Semitransparent polymer solar cells with 12.37% efficiency and 18.6% average visible transmittance

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Energy Science
• Photovoltaics

Background:

• Polymer solar cells (PSCs) offer a promising alternative for renewable energy generation.
• Developing efficient and versatile PSCs for various applications, including semitransparent designs, is crucial.

Purpose of the Study:

• To fabricate and characterize opaque and semitransparent PSCs using PM6:Y6 as the active layer.
• To investigate the impact of electrode materials and thickness on PSC performance and optical properties.

Main Methods:

• Fabrication of PSCs with PM6:Y6 active layers and different electrode configurations (Al, Au/Ag).
• Optimization of active layer thickness (100 nm) for enhanced performance.
• Characterization of power conversion efficiency (PCE) and average visible transmittance (AVT).

Main Results:

• Opaque PSCs achieved a maximum PCE of 15.83% with a 100 nm active layer.
• The 100 nm PM6:Y6 film demonstrated 50.5% AVT, suitable for semitransparent applications.
• Semitransparent PSCs with Au/Ag electrodes showed tunable PCE (12.37%-14.20%) and AVT (8.9%-18.6%) by varying Ag layer thickness.

Conclusions:

• The PM6:Y6 system is highly effective for both opaque and semitransparent PSCs.
• Electrode engineering, particularly using thin Au/Ag layers, allows for tailored optical and electrical properties in semitransparent PSCs.
• The developed semitransparent PSCs exhibit competitive performance, highlighting their potential for integrated photovoltaic applications.