voltage (V sub(OC)) of the BHJ solar cells was dramatically improved after H-plasma treatment, while the short-circuit current density (J sub(SC)) exhibited a consistent decrease with increasing H-plasma treatment time. Both Kelvin probe force microscopy and ultraviolet photoelectron spectroscopy measurements indicate that the improved V sub(OC) is attributed to the reduced work function of ZnO caused by H-plasma treatment, while photoluminescence spectra suggest that the inefficient exciton dissociation associated with the H-plasma treatment leads to a decrease in J sub(SC) with t sub(H). After 2.5 min of H-plasma treatment, the power conversion efficiency (PCE) of the solar cells was increased from 3.03% to 3.84% with a high V sub(OC) of 0.670 V, corresponding to an improvement of 27%. This work provides a novel and efficient route to improving the V sub(OC) and thus the efficiency of BHJ solar cells.
ISSN:2050-7488
2050-7496
DOI:10.1039/c4ta05541a