Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

The role of domain size and weight ratio of fullerene and non-fullerene acceptors on performance of PM6:Y6: PCBM ternary solar cell

  • Published:
Optical and Quantum Electronics Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Recently, ternary solar cells have developed as a vital photovoltaic-technology since they combine the advantages of both single junction and tandem solar cells with their processing simplicity, mechanical flexibility, and lightweight. In this paper, we have investigated the role of domain size and the weight ratio of fullerene and non-fullerene acceptor on the performance of ternary blended PM6:Y6: PCBM organic solar cell. Using the effective medium approach and assuming the ternary blend of donor/acceptor1/acceptor2 nanocomposite as an effective integrated active layer, along with augmented Drift-diffusion formalism for the active layer of the organic solar cell, we have modeled the performance parameters of the device. The results show that the conversion efficiency of ternary solar cells depends on the distribution and size of both fullerene and non-fullerene acceptor domains. There are some optimal domain sizes where the optimum solar cell performance occurs. The obtained model results are in good agreement in comparison with experimental studies.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4
Fig. 5
Fig. 6
Fig. 7
Fig. 8
Fig. 9
Fig. 10
Fig. 11

Similar content being viewed by others

Data availability

Data underlying the results presented in this paper are available from the authors upon reasonable request.

References

  • Ameri, T., Khoram, P., Min, J., Brabec, C.J.: Organic ternary solar cells: A review. Adv. Mater. 25(31), 4245–4266 (2013)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • An, Q., Zhang, F., Zhang, J., Tang, W., Deng, Z., Hu, B.: Versatile ternary organic solar cells: A critical review. Energy Environ. Sci. 9(2), 281–322 (2016)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Arefinia, Z.: Analytical modeling based on modified effective medium theories for optical properties of photovoltaic material-incorporated plasmonic nanoparticles. Plasmonics 15(6), 1661–1673 (2020)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Arefinia, Z.: Analytical modeling for plasmonic graphene/GaAs solar cells with random distribution of nonuniform-sized nanoparticles. J. Photonics Energy 10(02), 024501–024501 (2020)

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  • Bloking, J.T., et al.: Comparing the device physics and morphology of polymer solar cells employing fullerenes and non-fullerene acceptors. Adv. Energy Mater. 4(12), 1–12 (2014)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Chang, Y., et al.: 14%-efficiency fullerene-free ternary solar cell enabled by designing a short side-chain substituted small-molecule acceptor. Nano Energ. 64, 1–9 (2019)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Chang, Y., et al.: achieving efficient ternary organic solar cells using structurally similar non-fullerene acceptors with varying flanking side chains. Adv. Energy Mater. 11(14), 1–9 (2021)

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  • Gasparini, N., Salleo, A., McCulloch, I., Baran, D.: The role of the third component in ternary organic solar cells. Nat. Rev. Mater. 4(4), 229–242 (2019)

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  • Guguloth, L., Raja Shekar, P.V., Reddy Channu, V.S., Kumari, K.: Effect of reduced fluorinated graphene oxide as ternary component on synergistically boosting the performance of polymer bulk heterojunction solar cells. Sol. Energy 225, 259–265 (2021)

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  • Gurney, R.S., Lidzey, D.G., Wang, T.: A review of non-fullerene polymer solar cells: From device physics to morphology control. Reports Prog. Phys. 82(3), 036601 (2019)

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  • Huang, W., Cheng, P., Yang, Y.M., Li, G., Yang, Y.: High-performance organic bulk-heterojunction solar cells based on multiple-donor or multiple-acceptor components. Adv. Mater. 30(8), 1–24 (2018)

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  • Jia, Z., et al.: High performance tandem organic solar cells via a strongly infrared-absorbing narrow bandgap acceptor. Nat. Commun. 12(1), 1–10 (2021)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Jiang, Y., Zhu, X.: High-performance ternary organic solar cells enabled by synergizing fullerene and non-fullerene acceptors. Org. Mater. 03(02), 254–276 (2021)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Khiratkar, V., Aepuru, R., Panda, H.S.: Morphology-controlled ultrafine BaTiO3-based PVDF-HFP nanocomposite: Synergistic effect on dielectric and electro-mechanical properties. Bull. Mater. Sci. 41(4), 1–9 (2018)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Koster, L.J., Smits, E.C.P., Mihailetchi, V.D., Blom, P.W.: Device model for the operation of polymer/fullerene bulk heterojunction solar cells. Phys. Rev. B 72(8), 1–9 (2005)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Li, J., et al.: Multifunctional bipyramid-Au@ZnO core-shell nanoparticles as a cathode buffer layer for efficient non-fullerene inverted polymer solar cells with improved near-infrared photoresponse. J. Mater. Chem. A 7(6), 2667–2676 (2019)

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  • Li, D., et al.: Enhanced and balanced charge transport boosting ternary solar cells over 17% efficiency. Adv. Mater. 32(34), 2002344 (2020)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Liu, F., et al.: Organic solar cells with 18% efficiency enabled by an alloy acceptor: A two-in-one strategy. Adv. Mater. 33(27), 1–8 (2021)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ma, L., et al.: A ternary organic solar cell with 300 nm thick active layer shows over 14% efficiency. Sci. China Chem. 63(1), 21–27 (2020)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Mandoc, M.M., Koster, L.J., Blom, P.W.: Optimum charge carrier mobility in organic solar cells. Appl. Phys. Lett. 133504(2007), 8–11 (2012)

    Google Scholar 

  • Min Nam, Y., Huh, J., Ho Jo, W.: Optimization of thickness and morphology of active layer for high performance of bulk-heterojunction organic solar cells. Sol. Energy Mater. Sol. Cells 94(6), 1118–1124 (2010)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Pan, M.A., et al.: 16.7%-efficiency ternary blended organic photovoltaic cells with PCBM as the acceptor additive to increase the open-circuit voltage and phase purity. J. Mater. Chem. A 7(36), 20713–20722 (2019)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Piralaee, M., Asgari, A.: The role of silver nanoparticles in performance of multi-quantum well double heterojunction InGaN/GaN solar cells. Chem. Phys. Lett. 754, 137500 (2020)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Piralaee, M., Asgari, A.: Bimetallic core–shell nanoparticles to improve the absorption of P3HT: PCBM organic solar cell. Appl. Opt. 60(29), 9087–9094 (2021)

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  • Rita Narayan, M., Singh, J.: Study of the mechanism and rate of exciton dissociation at the donor-acceptor interface in bulk-heterojunction organic solar cells. J. Appl. Phys. 114(7), 1–15 (2013)

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  • Saleheen, M., Arnab, S.M., Kabir, M.Z.: Analytical model for voltage-dependent photo and dark currents in bulk heterojunction. Energies 9(412), 1–7 (2016)

    Google Scholar 

  • Schilinsky, P., Waldauf, C., Brabec, C.J.: Recombination and loss analysis in polythiophene based bulk heterojunction photodetectors. Appl. Phys. Lett. 81(20), 3885–3887 (2002)

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  • Setsoafia, D.D.Y., Ram, K.S., Rad, H.M., Ompong, D., Elumalai, N.K., Singh, J.: Optimizing Device Structure of PTB7-Th:PNDI-T10 Bulk Heterojunction Polymer Solar Cells by Enhancing Optical Absorption. Energies 15(3), 711 (2022)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wang, T., Pearson, A.J., Lidzey, D.G., Jones, R.A.L.: Evolution of structure, optoelectronic properties, and device performance of polythiophene:fullerene solar cells during thermal annealing. Adv. Funct. Mater. 21(8), 1383–1390 (2011)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wang, J., et al.: Ternary nonfullerene polymer solar cells with a power conversion efficiency of 11.6% by inheriting the advantages of binary cells. ACS Energy Lett. 3(3), 555–561 (2018)

    Article  MathSciNet  Google Scholar 

  • Wang, X., et al.: Ternary organic photovoltaic cells exhibiting 17.59% efficiency with two compatible Y6 derivations as acceptor. Sol. RRL 5(3), 1–9 (2021)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Weng, K., et al.: Ternary organic solar cells based on two compatible PDI-based acceptors with an enhanced power conversion efficiency. J. Mater. Chem. A 7(8), 1–17 (2019)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Yao, N., et al.: Efficient charge transport enables high efficiency in dilute donor organic solar cells. J. Phys. Chem. Lett. 12(20), 5039–5044 (2021)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Yaremchuk, I.Y.: Optical properties of nanocomposite materials based on plasmon nanoparticles. Semicond. Phys. Quantum Electron. Optoelectron. 21(2), 195–199 (2018)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Zhao, J., et al.: Efficient organic solar cells processed from hydrocarbon solvents. Nat. Energ. 1(2), 1–7 (2016)

    Article  MathSciNet  Google Scholar 

  • Zhao, C., Wang, J., Zhao, X., Du, Z., Yang, R., Tang, J.: Recent advances, challenges and prospects in ternary organic solar cells. Nanoscale 13(4), 1–7 (2021)

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgements

This work was supported by Ministry of Science, Research and Technology (MSRT) No. 863.

Funding

Ministry of Science Research and Technology, 863, Mina Piralaee

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Photonics Devices Research Group, Research Institute of Applied Physics and Astronomy, University of Tabriz, Tabriz, 51665-163, Iran

    Mina Piralaee & Asghar Asgari

  2. Faculty of Physics, University of Tabriz, Tabriz, Iran

    Asghar Asgari

  3. School of Electrical, Electronic, and Computer Engineering, University of Western Australia, Crawley, WA, 6009, Australia

    Asghar Asgari

Authors
  1. Mina Piralaee
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Asghar Asgari
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Mina Piralaee.

Ethics declarations

Conflict of interest

The authors declare no conflicts of interest.

Additional information

Publisher's Note

Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.

Rights and permissions

Springer Nature or its licensor (e.g. a society or other partner) holds exclusive rights to this article under a publishing agreement with the author(s) or other rightsholder(s); author self-archiving of the accepted manuscript version of this article is solely governed by the terms of such publishing agreement and applicable law.

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Piralaee, M., Asgari, A. The role of domain size and weight ratio of fullerene and non-fullerene acceptors on performance of PM6:Y6: PCBM ternary solar cell. Opt Quant Electron 55, 802 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11082-023-05090-3

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11082-023-05090-3

Keywords

Search

Navigation