Improved performance and life time of inverted organic photovoltaics by using polymer interfacial materials

A previously published fluorene based interlayer polymer is here compared to three similar polymers where the fluorene monomer has been exchanged with monomers that have been reported to have a higher photo-chemical stability. The polymer interlayers have been studied in terms of their influence on device performance and stability on inverted devices with an active layer of P3HT:PC61BM. By acting as a hole-blocking layer the polymers are able to increase the efficiency of the devices with ~50% compared to devices with an ITO cathode. In addition, the polymers also improve the photo-stability of the devices, mainly as an effect of a reduced decrease in open-circuit voltage and fill factor. This indicates that solution processable polymer interlayers could be a way towards both higher efficiency and improved stability of inverted organic solar cells.