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Printing Fabrication of Bulk Heterojunction Solar Cells and In Situ Morphology Characterization
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Vertical Component Distributions in Organic Solar Cells Controlled by Photocrosslinking and Layer-by-Layer

Ryo Suzuki1,2, Kyohei Nakano1, Makoto Miyasaka2

  • 1RIKEN Center for Emergent Matter Science (CEMS), 2-1 Hirosawa, Wako, Saitama, 351-0198, Japan.

Small (Weinheim an Der Bergstrasse, Germany)
|May 3, 2025
PubMed
Summary

Controlling polymer photocrosslinker density in organic solar cells (OSCs) via layer-by-layer deposition creates distinct structures, optimizing performance at lower densities by enhancing the donor-acceptor interface.

Keywords:
component distributionslayer‐by‐layerorganic solar cellsphotocrosslink

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Area of Science:

  • Materials Science
  • Organic Electronics
  • Photovoltaics

Background:

  • Bulk-heterojunction (BHJ) organic solar cells (OSCs) rely on interpenetrating donor and acceptor networks for efficient charge separation.
  • Layer-by-layer (LbL) deposition is explored as an alternative method to control morphology in OSCs.
  • Previous assumptions suggested LbL naturally creates beneficial component gradients or p-i-n structures.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the impact of photocrosslinker density on vertical component distribution in BHJ OSCs.
  • To understand how crosslinker concentration affects acceptor molecule permeation during LbL deposition.
  • To correlate material distribution with OSC performance.

Main Methods:

  • Combining photocrosslinking of donor polymers with LbL deposition of acceptor molecules.
  • Utilizing varying concentrations of a tetradiazirine photocrosslinker.
  • Employing Time-of-Flight Secondary Ion Mass Spectrometry (TOF-SIMS), X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy (XPS), and Grazing Incidence Wide-Angle X-ray Scattering (GIWAXS) for analysis.

Main Results:

  • Crosslinker density significantly influences the vertical distribution of donor and acceptor materials.
  • Increased crosslinker density leads to distinct bilayer-like structures with varied component ratios.
  • OSC performance is highest with uniformly mixed structures at lower crosslink densities (12.6% efficiency).

Conclusions:

  • Higher crosslinker densities create less optimal donor-acceptor interfaces, reducing power conversion efficiency (down to 4.48%).
  • The study challenges the assumption of inherent gradient formation in LbL deposition.
  • Controlled crosslinking offers a method to engineer BHJ morphology and optimize OSC performance.