Advanced Functional Materials and Devices (AFMD) Group

Abstract:

Aspects of the present disclosure are directed to apparatuses and methods involving nanowires having junctions therebetween. As consistent with one or more embodiments, an apparatus includes first and second sets of nanowires, in which the second set overlaps the first set. The apparatus further includes a plurality of nanowire joining recrystallization junctions, each junction including material from a nanowire of the first set that is recrystallized into an overlapping nanowire of the second set.

Abstract:

Recently organic tandem solar cells with record efficiency had been shown comprising identical absorber materials in both subcells. Such structures pose new challenges for characterization. The standard test methods for measuring spectral response of tandem solar cells can not be applied. The standard procedures demand for different bias illumination during measuring spectral response allowing to select the subcell being current limiting. With subcells comprising identical absorber materials, thus having identical absorption spectra, such a selection is not trivial. In this paper, we show that with the help of detailed optical simulations of such tandem organic solar cells, their characterization is possible, and we apply the proposed method to a sample structure.

Abstract:

© 2015 Published by Elsevier B.V.Understanding the relationship between the absorber layer microstructure and the power conversion efficiency is of paramount importance to further improve the efficiency of organic solar cells. Utilizing transmission electron microscopy (TEM), (photo-)conductive atomic force microscopy ((p)cAFM), 3D drift-diffusion simulations, and density functional theory, we reveal the microscopic origins of phase-separation in a blend of zinc phthalocyanine (ZnPc) and C60, used as an absorber layer in organic solar cells. By means of (p)cAFM, we observe photoconductive, circular structures at the surface, which are identified as α-ZnPc islands. Moreover, in agreement with TEM investigations, we observe photoconductive, nanorod-like structures close to the surface which we assign to β-ZnPc. Finally, we apply a 3D drift-diffusion simulation based on the morphology determined by TEM to provide a link between the different contrasts observed in pcAFM and TEM.