Improved Efficiency of Thin Film Organic Photovoltaics via Optical Device Coupling
Research Mentor(s)
Rider, David A. (Materials scientist)
Description
Organic photovoltaic devices (OPVs) are seen as a promising technology for improving the productivity of solar power, primarily because they can be manufactured relatively cheaply compared to traditionally more popular silicon-based cells, and have a wider variety of applications due to their low toxicity and high flexibility. The most persistent limitation of OPVs is that they are relatively inefficient in converting sunlight into power, as compared to their inorganic counterparts. In the work presented here, a variety of fabrication methods were employed to yield increasingly efficient OPVs based on the conductive polymer poly(3-hexylthiophene) (P3HT) and the functionalized fullerene phenyl-C60-butyric acid methyl ester. The relationships between OPV film thickness, drying rate, absorbance, and current-voltage characteristics were analyzed in order to determine the potential of luminescent solar concentrators (LSCs) to increase OPV efficiency. Initial calculations based on optoelectronic theory predict that LSC-induced efficiency enhancement should be significant, but strongly dependent on OPV thickness.
Document Type
Event
Start Date
17-5-2017 9:00 AM
End Date
17-5-2017 12:00 PM
Department
Chemistry
Genre/Form
student projects; posters
Subjects – Topical (LCSH)
Nanostructured materials--Optical properties; Nanophotonics
Type
Image
Rights
Copying of this document in whole or in part is allowable only for scholarly purposes. It is understood, however, that any copying or publication of this documentation for commercial purposes, or for financial gain, shall not be allowed without the author's written permission.
Language
English
Format
application/pdf
Improved Efficiency of Thin Film Organic Photovoltaics via Optical Device Coupling
Organic photovoltaic devices (OPVs) are seen as a promising technology for improving the productivity of solar power, primarily because they can be manufactured relatively cheaply compared to traditionally more popular silicon-based cells, and have a wider variety of applications due to their low toxicity and high flexibility. The most persistent limitation of OPVs is that they are relatively inefficient in converting sunlight into power, as compared to their inorganic counterparts. In the work presented here, a variety of fabrication methods were employed to yield increasingly efficient OPVs based on the conductive polymer poly(3-hexylthiophene) (P3HT) and the functionalized fullerene phenyl-C60-butyric acid methyl ester. The relationships between OPV film thickness, drying rate, absorbance, and current-voltage characteristics were analyzed in order to determine the potential of luminescent solar concentrators (LSCs) to increase OPV efficiency. Initial calculations based on optoelectronic theory predict that LSC-induced efficiency enhancement should be significant, but strongly dependent on OPV thickness.