Ambient method for the production of an ionically gated carbon nanotube common cathode in tandem organic solar cells

J Vis Exp. 2014 Nov 5:(93):e52380. doi: 10.3791/52380.

Abstract

A method of fabricating organic photovoltaic (OPV) tandems that requires no vacuum processing is presented. These devices are comprised of two solution-processed polymeric cells connected in parallel by a transparent carbon nanotubes (CNT) interlayer. This structure includes improvements in fabrication techniques for tandem OPV devices. First the need for ambient-processed cathodes is considered. The CNT anode in the tandem device is tuned via ionic gating to become a common cathode. Ionic gating employs electric double layer charging to lower the work function of the CNT electrode. Secondly, the difficulty of sequentially stacking tandem layers by solution-processing is addressed. The devices are fabricated via solution and dry-lamination in ambient conditions with parallel processing steps. The method of fabricating the individual polymeric cells, the steps needed to laminate them together with a common CNT cathode, and then provide some representative results are described. These results demonstrate ionic gating of the CNT electrode to create a common cathode and addition of current and efficiency as a result of the lamination procedure.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.
  • Video-Audio Media

MeSH terms

  • Electrodes*
  • Ions / chemistry
  • Nanotubes, Carbon / chemistry*
  • Polymers / chemistry
  • Solar Energy*
  • Solutions / chemistry
  • Tin Compounds / chemistry

Substances

  • Ions
  • Nanotubes, Carbon
  • Polymers
  • Solutions
  • Tin Compounds
  • indium tin oxide