ELECTRON-BLOCKING LAYER/HOLE-TRANSPORT LAYER FOR ORGANIC PHOTOVOLTAICS AND APPLICATIONS OF SAME

Tobin Marks (Inventor)

Research output: Patent

Abstract

Electron-Blocking Layer for Improved Organic Photovoltaics NU 2006-151 Inventors Alexander Hains Michael Irwin Tobin Marks* He Yan Abstract Northwestern researchers have developed a new technology to improve the power conversion efficiency of current bulk heterojunction (BHJ) solar cells. Organic photovoltaics (OPV) offer several advantages over traditional inorganic photovoltaic cells, including fabrication with flexible substrates, lightweight, and production by inexpensive techniques such as spin-coating and printing. However, BHJ solar cells exhibit low conversion efficiencies, insufficient for commercial use. This new technology focuses on improving one key parameter in solar cell performance namely, the open-circuit voltage (Voc), which is believed to originate from the difference in energy between the highest occupied molecular orbital of the donor and the lowest unoccupied molecular orbital of the acceptor. This invention provides an electron-blocking layer (EBL) between the active layer blend MDMO-PPV:PCBM and P3HT:PCBM (donor polymer: acceptor material) and the ITO anode. The EBL serves to prevent electrons in the PCBM from traveling to the ITO, thus forcing the electrons to flow in the correct direction for collection at the cathode. With the EBL, the overall power conversion efficiency of solar cells exhibits greater Voc. Applications o Solar Cell Advantages o Increased organic photovoltaics efficiency IP Status Issued US Patent Nos. 7,799,990 and 8,399,761 Marketing Contact Allan Nader, PhD Invention Manager (e) [email protected] (p) 847-491-4456
Original languageEnglish
Patent number7799990
StatePublished - Sep 21 2010

Fingerprint

Dive into the research topics of 'ELECTRON-BLOCKING LAYER/HOLE-TRANSPORT LAYER FOR ORGANIC PHOTOVOLTAICS AND APPLICATIONS OF SAME'. Together they form a unique fingerprint.

Cite this