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Plasmonic Electrically Functionalized TiO 2 for High‐Performance Organic Solar Cells
Author(s) -
Zhang Di,
Choy Wallace C. H.,
Xie Fengxian,
Sha Wei E. I.,
Li Xinchen,
Ding Baofu,
Zhang Kai,
Huang Fei,
Cao Yong
Publication year - 2013
Publication title -
advanced functional materials
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 6.069
H-Index - 322
eISSN - 1616-3028
pISSN - 1616-301X
DOI - 10.1002/adfm.201203776
Subject(s) - materials science , plasmon , optoelectronics , charge carrier , organic solar cell , active layer , nanomaterials , nanoparticle , plasmonic solar cell , nanotechnology , electron , layer (electronics) , energy conversion efficiency , polymer solar cell , polymer , composite material , physics , quantum mechanics , thin film transistor
Abstract Optical effects of the plasmonic structures and the materials effects of the metal nanomaterials have recently been individually studied for enhancing performance of organic solar cells (OSCs). Here, the effects of plasmonically induced carrier generation and enhanced carrier extraction of the carrier transport layer (i.e., plasmonic‐electrical effects) in OSCs are investigated. Enhanced charge extraction in TiO 2 as a highly efficient electron transport layer by the incorporation of metal nanoparticles (NPs) is proposed and demonstrated. Efficient device performance is demonstrated by using Au NPs incorporated TiO 2 at a plasmonic wavelength (560–600 nm), which is far longer than the originally necessary UV light. By optimizing the concentration ratio of the Au NPs in the NP‐TiO 2 composite, the performances of OSCs with various polymer active layers are enhanced and efficiency of 8.74% is reached. An integrated optical and electrical model, which takes into account plasmonic‐induced hot carrier tunneling probability and extraction barrier between TiO 2 and the active layer, is introduced. The enhanced charge extraction under plasmonic illumination is attributed to the strong charge injection of plasmonically excited electrons from NPs into TiO 2 . The mechanism favors trap filling in TiO 2 , which can lower the effective energy barrier and facilitate carrier transport in OSCs.