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Dahlström S, Wilken S, Zhang Y, Ahläng C, Barlow S, Nyman M, Marder SR, Österbacka R. Cross-Linking of Doped Organic Semiconductor Interlayers for Organic Solar Cells: Potential and Challenges. ACS Appl Energy Mater 2021; 4:14458-14466. [PMID: 34977476 PMCID: PMC8715538 DOI: 10.1021/acsaem.1c03127] [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] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/06/2021] [Accepted: 11/24/2021] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Solution-processable interlayers are important building blocks for the commercialization of organic electronic devices such as organic solar cells. Here, the potential of cross-linking to provide an insoluble, stable, and versatile charge transport layer based on soluble organic semiconductors is studied. For this purpose, a photoreactive tris-azide cross-linker is synthesized. The capability of the small molecular cross-linker is illustrated by applying it to a p-doped polymer used as a hole transport layer in organic solar cells. High cross-linking efficiency and excellent charge extraction properties of the cross-linked doped hole transport layer are demonstrated. However, at high doping levels in the interlayer, the solar cell efficiency is found to deteriorate. Based on charge extraction measurements and numerical device simulations, it is shown that this is due to diffusion of dopants into the active layer of the solar cell. Thus, in the development of future cross-linker materials, care must be taken to ensure that they immobilize not only the host but also the dopants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Staffan Dahlström
- Physics,
Faculty of Science and Engineering, Åbo
Akademi University, Henriksgatan 2, 20500 Turku, Finland
| | - Sebastian Wilken
- Physics,
Faculty of Science and Engineering, Åbo
Akademi University, Henriksgatan 2, 20500 Turku, Finland
| | - Yadong Zhang
- School
of Chemistry & Biochemistry, Georgia
Institute of Technology, Atlanta, Georgia 30332, United States
- Renewable
and Sustainable Energy Institute, University
of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, Colorado 80303, United States
| | - Christian Ahläng
- Physics,
Faculty of Science and Engineering, Åbo
Akademi University, Henriksgatan 2, 20500 Turku, Finland
| | - Stephen Barlow
- School
of Chemistry & Biochemistry, Georgia
Institute of Technology, Atlanta, Georgia 30332, United States
- Renewable
and Sustainable Energy Institute, University
of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, Colorado 80303, United States
| | - Mathias Nyman
- Physics,
Faculty of Science and Engineering, Åbo
Akademi University, Henriksgatan 2, 20500 Turku, Finland
| | - Seth R. Marder
- School
of Chemistry & Biochemistry, Georgia
Institute of Technology, Atlanta, Georgia 30332, United States
- Renewable
and Sustainable Energy Institute, University
of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, Colorado 80303, United States
- Department
of Chemical and Biological Engineering, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, Colorado 80303, United States
- Department
of Chemistry, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, Colorado 80303, United States
| | - Ronald Österbacka
- Physics,
Faculty of Science and Engineering, Åbo
Akademi University, Henriksgatan 2, 20500 Turku, Finland
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