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Updated: May 23, 2026

Morphology Control for Fully Printable Organic–Inorganic Bulk-heterojunction Solar Cells Based on a Ti-alkoxide and Semiconducting Polymer
Published on: January 10, 2017
Co-evaporated bulk heterojunction solar cells with >6.0% efficiency
Guo Chen1, Hisahiro Sasabe, Zhongqiang Wang
1Department of Organic Device Engineering, Graduate School of Engineering, Yamagata University, Yonezawa, Japan.
High power conversion efficiencies exceeding 6.0% were achieved in co-deposited photovoltaic cells using a squaraine compound. This demonstrates the potential of low molecular weight materials in vacuum-processed solar cells.
Area of Science:
- Materials Science
- Organic Electronics
- Photovoltaics
Background:
- Organic photovoltaic cells offer a promising alternative to traditional silicon-based solar cells due to their potential for low-cost manufacturing and flexibility.
- Low molecular weight organic semiconductors are being explored as active materials for efficient photovoltaic devices.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the performance of squaraine compounds in co-deposited photovoltaic cells.
- To assess the impact of device structure and material blending on power conversion efficiency.
Main Methods:
- Fabrication of co-deposited photovoltaic cells using a squaraine compound.
- Characterization of device performance, including power conversion efficiency.
- Analysis of the influence of blending ratios and active layer thicknesses on device performance.
Main Results:
- Achieved high power conversion efficiencies exceeding 6.0%.
- Demonstrated that device efficiency is insensitive to blending ratios and thicknesses of the photoactive layers.
- Highlighted the significant potential of low molecular weight materials in photovoltaic applications.
Conclusions:
- Squaraine compounds are effective materials for high-efficiency organic photovoltaic cells.
- Vacuum co-deposition is a viable process for fabricating efficient organic solar cells using low molecular weight materials.
- The robustness of efficiency against variations in blending ratios and thickness suggests a promising pathway for scalable manufacturing.
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