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. 2019 Jun 11;11(6):1034.
doi: 10.3390/polym11061034.

Nanostructural Modification of PEDOT:PSS for High Charge Carrier Collection in Hybrid Frontal Interface of Solar Cells

Antonio J Olivares  1 , Ismael Cosme  2   3 , Maria Elena Sanchez-Vergara  4 , Svetlana Mansurova  5 , Julio C Carrillo  6 , Hiram E Martinez  7 , Adrian Itzmoyotl  8
Affiliations

Nanostructural Modification of PEDOT:PSS for High Charge Carrier Collection in Hybrid Frontal Interface of Solar Cells

Antonio J Olivares et al. Polymers (Basel). .

Abstract

In this work, we propose poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene)-poly(styrenesulfonate) (PEDOT:PSS) material to form a hybrid heterojunction with amorphous silicon-based materials for high charge carrier collection at the frontal interface of solar cells. The nanostructural characteristics of PEDOT:PSS layers were modified using post-treatment techniques via isopropyl alcohol (IPA). Atomic force microscopy (AFM), Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR), and Raman spectroscopy demonstrated conformational changes and nanostructural reorganization in the surface of the polymer in order to tailor hybrid interface to be used in the heterojunctions of inorganic solar cells. To prove this concept, hybrid polymer/amorphous silicon solar cells were fabricated. The hybrid PEDOT:PSS/buffer/a-Si:H heterojunction demonstrated high transmittance, reduction of electron diffusion, and enhancement of the internal electric field. Although the structure was a planar superstrate-type configuration and the PEDOT:PSS layer was exposed to glow discharge, the hybrid solar cell reached high efficiency compared to that in similar hybrid solar cells with substrate-type configuration and that in textured well-optimized amorphous silicon solar cells fabricated at low temperature. Thus, we demonstrate that PEDOT:PSS is fully tailored and compatible material with plasma processes and can be a substitute for inorganic p-type layers in inorganic solar cells and related devices with improvement of performance and simplification of fabrication process.

Keywords: PEDOT:PSS; conductive polymer; hybrid interface; silicon.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no conflicts of interest. The funders had no role in the design of the study; in the collection, analyses, or interpretation of data; in the writing of the manuscript, or in the decision to publish the results.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Schematics of (a) photovoltaic structure based on amorphous silicon (a-Si:H reference sample), (b) superstrate-type hybrid structure (H1) with PEDOT:PSS/a-SiH heterojunction in frontal interface, and (c) superstrate-type hybrid structure (H2) with PEDOT:PSS/buffer/a-SiH heterojunction in frontal interface.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Schematic illustration of different solvents treatments used in this work: (a) vapor, (b) drop, and (c) dip techniques.
Figure 3
Figure 3
Performance parameters of hybrid photovoltaic structures fabricated with pristine and post-treated PEDOT:PSS films.
Figure 4
Figure 4
(a) Energy level band diagram in thermal equilibrium for a hybrid structure and (b) schematic representation of the electron-blocking mechanism with the buffer layer (SIC:H/Si:H) by interfacial wide energy gap PSS [26].
Figure 5
Figure 5
Optical transmittance spectra of an amorphous silicon carbine film doped with boron (a-SiC:H:B), PEDOT:PSS pristine film, and glass substrate.
Figure 6
Figure 6
(a) Electrical conductivity and (b) work function of pristine PEDOT:PSS film and post-treated IPA PEDOT:PSS films using VAPOR, DROP, and DIP techniques.
Figure 7
Figure 7
Atomic force microscopy (AFM) (morphology and phase) images of (a) and (e) pristine PEDOT:PSS film post-treated IPA PEDOT:PSS films using (b) and (f) VAPOR, (c) and (g) DROP, and (d) and (h) DIP techniques; high-contrast phase images (inset images)
Figure 8
Figure 8
Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) spectra of pristine PEDOT:PSS film post-treated IPA PEDOT:PSS films using VAPOR, DROP, and DIP techniques.
Figure 9
Figure 9
(a) Raman spectra of pristine PEDOT:PSS film post-treated IPA PEDOT:PSS films using VAPOR, DROP, and DIP techniques. (b) Close view of Raman band associated to C=C symmetrical stretching intramolecular vibration of PEDOT between 1400 and 1460 cm−1 (benzoid/quinoid forms).
Figure 10
Figure 10
Chemical structures of the (a) benzoid and (b) quinoid forms of PEDOT.
Figure 11
Figure 11
Current density–voltage curves under 100 mW/cm2 AM 1.5G illumination for hybrid photovoltaic structures using pristine PEDOT:PSS film post-treated IPA PEDOT:PSS films using VAPOR, DROP, and DIP techniques.
Figure 12
Figure 12
(a) External quantum efficiency (EQE) spectra of a photovoltaic structures based on amorphous silicon (a-Si:H) (REFERENCE) and a hybrid photovoltaic structure with a buffer layer and a PEDOT:PSS film treated with DIP in IPA (H6-DIP). (b) Comparison of EQE spectra in the range from 300 nm to 450 nm obtained using both LED and GLOBAL source.
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