Influence of morphology of PCDTBT:PC71BM on the performance of solar cells

Because of the restriction of low energy difference between the highest occupied molecular orbital of P3HT and the lowest unoccupied molecular orbital of PCBM, the obtained power conversion efficiency of P3HT:PCBM solar cells is merely half the ideal value. In this paper, we have fabricated bulk heterojunction solar cells based on PCDTBT and PC71BM (structure: ITO/PEDOT:PSS/PCDTBT:PC71BM/LiF (0.8 nm)/Al (80 nm)). In order to optimize the performance of the cells, the weight ratio of PCDTBT to PC71BM, the thickness of the active layer and thermal annealing are investigated. When the weight ratio of PCDTBT to PC71BM is 1:2 and the thickness of the active layer is 73 nm, a short circuit current density of 10.36 mA/cm2, an open-circuit voltage of 0.91 V, a fill factor of 55.06 % and a power conversion efficiency of 5.19 % can be achieved. Moreover, we probe the influence of annealing temperature on the performance of organic solar cells, and find that the thermal treatment methodology (apart from the removal of trapped casting solvent) is of limited benefit.