Patterns of efficiency and degradation of composite polymer solar cells

摘要

Bulk-heterojunction plastic solar cells (PSC) produced from a conjugated polymer, poly(2-methoxy-5-(3',7'-dimethyloctyl-oxy)-1,4-phenylenevinylene) (MDMO-PPV), and a methanofullerene 6,6-phenyl C-61-butyric acid methyl ester (PCBM) were investigated using photocurrent imaging techniques to determine characteristic patterns of efficiency and degradation. The solar cells with power efficiencies of up to 2.6 showed significant inhomogeneities and variations depending on the preparation steps (e.g. aluminum deposition), Suggesting there is still room for improvements. A characteristic feature of the well-known photoinduced and dark cell degradation is the formation of islands of higher efficiency. Degradation mechanisms appear to have a morphological component. The imaging technique will open opportunities for combinatorial plastic solar cell research. (C) 2004 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.