Photovoltaic cell

• US 6,812,399 B2
• Filed: 02/27/2002
• Issued: 11/02/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 04/27/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Merck Patent GmbH (Merck & Co., Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Qsel - Quantum Solar Energy Linz Forschungs- Und Entwicklungs- Gesellschaft-Lungs-Gesellsch
• Inventors: Shaheen, Sean, Padinger, Franz, Brabec, Christoph, Fromherz, Thomas, Gloetzl, Erhard, Sariciftci, Sedar
• Primary Examiner(s): Diamond, Alan
• Application Number:
  US10/258,709
• Publication Number:
  US 20030159729A1
• Time in Patent Office: 979 Days
• Field of Search: 136/263, 136/256, 136/252, 429/111, 257/40
• US Class Current: 136/263
• CPC Class Codes: B82Y 10/00 Nanotechnology for information processing, storage or transmission, e.g. quantum computing or single electron logic
• CPC Class Codes: B82Y 30/00 Nanotechnology for materials or surface science, e.g. nanocomposites
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 30/211 comprising multiple junctions, e.g. double heterojunctions
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 30/30 comprising bulk heterojunctions, e.g. interpenetrating networks of donor and acceptor material domains
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 30/50 Photovoltaic [PV] devices
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 71/30 Doping active layers, e.g. electron transporting layers
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 85/113 Heteroaromatic compounds comprising sulfur or selene, e.g. polythiophene
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 85/1135 Polyethylene dioxythiophene [PEDOT]; Derivatives thereof
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 85/215 comprising substituents, e.g. PCBM
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 10/549 Organic PV cells

Abstract

A photovoltaic cell is described, having a photoactive layer (4) made of two molecular components, namely an electron donor and an electron acceptor, particularly a conjugated polymer component and a fullerene component, and having two metallic electrodes (2, 6) provided on both sides of the photoactive layer (4). In order to provide advantageous construction conditions, it is suggested that an intermediate layer (5) made of a conjugated polymer, which has doping corresponding to the electrode potential and, in regard to the electron energy, has a band gap between the valence band and the conduction band of at least 1.8 eV, be provided between the photoactive layer (4) and at least one electrode (2,6).

Claims

1. A photovoltaic cell, comprising:

a first electrode;

a second electrode;

a first layer between the first and second electrodes, the first layer comprising;

a first polymer, the first polymer being conjugated; and

a fullerene component; and

a second layer between the first electrode and the first layer, the second layer comprising doped poly(3-alkylthiophene).

2. The photovoltaic cell of claim 1, wherein the first polymer comprises a polythiophene derivative.

3. The photovoltaic cell of claim 2, wherein the fullerene component comprises functionalized fullerene PCBM.

4. The photovoltaic cell of claim 1, wherein the fullerene component comprises functionalized fullerene PCBM.

5. The photovoltaic cell of claim 1, wherein the doped poly(3-alkylthiophene) has a valence band, a conduction band and a band gap of at least about 1.8 eV between the valence band and the conduction band.

6. The photovoltaic cell of claim 1, further comprising a third layer between the first electrode and the second layer, the third layer comprising a third polymer.

7. The photovoltaic cell of claim 6, wherein the third polymer comprises PEDOT.

8. The photovoltaic cell of claim 1, wherein the first electrode comprises ITO and the second electrode comprises aluminum.

9. The photovoltaic cell of claim 2, wherein the doped poly(3-alkylthiophene)has a valence band, a conduction band, and a band gap of at least about 1.8 eV between the valence band and the conduction band.

10. The photovoltaic cell of claim 2, wherein the first electrode comprises ITO and the second electrode comprises aluminum.

11. A photovoltaic cell, comprising:

a first electrode;

a second electrode;

a first layer between the first and second electrodes, the first layer comprising;

a polythiophene derivative; and

a fullerene component;

a second layer between the first electrode and the first layer, the second layer comprising a doped polythiophene derivative; and

a third layer between the first electrode and the second layer, the third layer comprising a third polymer.

12. The photovoltaic cell of claim 11, wherein the fullerene component comprises functionalized fullerene PCBM.

13. The photovoltaic cell of claim 11, wherein the doped polythiophene derivative comprises doped poly(3-alkylthiophene).

14. The photovoltaic cell of claim 13, wherein the doped poly(3-alkylthiophene) has a valence band, a conduction band, and a band gap of at least about 1.8 eV between the valence band and the conduction band.

15. The photovoltaic cell of claim 11, wherein the doped polythiophene derivative has a valence band, a conduction band and a band gap of at least about 1.8 eV between the valence band and the conduction band.

16. The photovoltaic cell of claim 11, wherein the third layer comprises PEDOT.

17. The photovoltaic cell of claim 11, wherein the first electrode comprises ITO and the second electrode comprises aluminum.

18. A photovoltaic cell, comprising:

a first electrode;

a second electrode;

a first layer between the first and second electrodes, the first layer comprising;

a first polymer, the first polymer being conjugated; and

a fullerene component; and

a second layer between the first electrode and the first layer, the second layer comprising a second polymer, the second polymer being a doped conjugated polymer; and

a third layer between the first electrode and the second layer, the third layer comprising a third polymer.

19. The photovoltaic cell of claim 18, wherein the first polymer comprises a polythiophene derivative.

20. The photovoltaic cell of claim 18, wherein the fullerene component comprises functionalized fullerene PCBM.

21. The photovoltaic cell of claim 18, wherein the second polymer has a valence band, a conduction band, and a band gap of at least about 1.8 eV between the valence band and the conduction band.

22. The photovoltaic cell of claim 18, wherein the third polymer comprises PEDOT.

23. The photovoltaic cell of claim 18, wherein the first electrode comprises ITO and the second electrode comprises aluminum.