Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Enhancement of open circuit voltage in organic solar cells by doping a fluorescent red dye

  • Research Article
  • Published:
Frontiers in Energy Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

The open circuit voltage (V OC) of smallmolecule organic solar cells (OSCs) could be improved by doping suitable fluorescent dyes into the donor layers. In this paper, 4-(dicyanomethylene)-2-t-butyl-6-(1,1,7,7-tetramethyljulolidyl-9-enyl)-4H-pyran (DCJTB) was used as a dopant, and the performance of the OSCs with different DCJTB concentration in copper phthalocyanine (CuPc) was studied. The results showed that the V OC of the OSC with 50% of DCJTB in CuPc increased by 15%, compared with that of the standard CuPc/fullerene (C60) device. The enhancement of the V OC was attributed to the lower highest occupied molecular orbital (HOMO) level in the DCJTB than that in the CuPc. Also, the light absorption intensity is enhanced between 400 and 550 nm, where CuPc and C60 have low absorbance, leading to a broad absorption spectrum.

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

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Kim J Y, Lee K, Coates N E, Moses D, Nguyen T Q, Dante M, Heeger A J. Efficient tandem polymer solar cells fabricated by allsolution processing. Science, 2007, 317(5835): 222–225

    Article  Google Scholar 

  2. Yu J S, Huang J, Zhang L, Jiang Y D. Energy losing rate and opencircuit voltage analysis of organic solar cells based on detailed photocurrent simulation. Applied Physics Letters, 2009, 106(6): 063103

    Google Scholar 

  3. Rider D A, Worfolk B J, Harris K D, Lalany A, Shahbazi K, Fleischauer M D, Brett M J, Buriak J M. Stable inverted polymer/fullerene solar cells using a cationic polythiophene modified pedot: pss cathodic interface. Advanced Functional Materials, 2010, 20(15): 2404–2415

    Article  Google Scholar 

  4. Tang C W. Two-layer organic photovoltaic cell. Applied Physics Letters, 1986, 48(2): 183–185

    Article  Google Scholar 

  5. Brabec C J, Sariciftci N S, Hummelen J C. Plastic solar cells. Advanced Functional Materials, 2001, 11(1): 15–26

    Article  Google Scholar 

  6. Xue J, Uchida S, Rand B P, Forrest S R. 4.2% efficient organic photovoltaic cells with low series resistances. Applied Physics Letters, 2004, 84(16): 3013–3015

    Article  Google Scholar 

  7. Wang N N, Yu J S, Zang Y, Huang J, Jiang Y D. Effect of buffer layers on the performance of organic photovoltaic cells based on copper phthalocyanine and C60. Solar Energy Materials and Solar Cells, 2010, 94(2): 263–266

    Article  Google Scholar 

  8. Xue J, Uchida S, Rand B P, Forrest S R. Asymmetric tandem organic photovoltaic cells with hybrid planar-mixed molecular heterojunctions. Applied Physics Letters, 2004, 85(23): 5757–5759

    Article  Google Scholar 

  9. Service R F. Solar energy. Outlook brightens for plastic solar cells. Science, 2011, 332(6027): 293

    Google Scholar 

  10. Coakley K M, Mcgehee M D. Conjugated polymer photovoltaic cells. Chemistry of Materials, 2004, 16(23): 4533–4542

    Article  Google Scholar 

  11. Cheyns D, Rand B P, Heremans P. Organic tandem solar cells with complementary absorbing layers and a high open-circuit voltage. Applied Physics Letters, 2010, 97(3): 033301

    Article  Google Scholar 

  12. Kinoshita Y, Hasobe T, Murata H. Control of open-circuit voltage in organic photovoltaic cells by inserting an ultrathin metal-phthalocyanine layer. Applied Physics Letters, 2007, 91(8): 083518

    Article  Google Scholar 

  13. Chan M Y, Lai S L, Fung M K, Lee C S, Lee S T. S. L. Lai S L, Fung M K, Lee C S, Lee S T. Doping-induced efficiency enhancement in organic photovoltaic devices. Applied Physics Letters, 2007, 90(2): 023504

    Article  Google Scholar 

  14. Wang N N, Yu J S, Lin H, Jiang Y D. Organic photovoltaic cells with improved performance using bathophenanthroline as a buffer layer. Chinese Journal of Chemical Physics, 2010, 23(1): 84–88

    Article  Google Scholar 

  15. Taima T, Sakai J, Yamanari T, Saito K. Doping effects for organic photovoltaic cells based on small-molecular-weight semiconductors. Solar Energy Materials & Solar Cells, 2009, 93(6,7): 742–745

    Article  Google Scholar 

  16. Cheyns D, Poortmans J, Heremans P, Deibel C, Verlaak S, Rand B P, Genoe J. Analytical model for the open-circuit voltage and its associated resistance in organic planar heterojunction solar cells. Physical Review B: Condensed Matter and Materials Physics, 2008, 77(16): 165332

    Article  Google Scholar 

  17. Lai S L, Lo M F, Chan M Y, Lee C S, Lee S T. Lo M F, Chan M Y, Lee C S, Lee S T. Impact of dye interlayer on the performance of organic photovoltaic devices. Applied Physics Letters, 2009, 95(15): 153303

    Article  Google Scholar 

  18. Mandoc M M, Veurman W, Koster L J A, de Boer B, Blom P W M. Origin of the reduced fill factor and photocurrent in MDMO-PPV: PCNEPV all-polymer solar cells. Advanced Functional Materials, 2007, 17(13): 2167–2173

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. State Key Laboratory of Electronic Thin Films and Integrated Devices, School of Optoelectronic Information, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, 610054, China

    Qing Li, Junsheng Yu, Yue Zang, Nana Wang & Yadong Jiang

Authors
  1. Qing Li
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Junsheng Yu
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Yue Zang
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Nana Wang
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. Yadong Jiang
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Junsheng Yu.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Li, Q., Yu, J., Zang, Y. et al. Enhancement of open circuit voltage in organic solar cells by doping a fluorescent red dye. Front. Energy 6, 179–183 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11708-012-0177-y

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11708-012-0177-y

Keywords

Search

Navigation