Greatly Reduced Processing Temperature for a Solution‐Processed NiOx Buffer Layer in Polymer Solar Cells. Issue 12 (6th August 2013)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Zhai, Zhichun; Huang, Xiaodong; Xu, Meifeng; Yuan, Jianyu; Peng, Jun; Ma, Wanli
• Is Part Of: Advanced energy materials. Volume 3:Issue 12(2013:Dec.)
• Page Start: 1614
• Page End: 1622
• Publication Date: 2013-08-06
• Subjects: Energy harvesting -- Materials -- Periodicals; Energy conversion -- Materials -- Periodicals; Energy storage -- Materials -- Periodicals; Photovoltaics -- Periodicals; Fuel cells -- Periodicals; Thermoelectric materials -- Periodicals; 621.31
• DOI: 10.1002/aenm.201300272
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1614-6832

Abstract

<abstract abstract-type="main" xml:lang="en"> <title> <x xml:space="preserve">Abstract</x> </title> <p>By application of thermal annealing and UV ozone simultaneously, a solution‐processed NiO<italic>_x</italic> film can achieve a work function of approximately –5.1 eV at a temperature below 150 °C, which allows the processing of NiO<italic>_x</italic> that is compatible with fabrication of polymer solar cells (PSCs) on plastic substrates. The low processing temperature, which is greatly reduced from 250–400 °C to 150 °C, is attributed to the high concentration of NiOOH species on the film surface. This concentration will result in a large surface dipole and lead to increased work function. The pretreated NiO<italic>_x</italic> is demonstrated to be an efficient buffer layer in PSCs based on polymers with different highest occupied molecular orbital energy levels. Compared with conventional poly(3, 4‐ethylenedioxy‐thiophene):poly(styrenesulfonate)‐buffered PSCs, the NiO<italic>_x</italic>‐buffered PSCs achieve similar or improved device performance as well as enhanced device stability.</p> </abstract>