Title: Impact of substrate temperatures on active layer depositions of organic thin-film photovoltaic cells by electrospray

Authors: Yoshiyuki Seike; Daiki Tangiku; Tatsuo Mori

Addresses: Department of Electrical and Electronics Engineering, Aichi Institute of Technology, Toyota, 470-0392, Japan ' Department of Electrical and Electronics Engineering, Aichi Institute of Technology, Toyota, 470-0392, Japan ' Department of Electrical and Electronics Engineering, Aichi Institute of Technology, Toyota, 470-0392, Japan

Abstract: This study describes the relationship between the surface states of active layers and organic thin-film photovoltaic (OPV) cell properties when the active layer of an OPV cell is deposited through electrospray (ES). The mixture of poly(3-hexylthiophene-2,5-diyl) (P3HT) and [6,6]-Phenyl C₆₁ butyric acid methyl ester (PC₆₁BM) was deposited via ES. Power conversion efficiency (PCE) decreased from 1.38% to 0.32% when the substrate temperature increased from 25°C to 40°C. The surface state of the active layer was investigated using an atomic force microscope (AFM) to explore the cause of PCE decline. As a result, the active layer deposited via ES produced coffee ring-shaped grains with a size of tens of micrometers. The decrease in PCE was caused by a decrease in the grain size when the substrate temperature was increased, and the interface between the grains widened, impeding carrier transport.

Keywords: organic thin-film photovoltaic; electrospray; active layer; deposition; substrate temperatures.

DOI: 10.1504/IJNM.2021.121887

International Journal of Nanomanufacturing, 2021 Vol.17 No.2, pp.105 - 118

Received: 12 Dec 2020
Accepted: 31 May 2021
Published online: 07 Apr 2022 *

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