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Correlation between Photovoltaic Performance and Interchain Ordering Induced Delocalization of Electronics States in Conjugated Polymer Blends

Accepted version
Peer-reviewed

Type

Article

Change log

Authors

Chandrasekaran, N 
Gann, E 
Jain, N 
Kumar, A 
Gopinathan, S 

Abstract

In this paper we correlate the solar cell performance with bimolecular packing of donor:acceptor bulk heterojunction (BHJ) organic solar cells (OSCs), where interchain ordering of the donor molecule and its influence on morphology, optical properties, and charge carrier dynamics of BHJ solar cells are studied in detail. Solar cells that are fabricated using more ordered defect free 100% regioregular poly(3-hexylthiophene) (DF-P3HT) as the donor polymer show ca. 10% increase in the average power conversion efficiency (PCE) when compared to that of the solar cell fabricated using 92% regioregularity P3HT, referred to as rr-P3HT. EQE and UV-vis absorption spectrum show a clear increase in the 607 nm vibronic shoulder of the DF-P3HT blend suggesting better interchain ordering which was also reflected in the less Urbach energy (Eu) value for this system. The increase in ordering inside the blend has enhanced the hole-mobility which is calculated from the single carrier device J-V characteristics. Electroluminance (EL) studies on the DF-P3HT system showed a red-shifted peak when compared to rr-P3HT-based devices suggesting low CT energy states in DF-P3HT. The morphologies of the blend films are studied using AFM and grazing-incidence wide-angle X-ray scattering (GIWAXS) suggesting increase in the roughness and phase segregation which could enhance the internal scattering of the light inside the device and improvement in the crystallinity along alkyl and π-stacking direction. Hence, higher PCE, lower Eu, red-shifted EL emission, high hole-mobility, and better crystallinity suggest improved interchain ordering has facilitated a more delocalized HOMO state in DF-P3HT-based BHJ solar cells.

Description

Keywords

charge carrier dynamics, defect free P3HT, interchain order, morphology, organic solar cells

Journal Title

ACS Applied Materials and Interfaces

Conference Name

Journal ISSN

1944-8244
1944-8252

Volume Title

8

Publisher

American Chemical Society
Sponsorship
Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EP/M023532/1)
We acknowledge these organizations for funds and CEN & NCPRE IITB for device fabrication and characterizations, respectively. N.C. acknowledges the IITB-Monash Research Academy for the fellowship. A.S. and R.H.F. would like to acknowledge the support from EPSRC and the India-UK APEX project.