Solution-Processable ZnO/Carbon Quantum Dots Electron Extraction Layer for Highly Efficient Polymer Solar Cells

Ruqin Zhang, Min Zhao*, Zhongqiang Wang*, Zongtao Wang, Bo Zhao, Yanqin Miao, Yingjuan Zhou, Hua Wang, Yuying Hao, Guo Chen, Fu Rong ZHU*

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalJournal articlepeer-review

56 Citations (Scopus)
43 Downloads (Pure)

Abstract

In this work, we report the effort to develop high-efficiency inverted polymer solar cells (PSCs) by applying a solution-processable bilayer ZnO/carbon quantum dots (C-QDs) electron extraction layer (EEL). It is shown that the use of the bilayer EEL helps to suppress the exciton quenching by passivating the ZnO surface defects in the EEL, leading to an enhanced exciton dissociation, reduced charge recombination and more efficient charge extraction probability, and thereby achieving high power conversion efficiency (PCE). The inverted PSCs, based on the blend of poly{4,8-bis[(2-ethylhexyl)oxy]benzo[1,2-b:4,5-b′]dithiophene-2,6-diyl-alt-3-fluoro-2-[(2-ethylhexyl)carbonyl]thieno[3,4-b]thiophene-4,6-diyl} and [6,6]-phenyl C71-butyric acid methyl ester, possess a significant improvement in PCE of ~9.64%, which is >27% higher than that of a control cell (~7.59%). The use of a bilayer ZnO/C-QD EEL offers a promising approach for attaining high-efficiency inverted PSCs.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)4895-4903
Number of pages9
JournalACS Applied Materials and Interfaces
Volume10
Issue number5
Early online date26 Jan 2018
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 7 Feb 2018

Scopus Subject Areas

  • General Materials Science

User-Defined Keywords

  • bilayer
  • C-QDs
  • EEL
  • polymer solar cells
  • ZnO

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