Fabrication Parameter Optimization for a Multilayer Photovoltaic Cell Based on the Heterojunction: Zinc(II)-Meso-Tetrakis(4-Bromophenyl) Porphyrins/Fullerenes

Jorge H. Velez, M. Jesus Aguirre, P. P. Zamora, M. B. L. Cattin, M. Makha, J. C. Bernede

Institut des Matériaux Jean Rouxel (IMN), Université de Nantes, Nantes, France.
Laboratorio de Electroquímica de Polímeros, Departamento de Química Inorgánica, Facultad de Química, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Santiago, Chile.
Laboratorio de Polímeros Conductores, Departamento de Química y Biología, Universidad de Santiago de Chile, Santiago, Chile.
MOLTECH-Anjou, Université d’Angers, Angers, France.

DOI: 10.4236/ojapps.2013.31019                

Abstract

The photoelectric properties of multilayer organic photovoltaic cells (OPV cells) were studied. The active organic layers consisted of a planar heterojunction between a layer of Meso-Tetrakis(4-BromoPhenyl) Zinc(II) Porphyrin (BrPhPZn) as electron donor (ED) and a layer fullerene molecules. The devices were fabricated in a high vacuum by thermal sublimation, a technique that allows multilayer devices realization easily by successive depositions, and it does not require solvents, achieving purer films with reproducible characteristics. Taking into account that the anodic contact, a key factor for cell efficiency, is favored by the inclusion of a thin anodic buffer layer (ABL), the effect on the yield after including one or two (ABL): MoO₃ or MoO₃-CuI layers was studied. The cell which has the best photovoltaic characteristics has a BrPhPZn (ED) thickness of only 12.5 nm. This small thickness is related with the low conductivity of this organic molecule. On the other hand, including a thin MoO₃-CuI bilayer increased, such device’s efficiency in a 200%, with regard to a cell without ABL, getting for one cell ITO/MoO₃-CuI/BrPhPZn/C₆₀/Alq₃/Al, with a 1.03% yield.

Keywords

Conducting Polymers; Phorphyrin Reactivity; Photovoltaic Yield; Anode Buffer Layer; CuI; MoO₃

Conflicts of Interest

The authors declare no conflicts of interest.

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