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Roll-to-roll embedded conductive structures integrated into organic photovoltaic devices
H J van de Wiel1, Y Galagan, T J van Lammeren
1TNO, Materials for Integrated Products, De Rondom 1, 5612 AP, Eindhoven, The Netherlands. Holst Centre, PO BOX 8550, 5605 KN Eindhoven, The Netherlands.
Nanotechnology
|November 8, 2013
Summary
Screen printed silver current collecting grids offer a high-performance alternative to indium tin oxide (ITO) in organic photovoltaic (OPV) devices. Embedding these silver grids improves OPV efficiency and allows for greater design flexibility.
Area of Science:
- Materials Science
- Organic Electronics
- Photovoltaics
Background:
- Indium tin oxide (ITO) is a common transparent electrode material in organic photovoltaic (OPV) devices but faces limitations.
- Screen printed silver (Ag) and poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene):poly(styrene sulfonate) (PEDOT:PSS) offer potential alternatives.
- Integrating current collecting grids into OPV devices requires addressing topology challenges for optimal performance.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the integration of embedded screen printed silver current collecting grids into OPV devices.
- To evaluate the performance of these embedded structures as a replacement for ITO and inkjet printed silver.
- To demonstrate the potential for roll-to-roll production and improved device efficiency.
Main Methods:
- Fabrication of micron-thick screen printed silver current collecting grids.
- Embedding these grids into a polyethylene terephthalate/silicon nitride (PET/SiN) substrate using optimized roll-to-roll processes.
- Characterization of the embedded grid topology, including surface roughness and spike analysis.
- Performance testing of OPV devices incorporating the embedded silver grids via JV measurements.
Main Results:
- Embedded screen printed silver grids exhibited low surface roughness and minimal spikes, indicating suitability for OPV integration.
- OPV devices utilizing embedded screen printed silver achieved a power conversion efficiency of 2.15%.
- This efficiency significantly surpassed that of identical flexible devices using ITO (1.02%) and inkjet printed silver (1.48%).
Conclusions:
- Embedded screen printed silver current collecting grids are a viable and superior alternative to ITO and inkjet printed silver for OPV applications.
- This approach enables higher efficiency in flexible OPV devices.
- The roll-to-roll process offers scalability and design freedom for future OPV manufacturing.
