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Kim JH, Berghmans F, Siddik AB, Sutcu I, Monroy IP, Yu J, Weydts T, Georgitzikis E, Kang J, Baines Y, Hermans Y, Chandrasekaran N, De Roose F, Uytterhoeven G, Puybaret R, Li Y, Lieberman I, Karve G, Cheyns D, Genoe J, Malinowski PE, Heremans P, Myny K, Papadopoulos N, Lee J. A Thin-Film Pinned-Photodiode Imager Pixel with Fully Monolithic Fabrication and beyond 1Me- Full Well Capacity. Sensors (Basel) 2023; 23:8803. [PMID: 37960502 PMCID: PMC10649951 DOI: 10.3390/s23218803] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/02/2023] [Revised: 10/16/2023] [Accepted: 10/27/2023] [Indexed: 11/15/2023]
Abstract
Thin-film photodiodes (TFPD) monolithically integrated on the Si Read-Out Integrated Circuitry (ROIC) are promising imaging platforms when beyond-silicon optoelectronic properties are required. Although TFPD device performance has improved significantly, the pixel development has been limited in terms of noise characteristics compared to the Si-based image sensors. Here, a thin-film-based pinned photodiode (TF-PPD) structure is presented, showing reduced kTC noise and dark current, accompanied with a high conversion gain (CG). Indium-gallium-zinc oxide (IGZO) thin-film transistors and quantum dot photodiodes are integrated sequentially on the Si ROIC in a fully monolithic scheme with the introduction of photogate (PG) to achieve PPD operation. This PG brings not only a low noise performance, but also a high full well capacity (FWC) coming from the large capacitance of its metal-oxide-semiconductor (MOS). Hence, the FWC of the pixel is boosted up to 1.37 Me- with a 5 μm pixel pitch, which is 8.3 times larger than the FWC that the TFPD junction capacitor can store. This large FWC, along with the inherent low noise characteristics of the TF-PPD, leads to the three-digit dynamic range (DR) of 100.2 dB. Unlike a Si-based PG pixel, dark current contribution from the depleted semiconductor interfaces is limited, thanks to the wide energy band gap of the IGZO channel material used in this work. We expect that this novel 4 T pixel architecture can accelerate the deployment of monolithic TFPD imaging technology, as it has worked for CMOS Image sensors (CIS).
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Affiliation(s)
- Joo Hyoung Kim
- Imec, Kapeldreef 75, 3001 Leuven, Belgium; (J.H.K.); (F.B.); (A.B.S.); (I.S.); (I.P.M.); (J.Y.); (T.W.); (E.G.); (J.K.); (Y.B.); (Y.H.); (N.C.); (F.D.R.); (G.U.); (R.P.); (Y.L.); (I.L.); (G.K.); (D.C.); (J.G.); (P.E.M.); (P.H.); (K.M.); (N.P.)
| | - Francois Berghmans
- Imec, Kapeldreef 75, 3001 Leuven, Belgium; (J.H.K.); (F.B.); (A.B.S.); (I.S.); (I.P.M.); (J.Y.); (T.W.); (E.G.); (J.K.); (Y.B.); (Y.H.); (N.C.); (F.D.R.); (G.U.); (R.P.); (Y.L.); (I.L.); (G.K.); (D.C.); (J.G.); (P.E.M.); (P.H.); (K.M.); (N.P.)
| | - Abu Bakar Siddik
- Imec, Kapeldreef 75, 3001 Leuven, Belgium; (J.H.K.); (F.B.); (A.B.S.); (I.S.); (I.P.M.); (J.Y.); (T.W.); (E.G.); (J.K.); (Y.B.); (Y.H.); (N.C.); (F.D.R.); (G.U.); (R.P.); (Y.L.); (I.L.); (G.K.); (D.C.); (J.G.); (P.E.M.); (P.H.); (K.M.); (N.P.)
- Department of Electrical Engineering (ESAT), KU Leuven, 3001 Leuven, Belgium
| | - Irem Sutcu
- Imec, Kapeldreef 75, 3001 Leuven, Belgium; (J.H.K.); (F.B.); (A.B.S.); (I.S.); (I.P.M.); (J.Y.); (T.W.); (E.G.); (J.K.); (Y.B.); (Y.H.); (N.C.); (F.D.R.); (G.U.); (R.P.); (Y.L.); (I.L.); (G.K.); (D.C.); (J.G.); (P.E.M.); (P.H.); (K.M.); (N.P.)
- Department of Electrical Engineering (ESAT), KU Leuven, 3001 Leuven, Belgium
| | - Isabel Pintor Monroy
- Imec, Kapeldreef 75, 3001 Leuven, Belgium; (J.H.K.); (F.B.); (A.B.S.); (I.S.); (I.P.M.); (J.Y.); (T.W.); (E.G.); (J.K.); (Y.B.); (Y.H.); (N.C.); (F.D.R.); (G.U.); (R.P.); (Y.L.); (I.L.); (G.K.); (D.C.); (J.G.); (P.E.M.); (P.H.); (K.M.); (N.P.)
| | - Jehyeok Yu
- Imec, Kapeldreef 75, 3001 Leuven, Belgium; (J.H.K.); (F.B.); (A.B.S.); (I.S.); (I.P.M.); (J.Y.); (T.W.); (E.G.); (J.K.); (Y.B.); (Y.H.); (N.C.); (F.D.R.); (G.U.); (R.P.); (Y.L.); (I.L.); (G.K.); (D.C.); (J.G.); (P.E.M.); (P.H.); (K.M.); (N.P.)
- College of Information and Communication Engineering, SKKU, Suwon 16419, Republic of Korea
| | - Tristan Weydts
- Imec, Kapeldreef 75, 3001 Leuven, Belgium; (J.H.K.); (F.B.); (A.B.S.); (I.S.); (I.P.M.); (J.Y.); (T.W.); (E.G.); (J.K.); (Y.B.); (Y.H.); (N.C.); (F.D.R.); (G.U.); (R.P.); (Y.L.); (I.L.); (G.K.); (D.C.); (J.G.); (P.E.M.); (P.H.); (K.M.); (N.P.)
| | - Epimitheas Georgitzikis
- Imec, Kapeldreef 75, 3001 Leuven, Belgium; (J.H.K.); (F.B.); (A.B.S.); (I.S.); (I.P.M.); (J.Y.); (T.W.); (E.G.); (J.K.); (Y.B.); (Y.H.); (N.C.); (F.D.R.); (G.U.); (R.P.); (Y.L.); (I.L.); (G.K.); (D.C.); (J.G.); (P.E.M.); (P.H.); (K.M.); (N.P.)
| | - Jubin Kang
- Imec, Kapeldreef 75, 3001 Leuven, Belgium; (J.H.K.); (F.B.); (A.B.S.); (I.S.); (I.P.M.); (J.Y.); (T.W.); (E.G.); (J.K.); (Y.B.); (Y.H.); (N.C.); (F.D.R.); (G.U.); (R.P.); (Y.L.); (I.L.); (G.K.); (D.C.); (J.G.); (P.E.M.); (P.H.); (K.M.); (N.P.)
- Department of Electrical Engineering, Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology (UNIST), Ulsan 44919, Republic of Korea
| | - Yannick Baines
- Imec, Kapeldreef 75, 3001 Leuven, Belgium; (J.H.K.); (F.B.); (A.B.S.); (I.S.); (I.P.M.); (J.Y.); (T.W.); (E.G.); (J.K.); (Y.B.); (Y.H.); (N.C.); (F.D.R.); (G.U.); (R.P.); (Y.L.); (I.L.); (G.K.); (D.C.); (J.G.); (P.E.M.); (P.H.); (K.M.); (N.P.)
| | - Yannick Hermans
- Imec, Kapeldreef 75, 3001 Leuven, Belgium; (J.H.K.); (F.B.); (A.B.S.); (I.S.); (I.P.M.); (J.Y.); (T.W.); (E.G.); (J.K.); (Y.B.); (Y.H.); (N.C.); (F.D.R.); (G.U.); (R.P.); (Y.L.); (I.L.); (G.K.); (D.C.); (J.G.); (P.E.M.); (P.H.); (K.M.); (N.P.)
| | - Naresh Chandrasekaran
- Imec, Kapeldreef 75, 3001 Leuven, Belgium; (J.H.K.); (F.B.); (A.B.S.); (I.S.); (I.P.M.); (J.Y.); (T.W.); (E.G.); (J.K.); (Y.B.); (Y.H.); (N.C.); (F.D.R.); (G.U.); (R.P.); (Y.L.); (I.L.); (G.K.); (D.C.); (J.G.); (P.E.M.); (P.H.); (K.M.); (N.P.)
| | - Florian De Roose
- Imec, Kapeldreef 75, 3001 Leuven, Belgium; (J.H.K.); (F.B.); (A.B.S.); (I.S.); (I.P.M.); (J.Y.); (T.W.); (E.G.); (J.K.); (Y.B.); (Y.H.); (N.C.); (F.D.R.); (G.U.); (R.P.); (Y.L.); (I.L.); (G.K.); (D.C.); (J.G.); (P.E.M.); (P.H.); (K.M.); (N.P.)
| | - Griet Uytterhoeven
- Imec, Kapeldreef 75, 3001 Leuven, Belgium; (J.H.K.); (F.B.); (A.B.S.); (I.S.); (I.P.M.); (J.Y.); (T.W.); (E.G.); (J.K.); (Y.B.); (Y.H.); (N.C.); (F.D.R.); (G.U.); (R.P.); (Y.L.); (I.L.); (G.K.); (D.C.); (J.G.); (P.E.M.); (P.H.); (K.M.); (N.P.)
| | - Renaud Puybaret
- Imec, Kapeldreef 75, 3001 Leuven, Belgium; (J.H.K.); (F.B.); (A.B.S.); (I.S.); (I.P.M.); (J.Y.); (T.W.); (E.G.); (J.K.); (Y.B.); (Y.H.); (N.C.); (F.D.R.); (G.U.); (R.P.); (Y.L.); (I.L.); (G.K.); (D.C.); (J.G.); (P.E.M.); (P.H.); (K.M.); (N.P.)
| | - Yunlong Li
- Imec, Kapeldreef 75, 3001 Leuven, Belgium; (J.H.K.); (F.B.); (A.B.S.); (I.S.); (I.P.M.); (J.Y.); (T.W.); (E.G.); (J.K.); (Y.B.); (Y.H.); (N.C.); (F.D.R.); (G.U.); (R.P.); (Y.L.); (I.L.); (G.K.); (D.C.); (J.G.); (P.E.M.); (P.H.); (K.M.); (N.P.)
| | - Itai Lieberman
- Imec, Kapeldreef 75, 3001 Leuven, Belgium; (J.H.K.); (F.B.); (A.B.S.); (I.S.); (I.P.M.); (J.Y.); (T.W.); (E.G.); (J.K.); (Y.B.); (Y.H.); (N.C.); (F.D.R.); (G.U.); (R.P.); (Y.L.); (I.L.); (G.K.); (D.C.); (J.G.); (P.E.M.); (P.H.); (K.M.); (N.P.)
| | - Gauri Karve
- Imec, Kapeldreef 75, 3001 Leuven, Belgium; (J.H.K.); (F.B.); (A.B.S.); (I.S.); (I.P.M.); (J.Y.); (T.W.); (E.G.); (J.K.); (Y.B.); (Y.H.); (N.C.); (F.D.R.); (G.U.); (R.P.); (Y.L.); (I.L.); (G.K.); (D.C.); (J.G.); (P.E.M.); (P.H.); (K.M.); (N.P.)
| | - David Cheyns
- Imec, Kapeldreef 75, 3001 Leuven, Belgium; (J.H.K.); (F.B.); (A.B.S.); (I.S.); (I.P.M.); (J.Y.); (T.W.); (E.G.); (J.K.); (Y.B.); (Y.H.); (N.C.); (F.D.R.); (G.U.); (R.P.); (Y.L.); (I.L.); (G.K.); (D.C.); (J.G.); (P.E.M.); (P.H.); (K.M.); (N.P.)
| | - Jan Genoe
- Imec, Kapeldreef 75, 3001 Leuven, Belgium; (J.H.K.); (F.B.); (A.B.S.); (I.S.); (I.P.M.); (J.Y.); (T.W.); (E.G.); (J.K.); (Y.B.); (Y.H.); (N.C.); (F.D.R.); (G.U.); (R.P.); (Y.L.); (I.L.); (G.K.); (D.C.); (J.G.); (P.E.M.); (P.H.); (K.M.); (N.P.)
- Department of Electrical Engineering (ESAT), KU Leuven, 3001 Leuven, Belgium
| | - Paweł E. Malinowski
- Imec, Kapeldreef 75, 3001 Leuven, Belgium; (J.H.K.); (F.B.); (A.B.S.); (I.S.); (I.P.M.); (J.Y.); (T.W.); (E.G.); (J.K.); (Y.B.); (Y.H.); (N.C.); (F.D.R.); (G.U.); (R.P.); (Y.L.); (I.L.); (G.K.); (D.C.); (J.G.); (P.E.M.); (P.H.); (K.M.); (N.P.)
| | - Paul Heremans
- Imec, Kapeldreef 75, 3001 Leuven, Belgium; (J.H.K.); (F.B.); (A.B.S.); (I.S.); (I.P.M.); (J.Y.); (T.W.); (E.G.); (J.K.); (Y.B.); (Y.H.); (N.C.); (F.D.R.); (G.U.); (R.P.); (Y.L.); (I.L.); (G.K.); (D.C.); (J.G.); (P.E.M.); (P.H.); (K.M.); (N.P.)
- Department of Electrical Engineering (ESAT), KU Leuven, 3001 Leuven, Belgium
| | - Kris Myny
- Imec, Kapeldreef 75, 3001 Leuven, Belgium; (J.H.K.); (F.B.); (A.B.S.); (I.S.); (I.P.M.); (J.Y.); (T.W.); (E.G.); (J.K.); (Y.B.); (Y.H.); (N.C.); (F.D.R.); (G.U.); (R.P.); (Y.L.); (I.L.); (G.K.); (D.C.); (J.G.); (P.E.M.); (P.H.); (K.M.); (N.P.)
- Department of Electrical Engineering (ESAT), KU Leuven, 3001 Leuven, Belgium
| | - Nikolas Papadopoulos
- Imec, Kapeldreef 75, 3001 Leuven, Belgium; (J.H.K.); (F.B.); (A.B.S.); (I.S.); (I.P.M.); (J.Y.); (T.W.); (E.G.); (J.K.); (Y.B.); (Y.H.); (N.C.); (F.D.R.); (G.U.); (R.P.); (Y.L.); (I.L.); (G.K.); (D.C.); (J.G.); (P.E.M.); (P.H.); (K.M.); (N.P.)
| | - Jiwon Lee
- Imec, Kapeldreef 75, 3001 Leuven, Belgium; (J.H.K.); (F.B.); (A.B.S.); (I.S.); (I.P.M.); (J.Y.); (T.W.); (E.G.); (J.K.); (Y.B.); (Y.H.); (N.C.); (F.D.R.); (G.U.); (R.P.); (Y.L.); (I.L.); (G.K.); (D.C.); (J.G.); (P.E.M.); (P.H.); (K.M.); (N.P.)
- Department of Photonics and Nanoelectronics and the BK21 FOUR ERICA-ACE Center, Hanyang University ERICA, Ansan 15495, Republic of Korea
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Siddik AB, Georgitzikis E, Hermans Y, Kang J, Kim JH, Pejovic V, Lieberman I, Malinowski PE, Kadashchuk A, Genoe J, Conard T, Cheyns D, Heremans P. Interface-Engineered Organic Near-Infrared Photodetector for Imaging Applications. ACS Appl Mater Interfaces 2023. [PMID: 37326205 DOI: 10.1021/acsami.3c03708] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
We report a high-speed low dark current near-infrared (NIR) organic photodetector (OPD) on a silicon substrate with amorphous indium gallium zinc oxide (a-IGZO) as the electron transport layer (ETL). In-depth understanding of the origin of dark current is obtained using an elaborate set of characterization techniques, including temperature-dependent current-voltage measurements, current-based deep-level transient spectroscopy (Q-DLTS), and transient photovoltage decay measurements. These characterization results are complemented by energy band structures deduced from ultraviolet photoelectron spectroscopy. The presence of trap states and a strong dependency of activation energy on the applied reverse bias voltage point to a dark current mechanism based on trap-assisted field-enhanced thermal emission (Poole-Frenkel emission). We significantly reduce this emission by introducing a thin interfacial layer between the donor: acceptor blend and the a-IGZO ETL and obtain a dark current as low as 125 pA/cm2 at an applied reverse bias of -1 V. Thanks to the use of high-mobility metal-oxide transport layers, a fast photo response time of 639 ns (rise) and 1497 ns (fall) is achieved, which, to the best of our knowledge, is among the fastest reported for NIR OPDs. Finally, we present an imager integrating the NIR OPD on a complementary metal oxide semiconductor read-out circuit, demonstrating the significance of the improved dark current characteristics in capturing high-quality sample images with this technology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Abu Bakar Siddik
- IMEC, Kapeldreef 75, 3001 Leuven, Belgium
- Department of Electrical Engineering ESAT, KU Leuven, Kasteelpark Arenberg 10, 3001 Leuven, Belgium
| | | | | | - Jubin Kang
- IMEC, Kapeldreef 75, 3001 Leuven, Belgium
- Department of Electrical Engineering, Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology, 44919 Ulsan, South Korea
| | | | - Vladimir Pejovic
- IMEC, Kapeldreef 75, 3001 Leuven, Belgium
- Department of Electrical Engineering ESAT, KU Leuven, Kasteelpark Arenberg 10, 3001 Leuven, Belgium
| | | | | | - Andriy Kadashchuk
- IMEC, Kapeldreef 75, 3001 Leuven, Belgium
- Institute of Physics, National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine, Prospect Nauky 46, 03028 Kyiv, Ukraine
| | - Jan Genoe
- IMEC, Kapeldreef 75, 3001 Leuven, Belgium
- Department of Electrical Engineering ESAT, KU Leuven, Kasteelpark Arenberg 10, 3001 Leuven, Belgium
| | | | | | - Paul Heremans
- IMEC, Kapeldreef 75, 3001 Leuven, Belgium
- Department of Electrical Engineering ESAT, KU Leuven, Kasteelpark Arenberg 10, 3001 Leuven, Belgium
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Malinowski PE, Pejović V, Lieberman I, Kim JH, Siddik AB, Georgitzikis E, Lim MJ, Moreno Hagelsieb L, Hermans Y, Pintor Monroy I, Song W, Basak S, Gehlhaar R, De Roose F, Siskos A, Papadopoulos N, Thijs S, Vershooten T, Chandrasekaran N, Li Y, Soussan P, Genoe J, Heremans P, Lee J, Cheyns D. Image sensors using thin-film absorbers. Appl Opt 2023; 62:F21-F30. [PMID: 37707127 DOI: 10.1364/ao.485552] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/17/2023] [Accepted: 02/26/2023] [Indexed: 09/15/2023]
Abstract
Image sensors are must-have components of most consumer electronics devices. They enable portable camera systems, which find their way into billions of devices annually. Such high volumes are possible thanks to the complementary metal-oxide semiconductor (CMOS) platform, leveraging wafer-scale manufacturing. Silicon photodiodes, at the core of CMOS image sensors, are perfectly suited to replicate human vision. Thin-film absorbers are an alternative family of photoactive materials, distinguished by the layer thickness comparable with or smaller than the wavelength of interest. They allow design of imagers with functionalities beyond Si-based sensors, such as transparency or detectivity at wavelengths above Si cutoff (e.g., short-wave infrared). Thin-film image sensors are an emerging device category. While intensive research is ongoing to achieve sufficient performance of thin-film photodetectors, to our best knowledge, there have been few complete studies on their integration into advanced systems. In this paper, we will describe several types of image sensors being developed at imec, based on organic, quantum dot, and perovskite photodiode and show their figures of merit. We also discuss the methodology for selecting the most appropriate sensor architecture (integration with thin-film transistor or CMOS). Application examples based on imec proof-of-concept sensors are demonstrated to showcase emerging use cases.
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Leemans J, Pejović V, Georgitzikis E, Minjauw M, Siddik AB, Deng Y, Kuang Y, Roelkens G, Detavernier C, Lieberman I, Malinowski PE, Cheyns D, Hens Z. Colloidal III-V Quantum Dot Photodiodes for Short-Wave Infrared Photodetection. Adv Sci (Weinh) 2022; 9:e2200844. [PMID: 35398996 PMCID: PMC9189642 DOI: 10.1002/advs.202200844] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/11/2022] [Revised: 03/10/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Short-wave infrared (SWIR) image sensors based on colloidal quantum dots (QDs) are characterized by low cost, small pixel pitch, and spectral tunability. Adoption of QD-SWIR imagers is, however, hampered by a reliance on restricted elements such as Pb and Hg. Here, QD photodiodes, the central element of a QD image sensor, made from non-restricted In(As,P) QDs that operate at wavelengths up to 1400 nm are demonstrated. Three different In(As,P) QD batches that are made using a scalable, one-size-one-batch reaction and feature a band-edge absorption at 1140, 1270, and 1400 nm are implemented. These QDs are post-processed to obtain In(As,P) nanocolloids stabilized by short-chain ligands, from which semiconducting films of n-In(As,P) are formed through spincoating. For all three sizes, sandwiching such films between p-NiO as the hole transport layer and Nb:TiO2 as the electron transport layer yields In(As,P) QD photodiodes that exhibit best internal quantum efficiencies at the QD band gap of 46±5% and are sensitive for SWIR light up to 1400 nm.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jari Leemans
- Physics and Chemistry of NanostructuresGhent UniversityKrijgslaan 281‐S3Gent9000Belgium
| | | | | | - Matthias Minjauw
- Department of Solid State ScienceGhent UniversityKrijgslaan 281‐S1Gent9000Belgium
| | | | - Yu‐Hao Deng
- Physics and Chemistry of NanostructuresGhent UniversityKrijgslaan 281‐S3Gent9000Belgium
| | | | - Gunther Roelkens
- Photonics Research GroupGhent UniversityTechnologiepark‐Zwijnaarde 126Gent9052Belgium
| | | | | | | | | | - Zeger Hens
- Physics and Chemistry of NanostructuresGhent UniversityKrijgslaan 281‐S3Gent9000Belgium
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Yang W, Qiu W, Georgitzikis E, Simoen E, Serron J, Lee J, Lieberman I, Cheyns D, Malinowski P, Genoe J, Chen H, Heremans P. Mitigating Dark Current for High-Performance Near-Infrared Organic Photodiodes via Charge Blocking and Defect Passivation. ACS Appl Mater Interfaces 2021; 13:16766-16774. [PMID: 33820414 DOI: 10.1021/acsami.1c02080] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Thin-film organic near-infrared (NIR) photodiodes can be essential building blocks in the rapidly emerging fields including the internet of things and wearable electronics. However, the demonstration of NIR organic photodiodes with not only high responsivity but also low dark current density that is comparable to that of inorganic photodiodes, for example, below 1 nA cm-2 for silicon photodiodes, remains a challenge. In this work, we have demonstrated non-fullerene acceptor-based NIR photodiodes with an ultralow dark current density of 0.2 nA cm-2 at -2 V by innovating on charge transport layers to mitigate the reverse charge injection and interfacial defect-induced current generation. The same device also shows a high external quantum efficiency approaching 70% at 850 nm and a specific detectivity of over 1013 Jones at wavelengths up to 940 nm. Furthermore, the versatility of our approach for mitigating dark current is demonstrated using a NIR photodetector utilizing different non-fullerene systems. Finally, the practical application of NIR organic photodiodes is demonstrated with an image sensor integrated on a silicon CMOS readout. This work provides new insight into the device stack design of low-dark current NIR organic photodiodes for weak light detection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Weitao Yang
- State Key Laboratory of Silicon Materials, MOE Key Laboratory of Macromolecular, Synthesis and Functionalization, Department of Polymer Science and Engineering, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310027, P. R. China
- IMEC, Kapeldreef 75, Leuven 3001, Belgium
- EAST, KU Leuven, Kasteelpark Arenberg, Leuven 3001, Belgium
| | - Weiming Qiu
- IMEC, Kapeldreef 75, Leuven 3001, Belgium
- EAST, KU Leuven, Kasteelpark Arenberg, Leuven 3001, Belgium
| | | | | | | | - Jiwon Lee
- IMEC, Kapeldreef 75, Leuven 3001, Belgium
| | | | | | | | - Jan Genoe
- IMEC, Kapeldreef 75, Leuven 3001, Belgium
- EAST, KU Leuven, Kasteelpark Arenberg, Leuven 3001, Belgium
| | - Hongzheng Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Silicon Materials, MOE Key Laboratory of Macromolecular, Synthesis and Functionalization, Department of Polymer Science and Engineering, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310027, P. R. China
| | - Paul Heremans
- IMEC, Kapeldreef 75, Leuven 3001, Belgium
- EAST, KU Leuven, Kasteelpark Arenberg, Leuven 3001, Belgium
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Georgitzikis E, Genoe J, Heremans P, Cheyns D. Carrier Mobility, Lifetime, and Diffusion Length in Optically Thin Quantum Dot Semiconductor Films. ACS Appl Mater Interfaces 2020; 12:30565-30571. [PMID: 32538613 DOI: 10.1021/acsami.0c06781] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
We propose a method to measure the fundamental parameters that govern diffusion transport in optically thin quantum dot semiconductor films and apply it to quantum dot materials with different ligands. Thin films are excited optically, and the profile of photogenerated carriers is modeled using diffusion-based transport equations and taking into account the optical cavity effects. Correlation with steady-state photoluminescence experiments on different stacks comprising a quenching layer allows the extraction of the carrier diffusion length accurately from the experimental data. In the time domain, the mapping of the transient PL data with the solutions of the time-dependent diffusion equation leads to accurate calculations of the photogenerated carrier mobility. These findings allow the estimation of the speed limitations for diffusion-based transport in QD absorbers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Epimitheas Georgitzikis
- IMEC VZW, Kapeldreef 75, 3001 Heverlee, Belgium
- ESAT, KU Leuven, Kasteelpark Arenberg 10, 3001 Heverlee, Belgium
| | - Jan Genoe
- IMEC VZW, Kapeldreef 75, 3001 Heverlee, Belgium
- ESAT, KU Leuven, Kasteelpark Arenberg 10, 3001 Heverlee, Belgium
| | - Paul Heremans
- IMEC VZW, Kapeldreef 75, 3001 Heverlee, Belgium
- ESAT, KU Leuven, Kasteelpark Arenberg 10, 3001 Heverlee, Belgium
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7
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Bastos JP, Uytterhoeven G, Qiu W, Paetzold UW, Cheyns D, Surana S, Rivas J, Jaysankar M, Song W, Aernouts T, Poortmans J, Gehlhaar R. Model for the Prediction of the Lifetime and Energy Yield of Methyl Ammonium Lead Iodide Perovskite Solar Cells at Elevated Temperatures. ACS Appl Mater Interfaces 2019; 11:16517-16526. [PMID: 30998002 DOI: 10.1021/acsami.9b00923] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
With the realization of highly efficient perovskite solar cells, the long-term stability of these devices is the key challenge hindering their commercialization. In this work, we study the temperature-dependent stability of perovskite solar cells and develop a model capable of predicting the lifetime and energy yield of perovskite solar cells outdoors. This model results from the measurement of the kinetics governing the degradation of perovskite solar cells at elevated temperatures. The individual analysis of all key current-voltage parameters enables the prediction of device performance under thermal stress with high precision. An extrapolation of the device lifetime at various European locations based on historical weather data illustrates the relation between the laboratory data and real-world applications. Finally, the understanding of the degradation mechanisms affecting perovskite solar cells allows the definition and implementation of strategies to enhance the thermal stability of perovskite solar cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- João P Bastos
- Imec-part of Solliance , Kapeldreef 75 , 3001 Heverlee , Belgium
- Department of Electrical Engineering , Katholieke Universiteit Leuven , Kasteelpark Arenberg 10 , B-3001 Leuven , Belgium
| | | | - Weiming Qiu
- Imec-part of Solliance , Kapeldreef 75 , 3001 Heverlee , Belgium
| | - Ulrich W Paetzold
- Imec-part of Solliance , Kapeldreef 75 , 3001 Heverlee , Belgium
- Institute of Microstructure Technology , Karlsruhe Institute of Technology , Hermann-von-Helmholtz-Platz 1 , Eggenstein-Leopoldshafen, 76344 Karlsruhe , Germany
| | - David Cheyns
- Imec-part of Solliance , Kapeldreef 75 , 3001 Heverlee , Belgium
| | - Supriya Surana
- Imec-part of Solliance , Kapeldreef 75 , 3001 Heverlee , Belgium
- Department Physics , Katholieke Universiteit Leuven , Celestijnenlaan 200d , B-3001 Leuven , Belgium
| | - Javier Rivas
- Faculty of Science , University La Laguna , 38200 San Cristóbal de La Laguna , Spain
| | - Manoj Jaysankar
- Imec-part of Solliance , Kapeldreef 75 , 3001 Heverlee , Belgium
- Department of Electrical Engineering , Katholieke Universiteit Leuven , Kasteelpark Arenberg 10 , B-3001 Leuven , Belgium
| | - Wenya Song
- Imec-part of Solliance , Kapeldreef 75 , 3001 Heverlee , Belgium
- Department of Electrical Engineering , Katholieke Universiteit Leuven , Kasteelpark Arenberg 10 , B-3001 Leuven , Belgium
| | - Tom Aernouts
- Imec-part of Solliance , Kapeldreef 75 , 3001 Heverlee , Belgium
| | - Jef Poortmans
- Imec-part of Solliance , Kapeldreef 75 , 3001 Heverlee , Belgium
- Department of Electrical Engineering , Katholieke Universiteit Leuven , Kasteelpark Arenberg 10 , B-3001 Leuven , Belgium
- Institute for Materials Research & IMEC-associated lab IMOMEC , Hasselt University , Wetenschapspark 1 , B-3590 Diepenbeek , Belgium
| | - Robert Gehlhaar
- Imec-part of Solliance , Kapeldreef 75 , 3001 Heverlee , Belgium
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8
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Bastos JP, Voroshazi E, Fron E, Brammertz G, Vangerven T, Van der Auweraer M, Poortmans J, Cheyns D. Oxygen-Induced Degradation in C60-Based Organic Solar Cells: Relation Between Film Properties and Device Performance. ACS Appl Mater Interfaces 2016; 8:9798-9805. [PMID: 27065475 DOI: 10.1021/acsami.5b11749] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/05/2023]
Abstract
Fullerene-based molecules are the archetypical electron-accepting materials for organic photovoltaic devices. A detailed knowledge of the degradation mechanisms that occur in C60 layers will aid in the development of more stable organic solar cells. Here, the impact of storage in air on the optical and electrical properties of C60 is studied in thin films and in devices. Atmospheric exposure induces oxygen-trap states that are 0.19 eV below the LUMO of the fullerene C60. Moreover, oxygen causes a 4-fold decrease of the exciton lifetime in C60 layers, resulting in a 40% drop of short-circuit current from optimized planar heterojunction solar cells. The presence of oxygen-trap states increases the saturation current of the device, resulting in a 20% loss of open-circuit voltage. Design guidelines are outlined to improve air stability for fullerene-containing devices.
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Affiliation(s)
- João P Bastos
- imec , Kapeldreef 75, B-3001, Leuven, Belgium
- ESAT, Katholieke Universiteit Leuven , Kasteelpark Arenberg 10, B-3001, Leuven, Belgium
| | | | - Eduard Fron
- Department of Chemistry, Katholieke Universiteit Leuven , Celestijnenlaan 200G-F, B-3001 Heverlee, Belgium
| | | | - Tim Vangerven
- Hasselt University, Institute for Materials Research & IMEC-Associated Lab IMOMEC , Wetenschapspark 1, B-3590 Diepenbeek, Belgium
| | - Mark Van der Auweraer
- Department of Chemistry, Katholieke Universiteit Leuven , Celestijnenlaan 200G-F, B-3001 Heverlee, Belgium
| | - Jef Poortmans
- imec , Kapeldreef 75, B-3001, Leuven, Belgium
- ESAT, Katholieke Universiteit Leuven , Kasteelpark Arenberg 10, B-3001, Leuven, Belgium
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Kozlov OV, de Haan F, Kerner RA, Rand BP, Cheyns D, Pshenichnikov MS. Real-Time Tracking of Singlet Exciton Diffusion in Organic Semiconductors. Phys Rev Lett 2016; 116:057402. [PMID: 26894732 DOI: 10.1103/physrevlett.116.057402] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/19/2015] [Indexed: 06/05/2023]
Abstract
Exciton diffusion in organic materials provides the operational basis for functioning of such devices as organic solar cells and light-emitting diodes. Here we track the exciton diffusion process in organic semiconductors in real time with a novel technique based on femtosecond photoinduced absorption spectroscopy. Using vacuum-deposited C_{70} layers as a model system, we demonstrate an extremely high diffusion coefficient of D≈3.5×10^{-3} cm^{2}/s that originates from a surprisingly low energetic disorder of <5 meV. The experimental results are well described by the analytical model and supported by extensive Monte Carlo simulations. The proposed noninvasive time-of-flight technique is deemed as a powerful tool for further development of organic optoelectronic components, such as simple layered solar cells, light-emitting diodes, and electrically pumped lasers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Oleg V Kozlov
- Zernike Institute for Advanced Materials, University of Groningen, 9747AG Groningen, The Netherlands
- Faculty of Physics and International Laser Center, Lomonosov Moscow State University, Leninskie Gory 1, 119991 Moscow, Russia
| | - Foppe de Haan
- Zernike Institute for Advanced Materials, University of Groningen, 9747AG Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Ross A Kerner
- Department of Electrical Engineering and Andlinger Center for Energy and the Environment, Princeton University, Princeton, New Jersey 08544, USA
| | - Barry P Rand
- Department of Electrical Engineering and Andlinger Center for Energy and the Environment, Princeton University, Princeton, New Jersey 08544, USA
| | | | - Maxim S Pshenichnikov
- Zernike Institute for Advanced Materials, University of Groningen, 9747AG Groningen, The Netherlands
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Tait JG, Paetzold UW, Cheyns D, Turbiez M, Heremans P, Rand BP. Interfacial Depletion Regions: Beyond the Space Charge Limit in Thick Bulk Heterojunctions. ACS Appl Mater Interfaces 2016; 8:2211-2219. [PMID: 26690662 DOI: 10.1021/acsami.5b10891] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/05/2023]
Abstract
Space charge limited photocurrent is typically described as the limiting factor in carrier extraction efficiency for organic bulk heterojunctions with increasing thickness. It successfully characterizes the carrier extraction efficiency in these devices with thin to moderate thickness and dissimilar carrier mobilities. However, in this article we show that space charge limited photocurrent cannot solely explain the intensity dependent spectral response of extremely thick organic photovoltaics. In addition, interfacial depletion regions near the contacts contribute to the field distribution and carrier collection. Here, we describe charge collection efficiency with an optical p-i-n model, allowing for collection from band bending due to mobility-induced and interfacial-doping-induced space charge regions. We verify the model with up to 1400 nm thick spray-coated devices in both p-i-n (conventional) and n-i-p (inverted) architecture, including variations of thickness, illumination intensity, transport materials, and bifacial (semitransparent) devices.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jeffrey G Tait
- IMEC , Kapeldreef 75, Leuven B-3001, Belgium
- Department of Electrical Engineering, KULeuven , Kasteelpark Arenberg 10, Leuven B-3001, Belgium
| | | | | | | | - Paul Heremans
- IMEC , Kapeldreef 75, Leuven B-3001, Belgium
- Department of Electrical Engineering, KULeuven , Kasteelpark Arenberg 10, Leuven B-3001, Belgium
| | - Barry P Rand
- Department of Electrical Engineering and Andlinger Center for Energy and the Environment, Princeton University , Princeton, New Jersey 08544, United States
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11
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Gehlhaar R, Merckx T, de la Huerta CM, Qiu W, Cheyns D, Aernouts T. Perovskite solar modules with minimal area loss interconnections. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2015. [DOI: 10.1117/2.1201509.006116] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/14/2022]
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Abstract
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The use of non-fullerene
acceptors in organic photovoltaic (OPV)
devices could lead to enhanced efficiencies due to increased open-circuit
voltage (VOC) and improved absorption
of solar light. Here we systematically investigate planar heterojunction
devices comprising peripherally substituted subphthalocyanines as
acceptors and correlate the device performance with the heterojunction
energetics. As a result of a balance between VOC and the photocurrent, tuning of the interface energy gap
is necessary to optimize the power conversion efficiency in these
devices. In addition, we explore the role of the charge transport
layers in the device architecture. It is found that non-fullerene
acceptors require adjusted buffer layers with aligned electron transport
levels to enable efficient charge extraction, while the insertion
of an exciton-blocking layer at the anode interface further boosts
photocurrent generation. These adjustments result in a planar-heterojunction
OPV device with an efficiency of 6.9% and a VOC above 1 V.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kjell Cnops
- †ESAT, KU Leuven, Kasteelpark Arenberg 10, B-3001 Leuven, Belgium.,‡Imec, Kapeldreef 75, B-3001 Leuven, Belgium
| | - German Zango
- §Department of Organic Chemistry, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, c/Francisco Tomás y Valiente 7, Cantoblanco, 28049 Madrid, Spain
| | - Jan Genoe
- †ESAT, KU Leuven, Kasteelpark Arenberg 10, B-3001 Leuven, Belgium.,‡Imec, Kapeldreef 75, B-3001 Leuven, Belgium
| | - Paul Heremans
- †ESAT, KU Leuven, Kasteelpark Arenberg 10, B-3001 Leuven, Belgium.,‡Imec, Kapeldreef 75, B-3001 Leuven, Belgium
| | - M Victoria Martinez-Diaz
- §Department of Organic Chemistry, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, c/Francisco Tomás y Valiente 7, Cantoblanco, 28049 Madrid, Spain
| | - Tomas Torres
- §Department of Organic Chemistry, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, c/Francisco Tomás y Valiente 7, Cantoblanco, 28049 Madrid, Spain.,∥IMDEA-Nanociencia, c/Faraday 9, Campus de Cantoblanco, 28049 Madrid, Spain
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13
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Tait JG, De Volder MFL, Cheyns D, Heremans P, Rand BP. Absorptive carbon nanotube electrodes: consequences of optical interference loss in thin film solar cells. Nanoscale 2015; 7:7259-7266. [PMID: 25811493 DOI: 10.1039/c5nr01119a] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/04/2023]
Abstract
A current bottleneck in the thin film photovoltaic field is the fabrication of low cost electrodes. We demonstrate ultrasonically spray coated multiwalled carbon nanotube (CNT) layers as opaque and absorptive metal-free electrodes deposited at low temperatures and free of post-deposition treatment. The electrodes show sheet resistance as low as 3.4 Ω □(-1), comparable to evaporated metallic contacts deposited in vacuum. Organic photovoltaic devices were optically simulated, showing comparable photocurrent generation between reflective metal and absorptive CNT electrodes for photoactive layer thickness larger than 600 nm when using archetypal poly(3-hexylthiophene) (P3HT) : (6,6)-phenyl C61-butyric acid methyl ester (PCBM) cells. Fabricated devices clearly show that the absorptive CNT electrodes display comparable performance to solution processed and spray coated Ag nanoparticle devices. Additionally, other candidate absorber materials for thin film photovoltaics were simulated with absorptive contacts, elucidating device design in the absence of optical interference and reflection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jeffrey G Tait
- Department of Electrical Engineering, KULeuven, Kasteelpark Arenberg 10, Leuven, B-3001 Belgium.
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Voroshazi E, Uytterhoeven G, Cnops K, Conard T, Favia P, Bender H, Muller R, Cheyns D. Root-cause failure analysis of photocurrent loss in polythiophene:fullerene-based inverted solar cells. ACS Appl Mater Interfaces 2015; 7:618-23. [PMID: 25536872 DOI: 10.1021/am506771e] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/20/2023]
Abstract
Metal oxide transport layers have played a crucial role in recent progress in organic photovoltaic (OPV) device stability. Here, we measure the stability of inverted and encapsulated polythiophene:fullerene cells with MoO3/Ag/Al composite anode in operational conditions combining solar radiation and 65 °C. Performance loss of over 50% in the first 100 h of the aging is dominated by a drop in the short-circuit current (Jsc). We reveal a concurrent loss in reflectance from 85% to 50% above 650 nm, which is below the optical gap of the used photoactive materials, hence, excluding any major degradation in the bulk of this layer. Correlating the responses of aged devices to a series of test structures comprised of ITO/ZnO cathode, MoO3/Ag, and MoO3/Ag/Al anodes and their combinations with the active layer allowed us to identify that the presence of Al causes the reduced reflectance in these devices, independent of the presence of the active layer. Systematic single-stress aging on the test structures further indicates that elevated heat is the cause of the reflectance loss. Cross-section transmission electron microscopy coupled with elemental analysis revealed the unsuspected role of Al; notably, it diffuses through the entire 150 nm thick Ag layer and accumulates at the MoO3/Ag interface. Moreover, XRD analysis of the aged MoO3/Ag/Al anode indicates the formation of Ag2Al alloy. Depth profiling with X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy advanced our understanding by confirming the formation of Ag-Al intermetallic alloy and the presence of oxidized Al only at the MoO3/Ag interface suggesting a concomitant reduction of MoO3 to most probably MoO2. This latter compound is less reflective than MoO3, which can explain the reduced reflectance in aged devices as proven by optical simulations. On the basis of these results, we could estimate that 20% of the loss in Jsc is ascribed to reduction of MoO3 triggered by its direct contact with Al.
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15
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Meira R, Costa PMM, Di Paolo RE, Morgado J, Alcácer L, Bastos JP, Cheyns D, Charas A. Synthesis and optical properties of a new triphenylamine-p-phenylenevinylene-small molecule with applications in high open-circuit voltage organic solar cells. NEW J CHEM 2015. [DOI: 10.1039/c5nj01525a] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
Fluorescence quenching studies enabled us to preview applications of a new small molecule as electron-donor in OSCs. Planar heterojunction cells are also shown.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rui Meira
- Instituto de Telecomunicações
- Instituto Superior Técnico
- Lisboa
- Portugal
| | - Pedro M. M. Costa
- Centro de Química Estrutural
- Instituto Superior Técnico
- Universidade de Lisboa
- Lisboa
- Portugal
| | - Roberto E. Di Paolo
- Centro de Química Estrutural
- Instituto Superior Técnico
- Universidade de Lisboa
- Lisboa
- Portugal
| | - Jorge Morgado
- Instituto de Telecomunicações
- Instituto Superior Técnico
- Lisboa
- Portugal
- Departamento de Bioengenharia
| | - Luís Alcácer
- Instituto de Telecomunicações
- Instituto Superior Técnico
- Lisboa
- Portugal
| | | | | | - Ana Charas
- Instituto de Telecomunicações
- Instituto Superior Técnico
- Lisboa
- Portugal
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Vasseur K, Broch K, Ayzner AL, Rand BP, Cheyns D, Frank C, Schreiber F, Toney MF, Froyen L, Heremans P. Controlling the texture and crystallinity of evaporated lead phthalocyanine thin films for near-infrared sensitive solar cells. ACS Appl Mater Interfaces 2013; 5:8505-8515. [PMID: 23905883 DOI: 10.1021/am401933d] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/02/2023]
Abstract
To achieve organic solar cells with a broadened spectral absorption, we aim to promote the growth of the near-infrared (NIR)-active polymorph of lead phthalocyanine (PbPc) on a relevant electrode for solar cell applications. We studied the effect of different substrate modification layers on PbPc thin film structure as a function of thickness and deposition rate (rdep). We characterized crystallinity and orientation by grazing incidence X-ray diffraction (GIXD) and in situ X-ray reflectivity (XRR) and correlated these data to the performance of bilayer solar cells. When deposited onto a self-assembled monolayer (SAM) or a molybdenum oxide (MoO3) buffer layer, the crystallinity of the PbPc films improves with thickness. The transition from a partially crystalline layer close to the substrate to a more crystalline film with a higher content of the NIR-active phase is enhanced at low rdep, thereby leading to solar cells that exhibit a higher maximum in short circuit current density (JSC) for thinner donor layers. The insertion of a CuI layer induces the formation of strongly textured, crystalline PbPc layers with a vertically homogeneous structure. Solar cells based on these templated donor layers show a variation of JSC with thickness that is independent of rdep. Consequently, without decreasing rdep we could achieve JSC=10 mA/cm2, yielding a bilayer solar cell with a peak external quantum efficiency (EQE) of 35% at 900 nm, and an overall power conversion efficiency (PCE) of 2.9%.
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Vasseur K, Rand BP, Cheyns D, Temst K, Froyen L, Heremans P. Correlating the Polymorphism of Titanyl Phthalocyanine Thin Films with Solar Cell Performance. J Phys Chem Lett 2012; 3:2395-2400. [PMID: 26292121 DOI: 10.1021/jz300993p] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/04/2023]
Abstract
The structure of titanyl phthalocyanine (TiOPc) thin films is correlated with photovoltaic properties of planar heterojunction solar cells by pairing different TiOPc polymorph donor layers with C60 as an acceptor. Solvent annealing and the insertion of two different templating layers, namely 1H,1H,2H,2H-perfluorodecyltrichlorosilane (FDTS) and CuI, prove to be effective methods to control the TiOPc thin film structure. The crystal phase of TiOPc thin films was identified by combining X-ray reflectivity (XRR) measurements with spectroscopic techniques, including absorption and micro-Raman measurements. Implementation of a donor layer with an absorption spectrum extending into the near-infrared (NIR) led to solar cells with external quantum efficiencies (EQEs) above 27% from λ = 600 - 890 nm, with the best device yielding a power conversion efficiency (PCE) of 2.6%. Our results highlight the need to understand the relationship between processing parameters and thin film structure, as these have important consequences on device performance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Karolien Vasseur
- †Imec, Kapeldreef 75, B-3001 Heverlee, Belgium
- ‡Department of Metallurgy and Materials Engineering, KU Leuven, Kasteelpark Arenberg 44, B-3001 Heverlee, Belgium
| | | | | | - Kristiaan Temst
- §Instituut voor Kern- en Stralingsfysica, KU Leuven, Celestijnenlaan 200 D, B-3001 Heverlee, Belgium
| | - Ludo Froyen
- ‡Department of Metallurgy and Materials Engineering, KU Leuven, Kasteelpark Arenberg 44, B-3001 Heverlee, Belgium
| | - Paul Heremans
- †Imec, Kapeldreef 75, B-3001 Heverlee, Belgium
- ∥Department of Electrical Engineering, KU Leuven, Kasteelpark Arenberg 10, B-3001 Heverlee, Belgium
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18
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Franquet A, Conard T, Voroshazi E, Poleunis C, Cheyns D, Vandervorst W. Characterization of organic solar cell materials by G-SIMS. SURF INTERFACE ANAL 2012. [DOI: 10.1002/sia.5128] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/07/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- A. Franquet
- IMEC vzw; Kapeldreef 75 B-3001 Heverlee Belgium
| | - T. Conard
- IMEC vzw; Kapeldreef 75 B-3001 Heverlee Belgium
| | - E. Voroshazi
- IMEC vzw; Kapeldreef 75 B-3001 Heverlee Belgium
- ESAT, K. U. Leuven; Arenberg Kasteekpark 10 B-3001 Leuven Belgium
| | - C. Poleunis
- Université catholique de Louvain; ICMN, BSMA; Croix du Sud 1, Box L07.04.01 B-1348 Louvain-la-Neuve Belgium
| | - D. Cheyns
- IMEC vzw; Kapeldreef 75 B-3001 Heverlee Belgium
| | - W. Vandervorst
- IMEC vzw; Kapeldreef 75 B-3001 Heverlee Belgium
- Instituut voor Kern- en Stralingsfysica; K. U. Leuven; Celestijnenlaan 200D B-3001 Leuven Belgium
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19
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Sergeant NP, Hadipour A, Niesen B, Cheyns D, Heremans P, Peumans P, Rand BP. Design of transparent anodes for resonant cavity enhanced light harvesting in organic solar cells. Adv Mater 2012; 24:728-732. [PMID: 22213161 DOI: 10.1002/adma.201104273] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/07/2011] [Indexed: 05/31/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Nicholas P Sergeant
- Stanford University, Department of Electrical Engineering, Stanford, CA-94305, USA
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Girotto C, Voroshazi E, Cheyns D, Heremans P, Rand BP. Solution-processed MoO₃ thin films as a hole-injection layer for organic solar cells. ACS Appl Mater Interfaces 2011; 3:3244-3247. [PMID: 21830819 DOI: 10.1021/am200729k] [Citation(s) in RCA: 50] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/31/2023]
Abstract
We report on a sol-gel-based technique to fabricate MoO(3) thin films as a hole-injection layer for solution-processed or thermally evaporated organic solar cells. The solution-processed MoO(3) (sMoO(3)) films are demonstrated to have equal performance to hole-injection layers composed of either PEDOT:PSS or thermally evaporated MoO(3) (eMoO(3)), and the annealing temperature at which the sol-gel layer begins to work is consistent with the thermodynamic analysis of the process. Finally, the shelf lifetime of devices made with the sMoO(3) is similar to equivalent devices prepared with a eMoO(3) hole-injection layer.
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Heremans P, Cheyns D, Rand BP. Strategies for increasing the efficiency of heterojunction organic solar cells: material selection and device architecture. Acc Chem Res 2009; 42:1740-7. [PMID: 19751055 DOI: 10.1021/ar9000923] [Citation(s) in RCA: 173] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Thin-film blends or bilayers of donor- and acceptor-type organic semiconductors form the core of heterojunction organic photovoltaic cells. Researchers measure the quality of photovoltaic cells based on their power conversion efficiency, the ratio of the electrical power that can be generated versus the power of incident solar radiation. The efficiency of organic solar cells has increased steadily in the last decade, currently reaching up to 6%. Understanding and combating the various loss mechanisms that occur in processes from optical excitation to charge collection should lead to efficiencies on the order of 10% in the near future. In organic heterojunction solar cells, the generation of photocurrent is a cascade of four steps: generation of excitons (electrically neutral bound electron-hole pairs) by photon absorption, diffusion of excitons to the heterojunction, dissociation of the excitons into free charge carriers, and transport of these carriers to the contacts. In this Account, we review our recent contributions to the understanding of the mechanisms that govern these steps. Starting from archetype donor-acceptor systems of planar small-molecule heterojunctions and solution-processed bulk heterojunctions, we outline our search for alternative materials and device architectures. We show that non-planar phthalocynanines have appealing absorption characteristics but also have reduced charge carrier transport. As a result, the donor layer needs to be ultrathin, and all layers of the device have to be tuned to account for optical interference effects. Using these optimization techniques, we illustrate cells with 3.1% efficiency for the non-planar chloroboron subphthalocyanine donor. Molecules offering a better compromise between absorption and carrier mobility should allow for further improvements. We also propose a method for increasing the exciton diffusion length by converting singlet excitons into long-lived triplets. By doping a polymer with a phosphorescent molecule, we demonstrate an increase in the exciton diffusion length of a polymer from 4 to 9 nm. If researchers can identify suitable phosphorescent dopants, this method could be employed with other materials. The carrier transport from the junction to the contacts is markedly different for a bulk heterojunction cell than for planar junction cells. Unlike for bulk heterojunction cells, the open-circuit voltage of planar-junction cells is independent of the contact work functions, as a consequence of the balance of drift and diffusion currents in these systems. This understanding helps to guide the development of new materials (particularly donor materials) that can further boost the efficiency of single-junction cells to 10%. With multijunction architectures, we expect that efficiencies of 12-16% could be attained, at which point organic photovoltaic cells could become an important renewable energy source.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - David Cheyns
- IMEC v.z.w., Kapeldreef 75, B-3001 Leuven, Belgium
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Verreet B, Schols S, Cheyns D, Rand BP, Gommans H, Aernouts T, Heremans P, Genoe J. The characterization of chloroboron (iii) subnaphthalocyanine thin films and their application as a donor material for organic solar cells. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2009. [DOI: 10.1039/b902342a] [Citation(s) in RCA: 54] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
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Cheyns D, Vasseur K, Rolin C, Genoe J, Poortmans J, Heremans P. Nanoimprinted semiconducting polymer films with 50 nm features and their application to organic heterojunction solar cells. Nanotechnology 2008; 19:424016. [PMID: 21832676 DOI: 10.1088/0957-4484/19/42/424016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/31/2023]
Abstract
Nanoimprint lithography is used to directly pattern the conjugated polymer semiconductor poly(3-hexylthiophene) (P3HT). We obtain trenches with aspect ratios up to 2 and feature sizes as small as 50 nm in this polymer. The application to organic solar cells is shown by creating an interpenetrated donor-acceptor interface, based on P3HT and N,N'-ditridecyl-3,4,9,10-perylenetetracarboxylic diimide (PTCDI-C(13)), deposited from the vapor phase to reduce shadow effects. A planarizing layer of spin-coated zinc oxide (ZnO) nanoparticles is used to reduce the roughness of the layer stack. The response of the photovoltaic devices follows the increased interface area, up to a 2.5-fold enhancement.
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Affiliation(s)
- D Cheyns
- IMEC vzw, Kapeldreef 75, 3001 Leuven, Belgium. ESAT, Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, Kasteelpark Arenberg 10, B-3001 Leuven, Belgium
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