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Abstract: Optimizing the components and morphology within the photoactive layer of organic solar cells (OSCs) can significantly enhance their power conversion efficiency (PCE). A new A-D-A type non-fullerene acceptor IDMIC-4F is designed and synthesized in this work, and is employed as the third component to prepare high performance ternary solar cells. IDMIC-4F can form fibrils after solution casting, and the presence of this fibrillar structure in the PBDB-T-2F:BTP-4F host confines the growth of donors and acceptors into fine domains, as well as acting as transport channels to enhance electron mobility. Single junction ternary devices incorporating 10 wt% IDMIC-4F exhibit enhanced light absorption and balanced carrier mobility, and achieve a maximum PCE of 16.6% compared to 15.7% for the binary device, which is a remarkable efficiency for OSCs reported in literature. This non-fullerene acceptor fibril network strategy is a promising method to improve the photovoltaic performance of ternary OSCs.

Open Access

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Abstract: Simultaneous control over both the energy levels and Fermi level, a key breakthrough for inorganic electronics, has yet to be shown for organic semiconductors. Here, energy level tuning and molecular doping are combined to demonstrate controlled shifts in ionisation potential and Fermi level of an organic thin film. This is achieved by p-doping a blend of two host molecules, zinc phthalocyanine and its eight-times fluorinated derivative, with tunable energy levels based on mixing ratio. The doping efficiency is found to depend on host mixing ratio, which is explained using a statistical model that includes both shifts of the host’s ionisation potentials and, importantly, the electron affinity of the dopant. Therefore, the energy level tuning effect has a crucial impact on the molecular doping process. The practice of comparing host and dopant energy levels must consider the long-range electrostatic shifts to consistently explain the doping mechanism in organic semiconductors.

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Abstract: The working electrode of a dye-sensitized solar cell (DSSC) consists of dye molecules adsorbed onto nanoparticles of a semiconductor such as TiO2. A reliable prediction of the DSSC photovoltaic performance of a given dye requires in-depth knowledge about the precise structure of the dye···TiO2 interface. X-ray reflectometry (XRR) and grazing-incidence small angle X-ray scattering (GISAXS) are herein employed to determine the dye···TiO2 interfacial structure and associated dye aggregation behavior of three high-performance DSSC dyes: an organic metal-free dye, MK-2, and the two archetypal ruthenium-based organometallic dyes, N3, and N749 (Black Dye). Results show that all three dyes form nanoaggregates in dye···TiO2 interfaces. We determine the dye nanoaggregate separations, sizes, distribution densities and the extent of short-range order within each dye self-assembly in the longitudinal and lateral directions. Dye···TiO2 composites fabricated using dye solutions of varying concentrations are analyzed. We find that nanoaggregates of the three dyes are separated by several hundred nanometers (158-203 nm) in dye···TiO2 interfaces that have been fabricated using concentrated dye solutions (0.5 mM or 1.0 mM). MK-2 and N749 dyes also display smaller inter-particle separations. Dye nanoparticle diameters are of the order of 156-198 nm, sizes that are comparable to the largest inter-particle separations. Thus, no extraneous dye particles can be fitted into gaps between particles, so the dye self-assembly is saturated. Self-assemblies of all three dyes exhibit both lateral and longitudinal short-range order; N3 displays a particularly short coherence length along the TiO2 surface, with extensive structured disorder along the longitudinal direction. The operation of DSSC working electrodes would therefore seem to be dependent on a dye self-assembly that may exhibit several levels of structural granularity and dye aggregation effects.

Open Access

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Abstract: Halide perovskites are emerging as valid alternatives to conventional photovoltaic active materials owing to their low cost and high device performances. This material family also shows exceptional tunability of properties by varying chemical components, crystal structure, and dimensionality, providing a unique set of building blocks for new structures. Here, highly stable self‐assembled lead–tin perovskite heterostructures formed between low‐bandgap 3D and higher‐bandgap 2D components are demonstrated. A combination of surface‐sensitive X‐ray diffraction, spatially resolved photoluminescence, and electron microscopy measurements is used to reveal that microstructural heterojunctions form between high‐bandgap 2D surface crystallites and lower‐bandgap 3D domains. Furthermore, in situ X‐ray diffraction measurements are used during film formation to show that an ammonium thiocyanate additive delays formation of the 3D component and thus provides a tunable lever to substantially increase the fraction of 2D surface crystallites. These novel heterostructures will find use in bottom cells for stable tandem photovoltaics with a surface 2D layer passivating the 3D material, or in energy‐transfer devices requiring controlled energy flow from localized surface crystallites to the bulk.

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Abstract: The nanoscale morphology within the photoactive layer of organic solar cells is critical in determining the power conversion efficiency (PCE). Here, we draw attention to the roles of molecular arrangement, and domain size in improving performance, which can be tuned by subjecting the photovoltaic materials to solvent vapor annealing (SVA). In our PTB7-Th:ITIC devices, the PCE can be improved by exposing the device to solvent vapor for 60 s after solution casting. The solvent vapor prolongs reorganizational time and increases molecular ordering and domain size/phase separation, which are sub-optimal in pristine PTB7-Th:ITIC blend films. This improved morphology results in better charge mobility, reduced recombination, and ultimately an improved PCE from 7.1% to 7.9% when using CS2 as the annealing solvent. This simple SVA technique can be applied to a range of OPV systems where the molecular ordering is inferior within the as-cast photoactive layer.