Guides for increasing the efficiency of organic solar cells

Relationship between the theoretical limit of the photoelectric conversion efficiency of solar cells and the minimum energy of light that can be absorbed by solar cells (optical absorption edge) when there is an energy loss of 0.4 eV during more
AIST researchers have calculated the theoretical limit of the photoelectric conversion efficiency of organic solar cells, which have gained attention as a new generation of solar cells. Read more at: http://phys.org/news/2 !"# $#efficiency#solar#cells.html%&'p

The theoretical limit of the photoelectric conversion efficiency has (een )nown for inorganic solar cells. *y modifying the theory for inorganic solar cells to ta)e into account the differences in mechanisms for producing charges after light a(sorption, a theoretical limit of the photoelectric conversion efficiency of organic solar cells was calculated. The results are e+pected to serve as guides for improving the photoelectric conversion efficiency of organic solar cells. The results will (e pu(lished soon in the online version of Applied Physics Letters, a &ournal of the American Institute of ,hysics.

-rganic solar cells are light, thin, and soft due to characteristics of organic materials. They represent a new generation of solar cells capa(le of generating energy in locations where it was previously difficult to install solar cells. Although the materials are generally ine+pensive, improving photoelectric conversion efficiency and dura(ility has (een technically difficult. .owever, in recent years, the photoelectric conversion efficiency has rapidly improved, with conversion efficiency e+ceeding ! /. The efficiency is as high as that of amorphous silicon solar cells. The rapid increase of the photoelectric conversion efficiency aroused interest as to how much the conversion efficiency of organic solar cells can (e improved. In !01!, Shoc)ley and 2ueisser showed that the theoretical limit of the photoelectric conversion efficiency for solar cells comprising inorganic semiconductors was appro+imately $ /. As the actual efficiency of such solar cells is now approaching this value, recent research and development efforts for inorganic solar cells are focusing on improving efficiency through the introduction of structures such as multi#&unction solar cells and concentrating solar cells that were not considered in Shoc)ley and 2ueisser3s theory. 4eanwhile, the photoelectric conversion efficiency of organic solar cells has rapidly increased to the level where it is now desira(le to calculate an efficiency limit, as Shoc)ley and 2ueisser did for inorganic solar cells.

Figure ! "chematic diagram of the mechanism of charge separation in an organic solar cell! #ight is usually absorbed by an organic molecule (donor) that tends to form a positive ion. $n electron in the donor forms an e%citon by the light more
AIST researchers from various field, particularly from Research 'enter for ,hotovoltaic Technologies, has (een conducting interdisciplinary research and development to improve the efficiency and dura(ility of organic solar cells5 these researchers are from the fields of 6nvironment and 6nergy, 4etrology and 4easurement Science, and 7anotechnology, 4aterials and 4anufacturing. The 'ommittee for Studying the 8imit of -rganic Solar 'ells, initiated (y 8eader 9oshida and made up of AIST researchers from various fields, conducted this study on the theoretical limit of the photoelectric conversion efficiency of organic solar cells. The photoelectric conversion efficiency of a solar cell is limited (y factors such as the (and gap of the semiconductor, dissipation as heat, and electric charge recom(ination. 8ight with energy less than the (and gap is not a(sor(ed and does not contri(ute to the generation of electricity. 8ight with energy higher than the (and gap (ecomes heat and dissipates, causing a decline in voltage. If the charges that were generated (y light are lost through recom(ination (y the time it reaches the electrodes, the electric current is decreased. All of these factors decrease the electric power of the solar cell. Ta)ing these factors into consideration, a theoretical limit of the photoelectric conversion efficiency of inorganic solar cells was shown in !01! (y Shoc)ley and 2ueisser : J. Appl. Phys. vol. $2, p.;! <!01!=>.

Figure & ! Relationship between the theoretical limit of the photoelectric conversion efficiency and the minimum value of light energy that can be absorbed (optical absorption edge) by a multi'(unction organic solar cell when the e%cess more
The theoretical limit of the photoelectric conversion efficiency was calculated on the (asis of inorganic semiconductors and was (elieved to (e invalid for organic solar cells. In organic su(stances, 'oulom(ic attraction (etween positive and negative charges is strong and produces (ound pairs called e+citons after light a(sorption. The 'oulom(ic (inding energy of the e+citons in organic su(stances is estimated to (e at least ! times greater than the thermal energy at room temperature. *ecause the charge separation of e+citons in a single organic su(stance is insufficient, an organic solar cell comprises two types of su(stances: an organic su(stance that tends to form positive ions and an organic su(stance that tends to form negative ions. At the interface (etween these su(stances, the charges of the e+citons are separated. The present research focused on the presence of the e+cess energy re?uired for charge separation in organic solar cells. The method of Shoc)ley and 2ueisser3s theory shows that when the e+cess energy is ta)en into account, the rate of charge recom(ination increases, resulting in voltage and current changes. @sing 'oulom( interaction in which ! nm is the distance (etween the (ound positive and negative charges and $.; is the general value of dielectric constant in organic su(stances, the e+cess energy re?uired for charge separation is calculated to (e .$ to ." eA. *ecause there are other interactions, this value is considered to (e the minimum value. Although roughly estimated, it is almost the same as the value for the minimum e+cess energy given in previous reports. Bhen the theoretical limit of the photoelectric conversion efficiency was calculated using ." eA as the e+cess energy re?uired for charge separation, the ma+imum value of 2!/ was o(tained. The wavelength of a(sor(ed light at which an organic solar cell demonstrates the highest efficiency has also (een determined as !.; eA :wavelength of C2D nm> (y theoretical calculations, and it provides a guide for selecting an organic molecule that a(sor(s light :mainly donor>. The limit of the photoelectric conversion efficiency of single#&unction organic solar cells was theoretically calculated to (e 2!/ using ." eA as the e+cess energy re?uired for charge separation. This limit value of 2!/ is higher than the current efficiency of ! / to !2/, and it suggests that further improvement can (e e+pected in the future as a result of material selection and structure optimiEation. The researchers intend to uncover the factors for the difference (etween the theoretical limit and actual efficiency, and e+pand research and development efforts to identify and solve issues for increasing efficiency.