IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jeners/v13y2020i22p5915-d444213.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Thickness Optimization and Photovoltaic Properties of Bulk Heterojunction Solar Cells Based on PFB–PCBM Layer

Author

Listed:
  • Sayed Izaz Uddin

    (Department of Physics, Faculty of Physical and Numerical Sciences, Abdul Wali Khan University Mardan, Mardan 23200, Pakistan)

  • Muhammad Tahir

    (Department of Physics, Faculty of Physical and Numerical Sciences, Abdul Wali Khan University Mardan, Mardan 23200, Pakistan)

  • Fakhra Aziz

    (Department of Electronics, Jinnah College for Women, University of Peshawar, Peshawar 25120, Pakistan)

  • Mahidur R. Sarker

    (Institute of Industry Revolution 4.0, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM), Bangi 43600, Malaysia)

  • Fida Muhammad

    (Department of Physics, Faculty of Physical and Numerical Sciences, Abdul Wali Khan University Mardan, Mardan 23200, Pakistan)

  • Dil Nawaz Khan

    (Pak-Austria Fachhochschule Institute of Applied Sciences and Technology, Haripur 22620, Pakistan)

  • Sawal Hamid Md Ali

    (Department of Electric, Electronics and System Engineering, Faculty of Engineering and Built Environment, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, Bangi 43600, Malaysia)

Abstract

We report on the fabrication and study of bulk heterojunction (BHJ) solar cells based on a novel combination of a donor–acceptor poly(9,9-dioctylfluorenyl-2,7-diyl)-co-(N,N0-diphenyl)-N,N′di(p-butyl-oxy-pheyl)-1,4-diamino-benzene) (PFB) and [6, 6]-phenyl-C61-butyric acid methyl ester (PCBM) blend composed of 1:1 by volume. indium tin oxide (ITO)/poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene):poly(styrene sulfonate (PEDOT:PSS)/PFB–PCBM/Ag BHJ solar cells are fabricated by a facile cost-effective spin-coating technique. The thickness of the active film (PFB–PCBM) plays an important role in the efficiency of light absorption, exciton creation, and dissociation into free charges that results in higher power conversion efficiency (PCE). In order to optimize the PCE as a function of active layer thickness, a number of solar cells are fabricated with different thicknesses of PFB–PCBM films at 120, 140, 160, 180, and 200 nm, and their photovoltaic characteristics are investigated. It is observed that the device with a 180 nm thick film demonstrates a maximum PCE of 2.9% with a fill factor (FF) of 53% under standard testing conditions (STC) (25 °C, 1.5 AM global, and 100 mW/cm 2 ). The current–voltage ( I-V ) properties of the ITO/PEDOT:PSS/PFB–PCBM/Ag BHJ devices are also measured in dark conditions to measure and understand different parameters of the heterojunction. Atomic force microscopy (AFM) and ultraviolet-visible (UV-vis) absorption spectroscopy for the PFB–PCBM film of optimal thickness (180 nm) are carried out to understand the effect of surface morphology on the PCE and bandgap of the blend, respectively. The AFM micrographs show a slightly non-uniform and rough surface with an average surface roughness (R a ) of 29.2 nm. The UV-vis measurements of the PFB–PCBM blend exhibit a reduced optical bandgap of ≈2.34 eV as compared to that of pristine PFB (2.88 eV), which results in an improved absorption of light and excitons generation. The obtained results for the ITO/PEDOT:PSS/PFB–PCBM (180 nm)/Ag BHJ device are compared with the ones previously reported for the P3HT–PCBM blend with the same film thickness. It is observed that the PFB–PCBM-based BHJ device has shown two times higher open circuit voltage ( V oc ) and, hence, enhanced the efficiency.

Suggested Citation

  • Sayed Izaz Uddin & Muhammad Tahir & Fakhra Aziz & Mahidur R. Sarker & Fida Muhammad & Dil Nawaz Khan & Sawal Hamid Md Ali, 2020. "Thickness Optimization and Photovoltaic Properties of Bulk Heterojunction Solar Cells Based on PFB–PCBM Layer," Energies, MDPI, vol. 13(22), pages 1-11, November.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jeners:v:13:y:2020:i:22:p:5915-:d:444213
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/13/22/5915/pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/13/22/5915/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. R. H. Friend & R. W. Gymer & A. B. Holmes & J. H. Burroughes & R. N. Marks & C. Taliani & D. D. C. Bradley & D. A. Dos Santos & J. L. Brédas & M. Lögdlund & W. R. Salaneck, 1999. "Electroluminescence in conjugated polymers," Nature, Nature, vol. 397(6715), pages 121-128, January.
    2. Zahoor Ul Islam & Muhammad Tahir & Waqar Adil Syed & Fakhra Aziz & Fazal Wahab & Suhana Mohd Said & Mahidur R. Sarker & Sawal Hamid Md Ali & Mohd Faizul Mohd Sabri, 2020. "Fabrication and Photovoltaic Properties of Organic Solar Cell Based on Zinc Phthalocyanine," Energies, MDPI, vol. 13(4), pages 1-14, February.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Xinlei Wu & Yuanpeng Zhang & Kaihang Shi & Xiaoling Ma & Fujun Zhang, 2023. "Advanced Progress of Organic Photovoltaics," Energies, MDPI, vol. 16(3), pages 1-3, January.
    2. Kosuke Yasuji & Tomo Sakanoue & Fumihiro Yonekawa & Katsuichi Kanemoto, 2023. "Visualizing electroluminescence process in light-emitting electrochemical cells," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 14(1), pages 1-11, December.
    3. Shuo Li & Kun Liu & Xue-Chen Feng & Zhao-Xian Li & Zhi-Yuan Zhang & Bin Wang & Minjie Li & Yue-Ling Bai & Lei Cui & Chunju Li, 2022. "Synthesis and macrocyclization-induced emission enhancement of benzothiadiazole-based macrocycle," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 13(1), pages 1-7, December.
    4. Alexander J. Gillett & Claire Tonnelé & Giacomo Londi & Gaetano Ricci & Manon Catherin & Darcy M. L. Unson & David Casanova & Frédéric Castet & Yoann Olivier & Weimin M. Chen & Elena Zaborova & Emrys , 2021. "Spontaneous exciton dissociation enables spin state interconversion in delayed fluorescence organic semiconductors," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 12(1), pages 1-10, December.
    5. Declan J. L. Golding & Nicholas Carter & David Robinson & Anthony J. Fitzpatrick, 2020. "Crystallisation-Induced Emission Enhancement in Zn(II) Schiff Base Complexes with a Tuneable Emission Colour," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(22), pages 1-11, November.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:gam:jeners:v:13:y:2020:i:22:p:5915-:d:444213. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.