Photovoltaic performance of AgInSe2-conjugated polymer hybrid system bulk heterojunction solar cells

• Chalcopyrite type AgInSe2–organic blended layers are fabricated and characterized.
• For the first time, this system is exploited for energy harnessing applications.
• Ag/MoO3/MdPVV·PCBM·AIS/ZnO/ITO was fabricated and studied for efficiency.

For the first time, we investigated blends of MdMoPVV·PCBM·AIS(MdMoPVV-poly[2-methoxy-5-(3′,7′-dimethyloctyloxy)-1,4-phenylenevinylene], PCBM-(phenyl-C61-butyric acid methylester), AIS–AgInSe2) for photovoltaic application. AgInSe2 powder was synthesized by sealing and heating the stoichiometric constituents in evacuated quartz tube ampule. Fine grinded AIS powder was dispersed in MD-MOPVV and PCBM with and without surfactant. Different concentrations of these particles were suspended in the polymer solutions and spin casted onto ITO glass. Morphological studies and imaging have been performed by atomic force microscopy and optical microscopy. The blend layers were also investigated by various techniques like XRD, UV–vis optical spectroscopy, SEM, AFM, PL, after a series of various optimizations with polymers/concentration/deposition/suspension/surfactants etc. XRD investigation of blend layers shows clear evidence of AIS dispersion in polymers. Diode behavior and cell parameters also revealed it. Bulk hetrojuction hybrid photovoltaic device Ag/MoO3/MdPVV·PCBM·AIS/ZnO/ITO was fabricated and tested with standard solar simulator and device characterization system. The best performance and photovoltaic parameters, we obtained was an open-circuit voltage of about Voc 0.54 V and a photocurrent of Isc 117 μA and an efficiency of 0.2% using a white light illumination intensity of 23 mW/cm2. Our results are encouraging for carrying further the fourth generation inorganic–organic hybrid bulk hetrojuction photovoltaics research for energy on these systems.