Anode Buffer Layer containing Au Nanoparticles for High Stability Organic Solar Cells

For a promising approach to improve the energy conversion performance of organic thin layer solar cells, a buffer layer between a hole collecting electrode (anode) and organic active layer containing electron accepting and donating materials mixture is investigated. A conductive polymer, PEDOT:PSS, is generally used as the buffer layer to realize the best performance. However, it often causes degradation in long term stability due to its highly acidic and absorbent nature. In the present study, we investigate properties of a new class of buffer materials substituting PEDOT:PSS, a composite of gold nanoparticles and hyper-branched polystyrene.