ABSTRACT
Bulk Heterojunction (BHJ) organic photovoltaic devices performances depend on the relative organization and physical properties of the electron-donor and -acceptor materials. In this paper, BHJs of poly(3-hexyl-thiophene) (P3HT) associated with an electron acceptor material, 1-(3-methoxycarbonyl)-propyl-1-phenyl[6,6]C6 (PCBM) or [Ni(4dodpedt)2], are studied in terms of morphology, ordering, and electrical properties. First, comparison between the two BHJs performed by Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM) and Raman characterizations shows that P3HT structuration is improved by blending with [Ni(4dodpedt)2]. Then, the relationship between charges trapping, electrical properties, and film morphology is investigated using conductive AFM and Kelvin Force Microscopy. Measurements in dark condition and under solar cell simulator provide complementary information on electrical phenomena in these organic nanostructures. Finally, time dependent measurement highlights the influence of charges stacking on conduction. Specifically, we demonstrate that charge accumulation initiated by illumination remains valid after switching off the light, and induces the modification in current versus voltage characteristic of P3HT: PCBM blend. Finally, we observe a current increasing which can be attributed to the energy barrier decreasing due to charges trapping in PCBM.
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
This work was partly supported by the French RENATECH network and by the INSIS Institute of CNRS. The financial support by the Mexican Consejo Nacional de Ciencia y Tecnológica (CONACYT) was acknowledged.
From technical point of view, the authors thank Bruker for the access to ICON customized for AFM measurement under illumination, and Corinne Routaboul for her technical help during Raman spectroscopy measurements.
REFERENCES
- 1. Y. Chen, X. Wan, and G. Long, Acc. Chem. Res. 46, 2645–2655 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1021/ar400088c, Google ScholarCrossref
- 2. J. Zhou, Y. Zuo, X. Wan, G. Long, Q. Zhang, W. Ni, Y. Liu, Z. Li, G. He, C. Li, B. Kan, M. Li, and Y. Chen, J. Am. Chem. Soc. 135, 8484–8487 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1021/ja403318y, Google ScholarCrossref
- 3. X. Zhang, Z. Lu, L. Ye, C. Zhan, J. Hou, S. Zhang, B. Jiang, Y. Zhao, J. Huang, S. Zhang, Y. Liu, Q. Shi, L. Yunqi, and J. Yao, Adv. Mater. 25, 5791–5797 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1002/adma.201300897, Google ScholarCrossref
- 4. Y. Li, C.-C. Chen, Z. Hong, J. Gao, Y. M. Yang, H. Zhou, L. Dou, G. Li, and Y. Yang, Sci. Rep. 3, 3356 (2013) https://doi.org/10.1038/srep03356. Google ScholarCrossref
- 5. A. J. Heeger, Adv. Mater. 26, 10–28 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1002/adma.201304373, Google ScholarCrossref
- 6. M. C. Scharber and N. S. Sariciftci, Prog. Polym. Sci. 38, 1929 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.progpolymsci.2013.05.001, Google ScholarCrossref
- 7. F. Padinger, R. S. Rittberger, and N. S. Sariciftci, Adv. Funct. Mater. 13, 85 (2003). https://doi.org/10.1002/adfm.200390011, Google ScholarCrossref
- 8. H. Hoppe and N. S. Sariciftci, J. Mater. Chem. 16, 45 (2006). https://doi.org/10.1039/b510618b, Google ScholarCrossref
- 9. R. Berger, H. J. Butt, M. B. Retschke, and S. A. L. Weber, Macromol. Rapid Commun. 30, 1167 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1002/marc.200900220, Google ScholarCrossref
- 10. V. Palermo, M. Palma, and P. Samori, Adv. Matter 18, 145 (2006). https://doi.org/10.1002/adma.200501394, Google ScholarCrossref
- 11. O. Douhéret, L. Lutsen, A. Swinnen, M. Breselge, K. Vandewal et al., Appl. Phys. Lett. 89, 032107 (2006). https://doi.org/10.1063/1.2227846, Google ScholarScitation
- 12. K. Maturova, M. Kemerink, M. M. Wienk, D. S. H. Charrier, and A. J. Janssen, Adv. Funct. Mater. 19, 1379–1386 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1002/adfm.200801283, Google ScholarCrossref
- 13. C. Groves, O. G. Reid, and D. S. Ginger, Acc. Chem. Res. 43, 612–620 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1021/ar900231q, Google ScholarCrossref
- 14. M. Dantes, J. Peet, and T. Q. Nguyen, J. Phys. Chem. C 112, 7241–7249 (2008) https://doi.org/10.1021/jp712086q. Google ScholarCrossref
- 15. O. G. Reid, K. Munechika, and D. S. Ginger, Nano Lett. 8, 1602–1609 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1021/nl080155l, Google ScholarCrossref
- 16. D. C. Coffey, O. G. Reid, D. B. Rodovsky, G. P. Bartholomew, and D. S. Ginger, Nano Lett. 7, 738–744 (2007). https://doi.org/10.1021/nl062989e, Google ScholarCrossref
- 17. D. A. Kamkar, M. Wang, F. Wudi, and T. Q. Nguyen, ACS Nano 6, 1149–1157 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1021/nn204565h, Google ScholarCrossref
- 18. E. J. Spadafora, R. Demadrille, B. Ratier, and B. Grevin, Nano Lett. 10, 3337–3342 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1021/nl101001d, Google ScholarCrossref
- 19. B. Rezek, J. Cermak, M. Ledinsky, P. Hubik, J. J. Mares, A. Purkrt, V. Cimrova, A. Fejfar, and J. Kocka, Nanoscale Res. Lett. 6, 238–250 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1071/CH9631090, Google ScholarCrossref
- 20. T. T. Bui, B. Garreau-de Bonneval, and K. I. Moineau-Chane Ching, New J. Chem. 34, 337–347 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1039/b9nj00519f, Google ScholarCrossref
- 21. T. T. Bui, O. Thiebaut, E. Grelet, M.-F. Achard, B. Garreau-de Bonneval, and K. I. Moineau Chane-Ching, Eur. J. Inorg. Chem. 2011, 2663–2676. https://doi.org/10.1002/ejic.201001288, Google ScholarCrossref
- 22. J.-Y. Cho, B. Domercq, S. C. Jones, J. Yu, X. Zhang, Z. An, M. Bishop, S. Barlow, S. R. Marder, and B. Kippelen, J. Mater. Chem. 17, 2642–2647 (2007). https://doi.org/10.1039/b701036b, Google ScholarCrossref
- 23. Q. Miao, J. Gao, Z. Wang, H. Yu, Y. Luo, and T. Ma, Inorg. Chim. Acta 376, 619–627 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ica.2011.07.046, Google ScholarCrossref
- 24. J. J. Benson-Smith, L. Goris, K. Vandewal, K. Haenen, J. V. Manca, D. Vanderzande, D. D. C. Bradley, and J. Nelson, Adv. Funct. Mater. 17, 451–457 (2007). https://doi.org/10.1002/adfm.200600484, Google ScholarCrossref
- 25. M. Al-Ibrahim, H.-K. Roth, U. Zhokhavets, G. Gobsch, and S. Sensfuss, Sol. Energy Mater. Sol. Cells 85, 13–20 (2005) https://doi.org/10.1016/j.solmat.2004.03.001. Google ScholarCrossref
- 26. F. X. Perrin, D. M. Panaitescu, A. N. Frone, C. Radovici, and C. Nicolae, Polymer 54, 2347–2354 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.polymer.2013.02.035, Google ScholarCrossref
- 27. D. M. Panaitescu, A. N. Frone, and I. C. Spataru, Compos. Sci. Technol. 74, 131–138 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.compscitech.2012.10.001, Google ScholarCrossref
- 28. S. Janietz, D. D. C. Bradley, M. Grell, C. Giebeler, M. Inbasekaran, and E. P. Woo, Appl. Phys. Lett. 73, 2453–2455 (1998). https://doi.org/10.1063/1.122479, Google ScholarScitation
- 29. See http://www.bruker.com/fileadmin/user_upload/8-PDF-Docs/SurfaceAnalysis/AFM/DataSheets/DS099-RevA0-Photoconductive_AFM-Datasheet.pdf for details about pC-AFM setup using on Bruker ICON AFM. Google Scholar
- 30. A. Cuenat, A. Muñiz-Piniella, M. Muñoz-Rojo, W. C. Tsoi, and C. E. Murphy, Nanotechnology 23, 045703 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1088/0957-4484/23/4/045703, Google ScholarCrossref
- 31. A. Salleo, R. J. Kline, D. M. DeLongchamp, and M. L. Chabinyc, Adv. Mater. 22, 3812–3838 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1002/adma.200903712, Google ScholarCrossref
- 32. D. Hernandez Maldonado, B. Ramos, C. Villeneuve-Faure, E. Bedel-Pereira, I. Séguy, A. Sournia-Saquet, F. Alary, J. L. Heully, and K. I. Moineau-Chane Ching, Appl. Phys. Lett. 104, 103302 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1063/1.4868106, Google ScholarScitation
- 33. Y. Gao and J. K. Gery, J. Am. Chem. Soc. 131, 9654–9662 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1021/ja900636z, Google ScholarCrossref
- 34. W. C. Tsoi, D. T. James, J. Soo Kim, P. G. Nicholson, C. E. Murphy, D. D. C. Bradley, J. Nelson, and J. S. Kim, J. Am. Chem. Soc. 133, 9834–9843 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1021/ja2013104, Google ScholarCrossref
- 35. V. D. Mihailetchi, L. J. A. Koster, P. W. M. Blom, C. Melzer, B. de Boer, J. K. J. Duren, and R. A. J. Janssen, Adv. Funct. Mater 15, 795–801 (2005). https://doi.org/10.1002/adfm.200400345, Google ScholarCrossref
- 36. M. M. Mandoc, B. de Boer, and P. W. M. Blom, Phys. Rev. B 73, 155205 (2006). https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevB.73.155205, Google ScholarCrossref
- 37. S. M. Sze, Physics of Semoconductor Devices ( Wiley, Murray Hill, NJ, 1981). Google Scholar
- 38. M. Chiesa, L. Burgi, J. S. Kim, R. Shikler, R. H. Friend, and H. Sirrinfhaus, Nano Lett. 5, 559–563 (2005). https://doi.org/10.1021/nl047929s, Google ScholarCrossref
- 39. D. C. Coffey and D. S. Ginger, Nature Mater. 5, 735–740 (2006). https://doi.org/10.1038/nmat1712, Google ScholarCrossref
- 40. N. S. Sariciftci, L. Smilowitz, A. J. Heeger, and F. Wudl, Science 258, 1474–1476 (1992). https://doi.org/10.1126/science.258.5087.1474, Google ScholarCrossref
- 41. R. A. J. Janssen and J. Nelson, Adv. Mater. 25, 1847–1858 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1002/adma.201202873, Google ScholarCrossref
- 42. D. Godovsky, Org. Electron. 12, 190–194 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.orgel.2010.10.015, Google ScholarCrossref
Please Note: The number of views represents the full text views from December 2016 to date. Article views prior to December 2016 are not included.

