Metal salt modified PEDOT:PSS as anode buffer layer and its effect on power conversion efficiency of organic solar cells

• PEDOT:PSS treated with different metal salts has improved as hole transport layer.
• PEDOT:PSS layer has exhibited improved surface roughness as a result of metal salt treatment.
• PCE of P3HT:PCBM organic solar cells has been enhanced with values as high as 6.82%.
• Lowest Rs was exhibited by OSCs with LiCl treated PEDOT:PSS compare to pure PEDOT:PSS layer.

The effects of metal chlorides such as LiCl, NaCl, CdCl2 and CuCl2 on optical transmittance, electrical conductivity as well as morphology of PEDOT:PSS films have been investigated. Transmittance spectra of spun PEDOT:PSS layers were improved by more than 6% to a maximum of 94% in LiCl doped PEDOT:PSS film. The surface of the PEDOT:PSS films has exhibited higher roughness associated with an increase in the electrical conductivity after doping with metal salts. The improvement in the physical properties of PEDOT:PSS as the hole transport layer proved to be key factors towards enhancing the P3HT:PCBM bulk heterojunction (BHJ) solar cells. These improvements include significantly improved power conversion efficiency with values as high as 6.82% associated with high fill factor (61%) and larger short circuit current density (∼18 mA cm−2).

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