Efficiency enhancement of polymer solar cells by incorporating a self-assembled layer of silver nanodisks

We report the efficiency enhancement of polymer solar cells by incorporating a silver nanodisks' self-assembled layer, which was grown on the indium tin oxide (ITO) surface by the electrostatic interaction between the silver particles and modified ITO. Polymer solar cells with a structure of ITO (with silver nanodisks)/poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene):poly(styrene sulfonate) (PEDOT:PSS) (Clevious P VP AI 4083)/poly(3-hexylthiophene):[6,6]-phenyl-C61 butyric acid methyl ester (P3HT:PC61BM)/LiF/Al exhibited an open circuit voltage (VOC) of 0.61±0.01 V, short-circuit current density (JSC) of 9.24±0.09 mA/cm2, a fill factor (FF) of 0.60±0.01, and power conversion efficiency (PCE) of 3.46±0.07% under one sun of simulated air mass 1.5 global (AM1.5G) irradiation (100 mW/cm2). The PCE was increased from 2.72±0.08% of the devices without silver nanodisks to 3.46±0.07%, mainly from the improved photocurrent density as a result of the excited localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR) induced by the silver nanodisks.

Graphical AbstractWe have explored the effect of silver nanodisks-induced surface plasmons on the performance of organic photovoltaic devices. The resulting PCE for BHJ solar cell based on P3HT/PC61BM was found to increase from 2.72±0.08% to 3.46±0.07% as compared to the devices without silver nanodisks self-assembled layer under AM1.5 100 mW/cm2 illumination.Figure optionsDownload as PowerPoint slideHighlights
► We incorporate a silver nanodisks layer in polymer solar cells.
► Polymer solar cells with silver nanodisks exhibit a PCE of 3.46±0.07%.
► While the devices without silver nanodisks exhibit a PCE of 2.72±0.08%.
► The improved performance mainly comes from the increasing photocurrent density.
► We attribute this to the localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR) effect.