Free Carrier Generation in Fullerene Acceptors and Its Effect on Polymer Photovoltaics

George F. Burkhard; Eric T. Hoke; Zach M. Beiley; Michael D. McGehee

doi:10.1021/jp310821f

Free Carrier Generation in Fullerene Acceptors and Its Effect on Polymer Photovoltaics

George F. Burkhard, Eric T. Hoke, Zach M. Beiley, Michael D. McGehee

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

47 Scopus citations

Abstract

Early research on C60 led to the discovery that the absorption of photons with energy greater than 2.35 eV by bulk C60 produces free charge carriers at room temperature. We find that not only is this also true for many of the soluble fullerene derivatives commonly used in organic photovoltaics, but also that the presence of these free carriers has significant implications for the modeling, characterization, and performance of devices made with these materials. We demonstrate that the discrepancy between absorption and quantum efficiency spectra in P3HT:PCBM is due to recombination of such free carriers in large PCBM domains before they can be separated at a donor/acceptor interface. Since most theories assume that all free charges result from the separation of excitons at a donor/acceptor interface, the presence of free carrier generation in fullerenes can have a significant impact on the interpretation of data generated by numerous field-dependent techniques. © 2012 American Chemical Society.

Original language	English (US)
Pages (from-to)	26674-26678
Number of pages	5
Journal	The Journal of Physical Chemistry C
Volume	116
Issue number	50
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1021/jp310821f
State	Published - Dec 5 2012
Externally published	Yes

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@article{65adf92865f44251914e3e79362d176c,

title = "Free Carrier Generation in Fullerene Acceptors and Its Effect on Polymer Photovoltaics",

abstract = "Early research on C60 led to the discovery that the absorption of photons with energy greater than 2.35 eV by bulk C60 produces free charge carriers at room temperature. We find that not only is this also true for many of the soluble fullerene derivatives commonly used in organic photovoltaics, but also that the presence of these free carriers has significant implications for the modeling, characterization, and performance of devices made with these materials. We demonstrate that the discrepancy between absorption and quantum efficiency spectra in P3HT:PCBM is due to recombination of such free carriers in large PCBM domains before they can be separated at a donor/acceptor interface. Since most theories assume that all free charges result from the separation of excitons at a donor/acceptor interface, the presence of free carrier generation in fullerenes can have a significant impact on the interpretation of data generated by numerous field-dependent techniques. {\textcopyright} 2012 American Chemical Society.",

author = "Burkhard, {George F.} and Hoke, {Eric T.} and Beiley, {Zach M.} and McGehee, {Michael D.}",

note = "KAUST Repository Item: Exported on 2020-10-01 Acknowledgements: This work was supported by the Center for Advanced Molecular Photovoltaics (Award KUS-C1-015-21), made by King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST). E.T.H. was supported by the National Science Foundation GRFP and the Fannie and John Hertz Foundation. We thank Rodrigo Noriega and Alberto Salleo for help with the PDS measurements and Koen Vandewal for his insights. This publication acknowledges KAUST support, but has no KAUST affiliated authors.",

year = "2012",

month = dec,

day = "5",

doi = "10.1021/jp310821f",

language = "English (US)",

volume = "116",

pages = "26674--26678",

journal = "The Journal of Physical Chemistry C",

issn = "1932-7447",

publisher = "American Chemical Society",

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TY - JOUR

T1 - Free Carrier Generation in Fullerene Acceptors and Its Effect on Polymer Photovoltaics

AU - Burkhard, George F.

AU - Hoke, Eric T.

AU - Beiley, Zach M.

AU - McGehee, Michael D.

N1 - KAUST Repository Item: Exported on 2020-10-01 Acknowledgements: This work was supported by the Center for Advanced Molecular Photovoltaics (Award KUS-C1-015-21), made by King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST). E.T.H. was supported by the National Science Foundation GRFP and the Fannie and John Hertz Foundation. We thank Rodrigo Noriega and Alberto Salleo for help with the PDS measurements and Koen Vandewal for his insights. This publication acknowledges KAUST support, but has no KAUST affiliated authors.

PY - 2012/12/5

Y1 - 2012/12/5

N2 - Early research on C60 led to the discovery that the absorption of photons with energy greater than 2.35 eV by bulk C60 produces free charge carriers at room temperature. We find that not only is this also true for many of the soluble fullerene derivatives commonly used in organic photovoltaics, but also that the presence of these free carriers has significant implications for the modeling, characterization, and performance of devices made with these materials. We demonstrate that the discrepancy between absorption and quantum efficiency spectra in P3HT:PCBM is due to recombination of such free carriers in large PCBM domains before they can be separated at a donor/acceptor interface. Since most theories assume that all free charges result from the separation of excitons at a donor/acceptor interface, the presence of free carrier generation in fullerenes can have a significant impact on the interpretation of data generated by numerous field-dependent techniques. © 2012 American Chemical Society.

AB - Early research on C60 led to the discovery that the absorption of photons with energy greater than 2.35 eV by bulk C60 produces free charge carriers at room temperature. We find that not only is this also true for many of the soluble fullerene derivatives commonly used in organic photovoltaics, but also that the presence of these free carriers has significant implications for the modeling, characterization, and performance of devices made with these materials. We demonstrate that the discrepancy between absorption and quantum efficiency spectra in P3HT:PCBM is due to recombination of such free carriers in large PCBM domains before they can be separated at a donor/acceptor interface. Since most theories assume that all free charges result from the separation of excitons at a donor/acceptor interface, the presence of free carrier generation in fullerenes can have a significant impact on the interpretation of data generated by numerous field-dependent techniques. © 2012 American Chemical Society.

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DO - 10.1021/jp310821f

M3 - Article

SN - 1932-7447

VL - 116

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EP - 26678

JO - The Journal of Physical Chemistry C

JF - The Journal of Physical Chemistry C

IS - 50

ER -

Free Carrier Generation in Fullerene Acceptors and Its Effect on Polymer Photovoltaics

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