A study of optical properties enhancement in low-bandgap polymer solar cells with embedded PEDOT:PSS gratings

Typically, most low bandgap materials have low absorption with wavelength at around 500nm. Besides, the restrictions of active layer thickness of thin film polymer solar cells (PSCs) make the devices reduce to absorb light in long wavelength region (around 700nm). As absorption would be a joint effect of material band properties and optical structures, well-designed light-trapping strategies for these low-bandgap PSCs will be more useful to further enhance efficiencies. We investigate the change of optical properties and device performances of organic solar cells based on our newly synthesized low-bandgap material with embedded poly-(3,4-ethylene-dioxythiophene):poly(styrenesulfonate) PEDOT:PSS grating in the photoactive bulk heterojunction layer. Our results show that the PEDOT:PSS grating with a period of 320nm and depth of 40nm makes the light absorption improved in specific regions of the solar spectrum, especially the weak absorption region of our bulk heterojunction material near 500nm and the red/near-infrared region at around 700nm. The incident photon-to-electron conversion efficiency (IPCE) also improves with corresponding enhancement peaks. The physical understanding of the absorption enhancement will be investigated and described through our theoretical study. The power conversion efficiency is improved due to the enhancement of short circuit current. The work demonstrates the absorption enhancement of low bandgap solar cells using appropriate grating structures and provides the physical understanding of the absorption enhancement for improving the performances of organic solar cells. [Display omitted] ► Improve light absorption of low bandgap materials particularly at around 500nm and 700nm. ► Improve solar cell performances by embedded grating in the photoactive bulk heterojunction layer. ► Describe the physical understanding of absorption and performance improvements by the grating.