Photogeneration and decay of charge carriers in hybrid bulk heterojunctions of ZnO nanoparticles and conjugated polymers

The photogeneration and decay of charge carriers in blend films of ZnO nanoparticles (diameter 5 nm) and poly[2-methoxy-5-(3',7'-dimethyloctyloxy)-1,4-phenylenevinylene] (MDMO-PPV) or poly(3-hexylthiophene) (P3HT) were studied by means of microwave-photoconductance measurements. Excitation of the polymer in the visible spectrum was found to lead to a transient photoconductance due to dissociation of excitons at the interface between ZnO and the conjugated polymer. From the similar decay kinetics of the photoconductance and the effects of UV illumination, it is concluded that the measured photoconductance is due to electrons in ZnO. Increasing the weight fraction of ZnO in the blend films leads to a higher photoconductance. This is attributed to enhanced formation of mobile electrons by interfacial dissociation of excitons at clusters of ZnO nanoparticles rather than at individual nanoparticles. The dependence of the photoconductance on the weight fraction of ZnO is found to be different for ZnO:MDMO-PPV and ZnO:P3HT blends. This is most likely due to the presence of a smaller number of relatively large ZnO clusters in ZnO:P3HT blends and a shorter exciton diffusion length, as compared with ZnO:MDMO-PPV blends. After exposure of the blend films to UV light, a significant increase in the magnitude and the lifetime of the photoconductance is observed. This is explained in terms of the filling of electron traps in ZnO by UV exposure.     

In situ electrochemical fluorescence studies of PPV

Conjugated phenylene-vinylene polymers are widely used in organic light-emitting and photovoltaic devices. The comprehension of the optical properties upon charge injection is of crucial importance for the improvement of such organoelectronic devices. The processes of electrochemical doping, electrolyte diffusion, and degradation have been studied by cyclic voltammetry and chronoamperometric methods. Kinetic studies by in situ fluorescence spectroscopy have been used for the determination of the mobility of charge carriers in the polymer making used of electrochemical Stern-Volmer analysis. The mobility of holes for MDMO-PPV measured by this method was 2.5 x 10(-7) cm2 V s(-1). Non-Faradic variations of the fluorescence after doping-dedoping cycles have been related to morphological changes in the polymeric layer. The evolution of the fluorescence obeys a first-order kinetics law, similarly to the trend of the variation of volume during gel shrinking.     

Hybrid polymer/zinc oxide photovoltaic devices with vertically oriented ZnO nanorods and an amphiphilic molecular interface layer

We report on the effect of nanoparticle morphology and interfacial modification on the performance of hybrid polymer/zinc oxide photovoltaic devices. We compare structures consisting of poly-3-hexylthiophene (P3HT) polymer in contact with three different types of ZnO layer: a flat ZnO backing layer alone; vertically aligned ZnO nanorods on a ZnO backing layer; and ZnO nanoparticles on a ZnO backing layer. We use scanning electron microscopy, steady state and transient absorption spectroscopies, and photovoltaic device measurements to study the morphology, charge separation, recombination behavior and device performance of the three types of structures. We find that charge recombination in the structures containing vertically aligned ZnO nanorods is remarkably slow, with a half-life of several milliseconds, over 2 orders of magnitude slower than that for randomly oriented ZnO nanoparticles. A photovoltaic device based on the nanorod structure that has been treated with an amphiphilic dye before deposition of the P3HT polymer yields a power conversion efficiency over four times greater than that for a similar device based on the nanoparticle structure. The best ZnO nanorod:P3HT device yields a short circuit current density of 2 mAcm(-2) under AM1.5 illumination (100 mW cm(-2)) and a peak external quantum efficiency over 14%, resulting in a power conversion efficiency of 0.20%.     

Transport and recombination dynamics studies of polymer/fullerene based solar cells

We have studied the electron/hole transport and recombination dynamics in blends of poly[2-methoxy-5-(3′,7′-dimethyloctyloxy)-1,4-phenylene vinylene], (MDMO-PPV) and [6,6]-phenyl-C₆₁-butyric acid methyl ester (PCBM) at room temperature, as a function of laser excitation density and PCBM concentration. The experimental results of these studies indicate the important role played by hole-trap states in MDMO-PPV. Electron and hole transport are not balanced within the blend. PCBM is a less disordered material than MDMO-PPV and electron transport dominates the response of the solar cell device.     

Growth and morphological studies of NiO/CuO/ZnO based nanostructured thin films for photovoltaic applications

At present, inorganic semiconducting materials are the most economical and viable source for the renewable energy industry. The present work deals with the morphological and optical characterization of copper oxide (CuO) and zinc oxide (ZnO) thin films fabricated by layer by layer deposition on nickel oxide (NiO) coated indium tin oxide (ITO) glass by solution processing methods, mainly chemical bath deposition (CBD) and hydrothermal deposition (HTD) processes at room temperature. As a whole, the above inorganic composite materials (NiO/CuO/ZnO) can be applied in photovoltaic cells. An attempt has been made to study structural, morphological and absorption characteristics of NiO/CuO/ZnO heterojunction using state of the art techniques like X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and UV spectroscopy. The energy band gaps of CuO and ZnO have also been calculated and discussed based on the UV spectroscopy measurements.     

Improved Energy Conversion Efficiency of ZnO/Polythiophene Solar Cell in Ga-Doped ZnO Nanorod Array Photoanode

We reported the fabrication and doping effect of Ga-doped ZnO nanorods/electropolymerized polythio-phene(e-PT) hybrid photovoltaic(h-PV) devices. Ga-Doped ZnO nanorod array photoanode devices were fabricated via hydrothermally growing nanorods on sol-gel spin-coating ZnO seed layer, and then the nanorod array was immersed into a thiophene solution to yield a thin polythiophene film by electrochemically polymerization. Afterwards, a thin layer of Al was deposited on the surface of polythiophene to make an electrode for photovoltaic measurement. The ZnO nanorods with different Ga-doping contents were characterized by means of X-ray diffraction(XRD), scanning electron micrograph(SEM) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy(XPS). Photovoltaic J-V characterization was performed on the e-PT/ZnO bilayer and bulk heterojunction(BHJ) devices. Though the unsubstituted polythiophene is not an ideal polymer material for solar cells with high power conversion efficiency, it is a sound model for the study on the effect of dopant in hybrid materials. The results indicate that doping Ga can substantially improve the power conversion efficiency of the ZnO-polythiophene solar cell.     

以C_(70)衍生物为电子受体的高效聚合物固体薄膜太阳能电池

以PC[70]BM(phenyl C71-butyric acid methyl ester)取代PC[60]BM(phenyl C61-butyric acid methyl ester)作为电子受体材料,以MEH-PPV(poly[2-methoxy-5-(2′-ethylhexyloxy)-1,4-phenylenevinylene])为电子给体材料,制成了本体异质结(bulk heterojunction,BHJ)聚合物太阳能电池.MEH-PPV/PC[70]BM器件在AM1.5G(80 mW/cm2)模拟太阳光的光照条件下得到了3.42%的能量转换效率,短路电流值达到了6.07 mA/cm2,开路电压0.85 V,填充因子为53%.通过紫外可见吸收光谱和外量子效率的研究,发现PC[70]BM作为电子受体,对扩大光谱的吸收范围和增加活性层的吸收系数有明显的作用.同时比较了不同溶剂对该体系器件性能的影响.通过原子力显微镜(AFM)、光暗导I-V曲线等研究,分析了1,2-二氯苯有利于给体相和受体相的微相分离和载流子的传输的原因.     

P3HT修饰一维有序壳核式CdS/ZnO纳米棒阵列复合膜的光电化学性能

采用电化学方法在铟锡氧化物(ITO)导电玻璃上制备了高度有序的ZnO纳米棒阵列, 在ZnO纳米棒阵列上先后电化学沉积CdS纳米晶膜及聚3-己基噻吩(P3HT)薄膜得到P3HT修饰的一维有序壳核式CdS/ZnO纳米阵列结构, 并通过扫描电镜(SEM)、透射电镜(TEM)、X射线衍射(XRD)、能量散射X射线(EDX)等表征手段证实了该结构的形成. 以此纳米结构薄膜为光阳极组装新型半导体敏化太阳电池, 研究了CdS纳米晶膜的厚度和P3HT薄膜的沉积对电池光伏性能的影响, 初步探讨了电荷在电池结构中的传输机理, 结果表明, CdS纳米晶膜和P3HT薄膜的沉积有效地拓宽了光阳极的光吸收范围, 实验中电池的光电转换效率最高达到1.08%.     

Compositional and electric field dependence of the dissociation of charge transfer excitons in alternating polyfluorene copolymer/fullerene blends

The electro-optical properties of thin films of electron donor-acceptor blends of a fluorene copolymer (PF10TBT) and a fullerene derivative (PCBM) were studied. Transmission electron microscopy shows that in these films nanocrystalline PCBM clusters are formed at high PCBM content. For all concentrations, a charge transfer (CT) transition is observed with absorption spectroscopy, photoluminescence, and electroluminescence. The CT emission is used as a probe to investigate the dissociation of CT excited states at the donor-acceptor interface in photovoltaic devices, as a function of an applied external electric field and PCBM concentration. We find that the maximum of the CT emission shifts to lower energy and decreases in intensity with higher PCBM content. We explain the red shift of the emission and the lowering of the open-circuit voltage (V(OC)) of photovoltaic devices prepared from these blends with the higher relative permittivity of PCBM (epsilon(r) = 4.0) compared to that of the polymer (epsilon(r) = 3.4), stabilizing the energy (E(CT)) of CT states and of the free charge carriers in blends with higher PCBM concentration. We show that the CT state has a short decay time (tau = ca. 4 ns) that is reduced by the application of an external electric field or with increasing PCBM content. The field-induced quenching can be explained quantitatively with the Onsager-Braun model for the dissociation of the CT states when including a high electron mobility in nanocrystalline PCBM clusters. Furthermore, photoinduced absorption spectroscopy shows that increasing the PCBM concentration reduces the yield of neutral triplet excitons forming via electron-hole recombination, and increases the lifetime of radical cations. The presence of nanocrystalline domains with high local carrier mobility of at least one of the two components in an organic heterojunction may explain efficient dissociation of CT states into free charge carriers.     

Well Oriented ZnO Nanorods Array: Negative Resistance and Optical Switching

Well‐oriented ZnO nanorods (NRs) arrays were grown on Si, alumina, quartz, and FTO substrates through a ZnO seed layer followed by low temperature wet chemical process. The influence of sputtered ZnO seed layer thickness (100, 50, 32, and 16 nm), annealing temperature and CuO_x coverage on the characteristics of ZnO NRs were investigated in this study. The crystalline structural, chemical, morphological, optical, and electrical properties of ZnO NRs arrays were studied by X‐ray diffraction (XRD), field emission‐ scanning electron microscopy equipped by energy dispersive X‐ray spectroscopy (FE‐SEM/EDX), Raman scattering, UV/Vis ‐ near IR absorption spectroscopy and current‐voltage characteristic. XRD and Raman spectra measurement revealed that the synthesize ZnO displayed hexagonal wurtzite structure. The individual rod diameter, density, and orientation can be controlled by varying the seed layer thickness. The mean diameter and maximum length of ZnO NRs are around 55–66 nm and 282 nm, respectively. ZnO NRs/ ZnO thin film structure shows optical switching and negative differential resistance behavior as applicable to ON/OFF gate and memory devices.     

Light-induced degradation of the active layer of polymer-based solar cells

Polymer-based organic solar cells are known to offer a poor stability in real use conditions, and the photodegradation of the active organic layer plays an important role in the reduced lifetime of the devices. This paper focuses on the photodegradation of two conjugated polymers used in organic solar cells, namely poly(2-methoxy-5-(3′,7′-dimethyloctyloxy)-1,4-phenylenevinylene (MDMO-PPV) and poly(3-hexyylthiophene) (P3HT), and their blends with [60]PCBM (methano-fullerene[6,6]-phenyl C61-butyric acid methyl ester), a fullerene derivative. MDMO-PPV and P3HT thin films were submitted to photoageing (λ > 300 nm) in the presence and in the absence of oxygen. The mechanisms by which these polymers degrade were elucidated. P3HT, pristine and blended with PCBM, was shown to be much more stable under illumination than MDMO-PPV. The results showed that, if deposited on an inert substrate and well protected from oxygen with a convenient encapsulation, P3HT:PCBM based active layer should be intrinsically stable for several years in use conditions.     

Towards optically responsive smart materials: electronic interactions between polymeric semiconductor and photochromic molecule

Electronic interactions between π-conjugated poly[2-methoxy-5-(3′,7′-dimethyloctyloxy)-1,4-phenylenevinylene] (MDMO-PPV) and photochromic 6-nitro-1′,3′,3′-trimethylspiro[2H-1-benzopyran-2,2′-indoline] (SP) were studied using the optical spectroscopy. The observed fluorescence quenching of MDMO-PPV by the open merocyanine form of the SP was explained as a photoinduced charge transfer. This opens the possibility to reversibly switch between low and high photoconductive states which can be used for the construction of electro-optical bi-stable devices or sensors.     

铟掺杂氧化锌-氧化硅纳米电缆芯-壳异质结构的制备及表征

利用碳热还原反应气相沉积法制备了铟掺杂氧化锌-氧化硅纳米电缆芯-壳异质结构. X射线衍射(XRD)、透射电子显微镜(TEM)及X射线能谱(EDS)研究表明, 纳米电缆内芯为结晶完好的单晶纤锌矿结构, 外壳包覆一层氧化硅非晶层. 纳米电缆直径为30-60 nm, 长径比大于100. 掺杂纳米异质结构的生长机理与传统的金属晶种辅助气-液-固(VLS)机理有所不同. 这种掺杂纳米异质结构有望作为理想的结构单元应用于纳米器件领域.     

Structure and opto-electrochemical properties of ZnO nanowires grown on n-Si substrate

Zinc oxide (ZnO) nanostructures have attracted great attention as a promising functional material with unique properties suitable for applications in UV lasers, light emitting diodes, field emission devices, sensors, field effect transistors, and solar cells. In the present work, ZnO nanowires have been synthesized on an n-type Si substrate using a hydrothermal method where surfactant acted as a modifying and protecting agent. The surface morphology, electrochemical properties, and opto-electrochemical properties of ZnO nanowires are investigated by using scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS), cyclic voltammetry, and impedance spectroscopy techniques. The cycling characteristics and rate capability of the ZnO nanowires are explored through electrochemical studies performed under varying electrolytes. The photo response is observed using UV radiation. It is demonstrated that crystallinity, particle size, and morphology all play significant roles in the electrochemical performance of the ZnO electrodes.     

Size-controlled chalcopyrite CuInS2 nanocrystals: One-pot synthesis and optical characterization

Chalcopyrite ternary CuInS2 semiconductor nanocrystals have been synthesized via a facile one-pot chemical approach by using oleylamine and oleic acid as solvents.The as-prepared CuInS2 nanocrystals have been characterized by instrumental analyses such as X-ray diffraction(XRD),X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy(XPS),transmission electron microscopy(TEM)/high-resolution TEM(HRTEM),energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy(EDS),UV-vis absorption spectroscopy(UV-vis) and photoluminescence(PL) spectroscopy.The particle sizes of the CuInS2 nanocrystals could be tuned from 2 to 10 nm by simply varying reaction conditions.Oleylamine,which acted as both a reductant and an effective capping agent,plays an important role in the size-controlled synthesis of CuInS2 nanocrystals.Based on a series of comparative experiments under different reaction conditions,the probable formation mechanism of CuInS2 nanocrystals has been proposed.Furthermore,the UV-vis absorption and PL emission spectra of the chalcopyrite CuInS2 nanocrystals have been found to be adjustable in the range of 527-815 nm and 625-800 nm,respectively,indicating their potential application in photovoltaic devices.     

Enhanced UV photosensing properties of ZnO nanowires prepared by electrodeposition and atomic layer deposition

A new process enabling the synthesis of zinc oxide (ZnO) and Al-doped ZnO nanowires (NWs) for photosensing applications is reported. By combining atomic layer deposition (ALD) for the seed layer preparation and electrodeposition for the NW growth, high-quality ZnO nanomaterials were prepared and tested as ultraviolet (UV) sensors. The obtained NWs are grown as arrays perpendicular to the substrate surface and present diameters between 70 and 130 nm depending on the Al doping, as seen from scanning electron microscopy (SEM) studies. Their hexagonal microstructure has been determined using X-ray diffraction and Raman spectroscopy. An excellent performance in UV sensing has been observed for the ZnO NWs with low Al doping, and a maximal photoresponse current of 11.1 mA has been measured. In addition, initial studies on the stability have shown that the NW photoresponse currents are stable, even after ten UV on/off cycles.     

Sn掺杂ZnO纳米针的结构及其生长机制(英文)

利用包括磁控溅射和热氧化的两步法在Si(111)衬底上制备了Sn掺杂ZnO纳米针.首先用磁控溅射法在Si(111)衬底上制备Sn:Zn薄膜,然后在650℃的Ar气氛中对薄膜进行热氧化,制备出Sn掺杂ZnO纳米针.样品的结构、成分和光学性质采用X射线衍射(XRD)、扫描电子显微镜(SEM)、透射电子显微镜(TEM)、高分辨透射电子显微镜(HRTEM)、能量散射X射线(EDX)谱和光致发光(PL)光谱等技术手段进行分析.结果表明,制备的样品为具有六方纤锌矿结构的单晶Sn掺杂ZnO纳米针,Sn掺杂量为2.5%(x,原子比),底部和头部直径分别为200-500 nm和40 nm,长度为1-3μm,结晶质量较高.室温光致发光光谱显示紫外发光峰比纯ZnO的发光峰稍有蓝移,这可归因于能谱分析中探测到的Sn的影响.基于本实验的实际条件,简单探讨了Sn掺杂ZnO纳米针的生长机制.     

Fabrication and evaluation of ZnO nanorods by liquid-phase deposition

The ZnO nanorod growth mechanism during liquid-phase deposition (LPD) has been investigated, with results considered in the context of phase stabilization, LPD chemical processes, and Gibbs free energy and entropy. Zinc oxide (ZnO) possesses unique optical and electronic properties, and obtaining ZnO species with high specific surface area is important in ZnO applications. Highly c-axis-oriented ZnO films are expected to be utilized in future optical and electrical devices. ZnO nanorods were synthesized using an aqueous solution deposition technique on a glass substrate with a free-standing ZnO nanoparticle layer. ZnO nanorod growth was easily controlled on the nanoscale by adjustment of the immersion time (15-210 min). X-ray diffraction, field-emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM), and film thickness measurements were used to characterize the crystalline phase, orientation, morphology, microstructure, and growth mechanism of the ZnO nanorods. FE-SEM images were analyzed by image processing software, which revealed details of the of ZnO nanorod growth mechanism.     

Ambipolar Blends of Cu-Phthalocyanine and Fullerene: Charge Carrier Mobility,Electronic Structure and their Implications for Solar Cell Applications

Summary: Ambipolar transport has been realised in blends of the molecular hole conductor Cu-phthalocyanine (CuPc) and the electron conducting fullerene C₆₀. Charge carrier mobilities and the occupied electronic levels have been analyzed as a function of the mixing ratio using field-effect transistor measurements and photoelectron spectroscopy. These results are discussed in the context of photovoltaic cells based on these materials.