Plasmon-Enhanced Solar Energy Conversion in Organic Bulk Heterojunction Photovoltaics

Anthony J. Morfa; Kathy L. Rowlen; Thomas H. Reilly; Manuel J. Romero; Jao Van De Lagemaat

doi:10.1063/1.2823578

Plasmon-Enhanced Solar Energy Conversion in Organic Bulk Heterojunction Photovoltaics

Anthony J. Morfa, Kathy L. Rowlen, Thomas H. Reilly, Manuel J. Romero, Jao Van De Lagemaat

Chemistry and Nanoscience

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

484 Scopus Citations

Abstract

Plasmon-active silver nanoparticle layers were included in solution-processed bulk-heterojunction solar cells. Nanoparticle layers were fabricated using vapor-phase deposition on indium tin oxide electrodes. Owing to the increase in optical electrical field inside the photoactive layer, the inclusion of such particle films lead to increased optical absorption and consequently increased photoconversion at solar-conversion relevant wavelengths. The resulting solar energy conversion efficiency for a bulk heterojunction photovoltaic device of poly(3-hexylthiophene)/[6,6]-phenyl C61 butyric acid methyl ester was found to increase from 1.3%±0.2% to 2.2%±0.1% for devices employing thin plasmon-active layers. Based on six measurements, the improvement factor of 1.7 was demonstrated to be statistically significant.

Original language	American English
Article number	Article No. 013504
Number of pages	3
Journal	Applied Physics Letters
Volume	92
Issue number	1
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1063/1.2823578 https://doi.org/10.1063/1.2823578
State	Published - 2008

NREL Publication Number

NREL/JA-270-42472

Keywords

active layer
plasmons
silver
solar cells
thin films

UN SDGs

This output contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

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title = "Plasmon-Enhanced Solar Energy Conversion in Organic Bulk Heterojunction Photovoltaics",

abstract = "Plasmon-active silver nanoparticle layers were included in solution-processed bulk-heterojunction solar cells. Nanoparticle layers were fabricated using vapor-phase deposition on indium tin oxide electrodes. Owing to the increase in optical electrical field inside the photoactive layer, the inclusion of such particle films lead to increased optical absorption and consequently increased photoconversion at solar-conversion relevant wavelengths. The resulting solar energy conversion efficiency for a bulk heterojunction photovoltaic device of poly(3-hexylthiophene)/[6,6]-phenyl C61 butyric acid methyl ester was found to increase from 1.3%±0.2% to 2.2%±0.1% for devices employing thin plasmon-active layers. Based on six measurements, the improvement factor of 1.7 was demonstrated to be statistically significant.",

keywords = "active layer, plasmons, silver, solar cells, thin films",

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language = "American English",

volume = "92",

journal = "Applied Physics Letters",

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T1 - Plasmon-Enhanced Solar Energy Conversion in Organic Bulk Heterojunction Photovoltaics

AU - Morfa, Anthony J.

AU - Rowlen, Kathy L.

AU - Reilly, Thomas H.

AU - Romero, Manuel J.

AU - Van De Lagemaat, Jao

PY - 2008

Y1 - 2008

N2 - Plasmon-active silver nanoparticle layers were included in solution-processed bulk-heterojunction solar cells. Nanoparticle layers were fabricated using vapor-phase deposition on indium tin oxide electrodes. Owing to the increase in optical electrical field inside the photoactive layer, the inclusion of such particle films lead to increased optical absorption and consequently increased photoconversion at solar-conversion relevant wavelengths. The resulting solar energy conversion efficiency for a bulk heterojunction photovoltaic device of poly(3-hexylthiophene)/[6,6]-phenyl C61 butyric acid methyl ester was found to increase from 1.3%±0.2% to 2.2%±0.1% for devices employing thin plasmon-active layers. Based on six measurements, the improvement factor of 1.7 was demonstrated to be statistically significant.

AB - Plasmon-active silver nanoparticle layers were included in solution-processed bulk-heterojunction solar cells. Nanoparticle layers were fabricated using vapor-phase deposition on indium tin oxide electrodes. Owing to the increase in optical electrical field inside the photoactive layer, the inclusion of such particle films lead to increased optical absorption and consequently increased photoconversion at solar-conversion relevant wavelengths. The resulting solar energy conversion efficiency for a bulk heterojunction photovoltaic device of poly(3-hexylthiophene)/[6,6]-phenyl C61 butyric acid methyl ester was found to increase from 1.3%±0.2% to 2.2%±0.1% for devices employing thin plasmon-active layers. Based on six measurements, the improvement factor of 1.7 was demonstrated to be statistically significant.

KW - active layer

KW - plasmons

KW - silver

KW - solar cells

KW - thin films

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U2 - 10.1063/1.2823578

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M3 - Article

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JF - Applied Physics Letters

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ER -

Plasmon-Enhanced Solar Energy Conversion in Organic Bulk Heterojunction Photovoltaics

Abstract

NREL Publication Number

Keywords

UN SDGs

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