title: Effect of urchin-like gold nanoparticles in organic thin-film solar cells.
abstract: In this study, urchin-like gold nanoparticles (UL-AuNPs) are used in the fabrication of organic thin-film solar cells (OSCs). UL-AuNPs, which have gold nanothorns on their surface, enhance light accumulation by acting as light-trapping materials. This is due to the enhanced electric field and light scattering attributed to the nanothorns on the surface of the nanoparticles. UL-AuNPs were incorporated into a poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene):poly(styrene sulfonate) (
  PSS) thin-film layer of organic thin-film solar cells (OSCs). UV-vis spectra, atomic force microscopy (AFM) images, current density versus voltage properties, and the impedance spectra of the fabricated devices were recorded at various concentrations of UL-AuNPs. We found that the efficiency of the OSCs with UL-AuNPs was not only higher than that of a reference cell without nanoparticles but also higher than that of OSCs with spherical AuNPs. Finite-difference time-domain (FDTD) simulation indicated that the electric field around the UL-AuNPs increased due to the presence of nanothorns.
authors.affiliation: Graduate School of Science and Technology, Niigata University, 8050, Ikarashi 2-nocho, Nishi-ku, Niigata 950-2181, Japan. ababa@eng.niigata-u.ac.jp.
authors.forename: Apichat
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Pangdam
authors.forename: Supeera
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Nootchanat
authors.forename: Ryousuke
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Ishikawa
authors.forename: Kazunari
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Shinbo
authors.forename: Keizo
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kato
authors.forename: Futao
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Kaneko
authors.forename: Chuchaat
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Thammacharoen
authors.forename: Sanong
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ekgasit
authors.forename: Akira
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Baba