Publication detail

Shelf Life Degradation of Bulk Heterojunction Solar Cells: Intrinsic Evolution of Charge Transfer Complex

Antonio Guerrero, Hamed Heidari, Teresa S. Ripolles, Alexander Kovalenko, Martin Pfannmöller, Sara Bals, Louis-Dominique Kauffmann, Juan Bisquert, Germà Garcia-Belmonte

Original Title

Shelf Life Degradation of Bulk Heterojunction Solar Cells: Intrinsic Evolution of Charge Transfer Complex

Type

journal article in Web of Science

Language

English

Original Abstract

Achievement of long-term stability of organic photovoltaics is currently one of the major topics for this technology to reach maturity. Most of the techniques used to reveal degradation pathways are destructive and/or do not allow for real-time measurements in operating devices. Here, three different, nondestructive techniques able to provide real-time information, namely, film absorbance, capacitance–voltage ( C–V ), and impedance spectroscopy (IS), are combined over a period of 1 year using non-accelerated intrinsic degradation conditions. It is discerned between chemical modifi cations in the active layer, physical processes taking place in the bulk of the blend from those at the active layer/contact interfaces. In particular, it is observed that during the ageing experiment, the main source for device performance degradation is the formation of donor–acceptor charge-transfer complex (P3HT•+–PCBM•−) that acts as an exciton quencher. Generation of these radical species diminishes photocurrent and reduces open-circuit voltage by the creation of electronic defect states. Conclusions extracted from absorption, C–V , and IS measurements will be further supported by a range of other techniques such as atomic force microscopy, X-ray diffraction, and dark-fi eld imaging of scanning transmission electron microscopy on ultrathin cross-sections.

Keywords

Organic solar cells, degradation, charge transfer

Authors

Antonio Guerrero, Hamed Heidari, Teresa S. Ripolles, Alexander Kovalenko, Martin Pfannmöller, Sara Bals, Louis-Dominique Kauffmann, Juan Bisquert, Germà Garcia-Belmonte

RIV year

2014

Released

12. 12. 2014

ISBN

1614-6840

Periodical

Advanced Energy Materials

Year of study

2014

Number

4

State

Federal Republic of Germany

Pages from

1401997

Pages to

1401997

Pages count

8

URL

http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/aenm.201401997/abstract

BibTex

@article{BUT113780,
  author="Alexander {Kovalenko}",
  title="Shelf Life Degradation of Bulk Heterojunction Solar Cells: Intrinsic Evolution of Charge Transfer Complex",
  journal="Advanced Energy Materials",
  year="2014",
  volume="2014",
  number="4",
  pages="1401997--1401997",
  issn="1614-6840",
  url="http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/aenm.201401997/abstract"
}