Absorption and quasiguided mode analysis of organic solar cells with photonic crystal photoactive layers.
We analyze optical absorption enhancements and quasiguided mode properties of organic solar cells with highly ordered nanostructured photoactive layers comprised of the bulk heterojunction blend, poly-3-hexylthiophene/[6,6]-phenyl-C61-butyric acid methyl ester (P3HT:PCBM) and a low index of refraction conducting material (LICM). This photonic crystal geometry is capable of enhancing spectral absorption by approximately 17% in part due to the excitation of quasiguided modes near the band edge of P3HT:PCBM. A nanostructure thickness between 200 nm and 300 nm is determined to be optimal, while the LICM must have an index of refraction approximately 0.3 lower than P3HT:PCBM to produce absorption enhancements. Quasiguided modes that differ in lifetime by an order of magnitude are also identified and yield absorption that is concentrated in the P3HT:PCBM flash layer.
Tumbleston
John R
JR
Physics and Astronomy Department, University of North Carolina Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA.
Ko
Doo-Hyun
DH
Samulski
Edward T
ET
Lopez
Rene
R
D000042:Absorption; D017076:Computer-Aided Design; D003460:Crystallization / Q000379:methods*; D011211:Electric Power Supplies; D004867:Equipment Design; D019544:Equipment Failure Analysis; D009930:Organic Chemicals / Q000737:chemistry*; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D012993:Solar Energy
D009930:Organic Chemicals