The effect of active layer thickness on the efficiency of polymer solar cells

Adam J. Moulé; Jörg B. Bonekamp; Alexander Ruhl; Heike Klesper; Klaus Meerholz

doi:10.1117/12.620452

3 October 2005 The effect of active layer thickness on the efficiency of polymer solar cells

Adam J. Moulé, Jörg B. Bonekamp, Alexander Ruhl, Heike Klesper, Klaus Meerholz

Proceedings Volume 5938, Organic Photovoltaics VI; 593808 (2005) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.620452
Event: Optics and Photonics 2005, 2005, San Diego, California, United States

Abstract

At present, heterojunction polymer solar cells are typically fabricated with an active layer thickness of approximately 80 nm to 100 nm. This active layer thickness has traditionally been chosen based upon convenience and empirical results. However, a detailed mechanistic study of the effects of active layer thickness on the short circuit current and efficiency has never been performed for polymer solar cells. We demonstrate that using the high mobility materials regio regular poly(3-hexylthiophene and [6,6]-phenyl (P3HT) and C₆₁-butyric acid methyl ester (PCBM), that high efficiency solar cells can be fabricated with active layer thickness greater than 100 nm. Devices with an active layer thickness of 200 nm are fabricated with a power efficiency of 4.1% under AM1.5 illumination at and intensity of 80 mW/cm². In addition, we explain the variation in short circuit current density as a function of thickness using calculations of the distribution of the optical electric field intensity as a function of device thickness.

Citation Download Citation

Adam J. Moulé, Jörg B. Bonekamp, Alexander Ruhl, Heike Klesper, and Klaus Meerholz "The effect of active layer thickness on the efficiency of polymer solar cells", Proc. SPIE 5938, Organic Photovoltaics VI, 593808 (3 October 2005); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.620452

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