Article: Light harvesting improvement of organic solar cells with self-enhanced active layer designs

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TitleLight harvesting improvement of organic solar cells with self-enhanced active layer designs
AuthorsChen, L1
Sha, WEI1
Choy, WCH1
KeywordsAbsorption enhancement
Active Layer
Efficient scattering matrix method
Electrical performance
Gradient type
Issue Date2012
PublisherOptical Society of America. The Journal's web site is located at http://www.opticsexpress.org
CitationOptics Express, 2012, v. 20 n. 7, p. 8175-8185 [How to Cite?]
DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1364/OE.20.008175
AbstractWe present designs of organic solar cells (OSCs) incorporating periodically arranged gradient type active layer. The designs can enhance light harvesting with patterned organic materials themselves (i.e. selfenhanced active layer design) to avoid degrading electrical performances of OSCs in contrast to introducing inorganic concentrators into OSC active layers such as silicon and metallic nanostructures. Geometry of the OSC is fully optimized by rigorously solving Maxwell's equations with fast and efficient scattering matrix method. Optical absorption is accessed by a volume integral of the active layer excluding the metallic absorption. Our numerical results show that the OSC with a self-enhanced active layer, compared with the conventional planar active layer configuration, has broadband and wide-angle range absorption enhancement due to better geometric impedance matching and prolonged optical path. This work provides a theoretical foundation and engineering reference for high performance OSC designs. © 2012 Optical Society of America.
ISSN1094-4087
2011 Impact Factor: 3.587
2011 SCImago Journal Rankings: 1.956
DOIhttp://dx.doi.org/10.1364/OE.20.008175
ISI Accession Number IDWOS:000302138800126
ReferencesReferences in Scopus
DC Field
Value
dc.contributor.authorChen, L
dc.contributor.authorSha, WEI
dc.contributor.authorChoy, WCH
dc.date.accessioned2012-05-23T05:43:16Z
dc.date.available2012-05-23T05:43:16Z
dc.date.issued2012
dc.description.abstractWe present designs of organic solar cells (OSCs) incorporating periodically arranged gradient type active layer. The designs can enhance light harvesting with patterned organic materials themselves (i.e. selfenhanced active layer design) to avoid degrading electrical performances of OSCs in contrast to introducing inorganic concentrators into OSC active layers such as silicon and metallic nanostructures. Geometry of the OSC is fully optimized by rigorously solving Maxwell's equations with fast and efficient scattering matrix method. Optical absorption is accessed by a volume integral of the active layer excluding the metallic absorption. Our numerical results show that the OSC with a self-enhanced active layer, compared with the conventional planar active layer configuration, has broadband and wide-angle range absorption enhancement due to better geometric impedance matching and prolonged optical path. This work provides a theoretical foundation and engineering reference for high performance OSC designs. © 2012 Optical Society of America.
dc.description.naturepublished_or_final_version
dc.identifier.citationOptics Express, 2012, v. 20 n. 7, p. 8175-8185 [How to Cite?]
DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1364/OE.20.008175
dc.identifier.doihttp://dx.doi.org/10.1364/OE.20.008175
dc.identifier.epage8185
dc.identifier.hkuros199649
dc.identifier.isiWOS:000302138800126
dc.identifier.issn1094-4087
2011 Impact Factor: 3.587
2011 SCImago Journal Rankings: 1.956
dc.identifier.issue7
dc.identifier.pmid22453487
dc.identifier.scopuseid_2-s2.0-84859417873
dc.identifier.spage8175
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/10722/146864
dc.identifier.volume20
dc.languageeng
dc.publisherOptical Society of America. The Journal's web site is located at http://www.opticsexpress.org
dc.publisher.placeUnited States
dc.relation.ispartofOptics Express
dc.relation.referencesReferences in Scopus
dc.rightsOptics Express. Copyright © Optical Society of America.
dc.rightsThis paper was published in Optics Express and is made available as an electronic reprint with the permission of OSA. The paper can be found at the following URL on the OSA website: http://www.opticsinfobase.org/oe/abstract.cfm?uri=oe-20-7-8175. Systematic or multiple reproduction or distribution to multiple locations via electronic or other means is prohibited and is subject to penalties under law.
dc.rightsCreative Commons: Attribution 3.0 Hong Kong License
dc.subjectAbsorption enhancement
dc.subjectActive Layer
dc.subjectEfficient scattering matrix method
dc.subjectElectrical performance
dc.subjectGradient type
dc.titleLight harvesting improvement of organic solar cells with self-enhanced active layer designs
dc.typeArticle
Author Affiliations
  1. The University of Hong Kong