Measurement of nanoscale external quantum efficiency of conjugated polymer:fullerene solar cells by photoconductive atomic force microscopy
Abstract
Photoconductive atomic force microscopy is used to investigate nanoscale incident photon-to-current efficiency spectra of polymer bulk heterojunction solar cells based on poly[2-methoxy-5-(3,7-dimethyloctyloxy)]-1,4-phenylenevinylene (MDMO-PPV) and [6,6]-phenyl-C71-butyric acid methyl ester (PC71BM). Nanoscale external quantum efficiency reveals the complex morphology of MDMO-PPV:PC71BM films cast from toluene solution. Not only electron transfer from the photoexcited donor to the fullerene but also hole transfer process from photoexcited fullerene to the donor phase due to highest occupied molecular orbital offset is observed. The difference in performance between toluene and chlorobenzene-cast devices is explained by the variation in relative contributions from two charge transfer mechanisms.
- Publication:
-
Applied Physics Letters
- Pub Date:
- September 2010
- DOI:
- Bibcode:
- 2010ApPhL..97k3303D
- Keywords:
-
- atomic force microscopy;
- conducting polymers;
- crystal morphology;
- fullerenes;
- molecular electronic states;
- organic compounds;
- photoexcitation;
- solar cells;
- 61.48.-c;
- 68.35.bp;
- 81.05.ub;
- 88.40.J-;
- Structure of fullerenes and related hollow molecular clusters;
- Fullerenes