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Updated: Nov 20, 2025
Well-aligned Vertically Oriented ZnO Nanorod Arrays and their Application in Inverted Small Molecule Solar Cells
Published on: April 25, 2018
Manipulation of Zinc Oxide with Zirconium Doping for Efficient Inverted Organic Solar Cells
Xin Song1,2, Guilin Liu3, Weilian Gao1,2
1Jiangsu Key Lab of Advanced Food Manufacturing Equipment and Technology, Jiangnan University, Wuxi, 214122, China.
Zirconium-doped zinc oxide (ZnO:Zr) enhances organic solar cell performance by improving light transparency and charge extraction. This novel electron transporting layer (ETL) boosts power conversion efficiency and maintains high performance across varying thicknesses.
Area of Science:
- Materials Science
- Renewable Energy
- Nanotechnology
Background:
- Solution-processed zinc oxide (ZnO) is a common electron transporting layer (ETL) in organic solar cells (OSCs).
- Limitations of ZnO include poor optical transparency and sensitivity to thickness, hindering device efficiency and scalability.
- Parasitic absorption and charge recombination issues also affect performance.
Purpose of the Study:
- To address the limitations of ZnO ETLs in organic solar cells.
- To improve the optoelectronic and morphological properties of ZnO using zirconium (Zr) doping.
- To enhance the power conversion efficiency (PCE) and fabrication compatibility of OSCs.
Main Methods:
- Zirconium (Zr) doping was applied to solution-processed zinc oxide (ZnO) to create ZnO:Zr ETLs.
- The optoelectronic and morphological properties of ZnO:Zr were characterized.
- ZnO:Zr was integrated as an ETL in inverted organic solar cell devices (PM6:Y6:PC71BM).
- Device performance was evaluated based on PCE, light transmittance, and thickness-dependent behavior.
Main Results:
- ZnO:Zr exhibited improved light transmittance and suppressed parasitic absorption compared to pristine ZnO.
- The surface morphology of ZnO:Zr was optimized, enhancing charge extraction and reducing recombination.
- Devices with ZnO:Zr ETL achieved a maximum PCE of 17.2%, a 9.55% relative increase over ZnO devices (15.7%).
- ZnO:Zr ETL maintained over 15% PCE at ≈60 nm thickness, outperforming ZnO devices (11.9%).
- The benefits of ZnO:Zr were confirmed across various bulk heterojunction (BHJ) systems.
Conclusions:
- Zirconium doping is an effective strategy to tailor ZnO properties for advanced organic solar cells.
- ZnO:Zr ETLs offer superior optical and morphological characteristics, leading to enhanced photovoltaic performance.
- The developed ZnO:Zr ETL demonstrates significant potential for high-efficiency and scalable organic solar cell fabrication.
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