Article abstract
Nature Materials 5, 735 - 740 (2006)
Published online: 13 August 2006 | doi:10.1038/nmat1712
Subject Categories: Polymers | Optical, photonic and optoelectronic materials | Characterisation and analytical techniques | Materials for energy
Time-resolved electrostatic force microscopy of polymer solar cells
David C. Coffey1 & David S. Ginger2
Abstract
Blends of conjugated polymers with fullerenes, polymers, or nanocrystals make promising materials for low-cost photovoltaic applications. Different processing conditions affect the efficiencies of these solar cells by creating a variety of nanostructured morphologies, however, the relationship between film structure and device efficiency is not fully understood. We introduce time-resolved electrostatic force microscopy (EFM) as a means to measure photoexcited charge in polymer films with a resolution of 100 nm and 100 
s. These EFM measurements correlate well with the external quantum efficiencies measured for a series of polymer photodiodes, providing a direct link between local morphology, local optoelectronic properties and device performance. The data show that the domain centres account for the majority of the photoinduced charge collected in polyfluorene blend devices. These results underscore the importance of controlling not only the length scale of phase separation, but also the composition of the domains when optimizing nanostructured solar cells.
- Department of Physics, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington 98195-1560, USA
- Department of Chemistry, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington 98195-1700, USA
Correspondence to: David S. Ginger2 e-mail: ginger@chem.washington.edu
MORE ARTICLES LIKE THIS
These links to content published by NPG are automatically generated.
NEWS AND VIEWS
Solar cells Pictures from the blended zoneNature Materials News and Views (01 Sep 2006)
Organic electronics Supra solutionsNature Materials News and Views (01 Aug 2004)
See all 3 matches for News And ViewsRESEARCH
Understanding how excited states behave at heterojunctions between polymers in blends is fundamental to designing better organic solar cells and light-emitting diodes. A quantum-mechanical molecular-scale model of how excitations behave at heterojunctions has been developed, showing an unexpectedly wide but specific range of excitonic states. Understanding how excited states behave at heterojunctions between polymers in blends is fundamental to designing better organic solar cells and light-emitting diodes. A quantum-mechanical molecular-scale model of how excitations behave at heterojunctions has been developed, showing an unexpectedly wide but specific range of excitonic states.Nature Materials Article (01 Jun 2008)
Metallated conjugated polymers as a new avenue towards high-efficiency polymer solar cellsNature Materials Article (01 Jul 2007)
See all 37 matches for Research
