Organic Solar Cells as Polymer Waveguide Integrated Photodetectors

We report on the integration of an organic photodetector into a polymer waveguide. The photodetector is based on thin film organic solar cells using Zinc phtalocyanine and Fulleren C60 (ZnPc:C60) as photoactive material. This approach comprises the potential for an ease of production of active electro optical components on passive optical elements. By using organic materials low cost production of integrated devices on uneven surfaces becomes possible. In first experiments we show the potential of ZnPc:C60 solar cells as photodetectors at a wavelength of 635 nm. We perform simulations of this detectors put on the top surface of a polymer multi-mode waveguide. The simulation shows how light, which is guided through the waveguide can be efficiently absorbed by the photodetector without complex coupling structures.