Reversed organic–inorganic hybrid tandem solar cells for improved interfacial series resistances and balanced photocurrents

• Hybrid tandem solar cells with OPV front cell and the a-Si:H rear cell are developed.
• Depositing a-Si:H layer onto organic layer eliminated interfacial series resistance.
• The efficiency of tandem cell was improved by matching photocurrent of sub cells.

We report a promising approach to fabricate organic–inorganic hybrid tandem photovoltaic devices with a reversed configuration. High bandgap hydrogenated amorphous silicon (a-Si:H) was deposited with plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition onto a solution-processed low bandgap organic photovoltaic (OPV) subcell. Two important factors for efficient tandem solar cells, interfacial series resistance (RS,int) and balanced photocurrents, were investigated. The intimate interfacial contact eliminated the RS,int, and sufficient transmittance of the OPV front subcell led to the well-balanced photocurrents. As a result, this reversed hybrid tandem device showed an enhanced efficiency of 3.3% and an open-circuit voltage of 1.51 V.

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