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In situ Grazing Incidence Small Angle X-ray Scattering on Roll-To-Roll Coating of Organic Solar Cells with Laboratory X-ray Instrumentation
Published on: March 2, 2021
Factors limiting device efficiency in organic photovoltaics
René A J Janssen1, Jenny Nelson
1Molecular Materials and Nanosystems, Eindhoven University of Technology, PO Box 513, 5600 MB Eindhoven, The Netherlands. r.a.j.janssen@tue.nl
Advanced Materials (Deerfield Beach, Fla.)
|December 11, 2012
Summary
Organic photovoltaic (OPV) cells are improving, but efficiency limits must be understood. Research suggests fundamental limits could reach 20-24%, similar to silicon solar cells, guiding future OPV development.
Area of Science:
- Materials Science
- Energy Science
- Physical Chemistry
Background:
- Organic photovoltaic (OPV) cell power conversion efficiency has surpassed 10%.
- Identifying factors limiting OPV device efficiency is crucial for further advancements.
- Understanding operational mechanisms and theoretical limits is key to OPV development.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review the operational mechanism of OPV cells.
- To outline the detailed balance limit for photovoltaic energy conversion.
- To discuss approaches for estimating maximum achievable efficiency in OPV and adapting theories for organic materials.
Main Methods:
- Explanation of OPV operational mechanisms.
- Outline of the Shockley-Queisser detailed balance limit.
- Discussion of empirical and fundamental approaches to OPV efficiency limits.
- Adaptation of detailed balance theory for organic solar cells using thermodynamic and kinetic approaches.
Main Results:
- Empirical formulations estimate OPV efficiency limits at 10-12%.
- Fundamental descriptions suggest single-junction OPV limits of 20-24% are reachable.
- These theoretical limits approach those of crystalline silicon p-n junction solar cells.
Conclusions:
- A significant gap exists between current OPV efficiencies and theoretical limits.
- Bridging this gap requires focused materials research and development for OPV.
- Future work should aim to achieve the fundamental efficiency limits in organic solar cells.
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