Interfacial architecture for nanostructured optoelectronic devices

• US 8,178,384 B1
• Filed: 03/10/2009
• Issued: 05/15/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 04/19/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Aeris Capital Sustainable IP, Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Nanosolar Incorporated
• Inventors: Roscheisen, Martin R., Sager, Brian M., Petritsch, Klaus, Fidanza, Jacqueline
• Primary Examiner(s): Thai, Luan C
• Application Number:
  US12/401,238
• Time in Patent Office: 1,162 Days
• Field of Search: 438/57, 438/71, 438/82, 438/88
• US Class Current: 438/82
• CPC Class Codes: B82Y 10/00 Nanotechnology for information processing, storage or transmission, e.g. quantum computing or single electron logic
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 30/20 comprising organic-organic junctions, e.g. donor-acceptor junctions
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 30/50 Photovoltaic [PV] devices
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 30/87 Light-trapping means
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 71/20 Changing the shape of the active layer in the devices, e.g. patterning
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 85/215 comprising substituents, e.g. PCBM
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 10/549 Organic PV cells
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 70/50 Manufacturing or production processes characterised by the final manufactured product

Abstract

An optoelectronic apparatus, a method for making the apparatus, and the use of the apparatus in an optoelectronic device are disclosed. The apparatus may include an active layer having a nanostructured network layer with a network of regularly spaced structures with spaces between neighboring structures. One or more network-filling materials are disposed in the spaces. At least one of the network-filling materials has complementary charge transfer properties with respect to the nanostructured network layer. An interfacial layer, configured to enhance an efficiency of the active layer, is disposed between the nanostructured network layer and the network-filling materials. The interfacial layer may be configured to provide (a) charge transfer between the two materials that exhibits different rates for forward versus backward transport; (b) differential light absorption to extend a range of wavelengths that the active layer can absorb; or (c) enhanced light absorption, which may be coupled with charge injection.

Claims

1. A method for making an active layer of an optoelectronic device, comprising:

forming a nanostructured network layer, wherein the nanostructured network layer includes a network of regularly spaced structures with spaces between neighboring structures;

disposing a network-filling material in one or more of the spaces, wherein at least one network-filling material has complementary charge transfer properties with respect to the material of the nanostructured network layer;

disposing an interfacial layer between the nanostructured network layer and the network-filling material; and

configuring the interfacial layer to enhance an efficiency of the resulting active layer includes configuring the interfacial layer such that charge-carriers traveling from the nanostructured network layer to the network-filling material are transported at a different rate than the same type of charge-carriers traveling from the network-filling material to the nanostructured network layer,

charge-carriers traveling from the nanostructured network layer to the network-filling material are transported at a different rate than the same type of charge-carriers traveling from the network-filling material to the nanostructured network layer includes disposing a functionalized fullerene on surfaces of structures in the nanostructured network layer.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the functionalized fullerenes include functionalized C₆₀.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the functionalized fullerene is functionalized with an ester, amide, amine, or acid functional group.

4. The method of claim 1 further comprising, functionalizing a surface of the nanostructured network layer such that one or more —

OH groups form thereon.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein functionalizing the surface of the nanostructured network layer includes exposing the surface of the nanostructured network layer to a base and then an acid.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein configuring the interfacial layer to enhance an efficiency of the active layer includes configuring the interfacial layer to differentially absorb light to extend a range of wavelengths that the active layer can absorb.

7. The method of claim 6 wherein configuring the interfacial layer to differentially absorb light includes providing the interfacial layer with a photoactive material that is phase-separated from a photoactive network filling material.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein the photoactive material includes one or more sub-layers of photo active material wherein each sub-layer is characterized by a different absorption band than the photoactive network filling material.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein configuring the interfacial layer to enhance an efficiency of the active layer includes configuring the interfacial layer to enhance light absorption and/or charge injection from a light absorbing material to an electron transporting material in the active layer.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein configuring the interfacial layer to enhance light absorption and/or charge injection includes providing the interfacial layer with one or more dyes or pigments.

14. The method of claim 1 further comprising adding one or more dopants to the precursor sol.

15. The method of claim 14 wherein the one or more dopants include one or more fullerenes, one or more metals, one or more dyes pigments or other photoactive materials.

11. A method for making an active layer of an optoelectronic device, comprising:

forming a nanostructured network layer, wherein the nanostructured network layer includes a network of regularly spaced structures with spaces between neighboring structures;

disposing a network-filling material in one or more of the spaces, wherein at least one network-filling material has complementary charge transfer properties with respect to the material of the nanostructured network layer;

disposing an interfacial layer between the nanostructured network layer and the network-filling material;

configuring the interfacial layer to enhance an efficiency of the resulting active layer;

wherein forming the nanostructured network layer includes using a technique selected from the group of

intercalation and/or grafting of organic or polymeric molecules within a mineral lamellar network;

synthesis by electrocrystallisation of hybrid molecular assemblies;

impregnation of preformed inorganic gels;

synthesis from heterofunctional metallic alkoxides metallic halides or silsesquioxannes;

synthesis of hybrid networks through the connection of well-defined functional nanobuilding blocks;

templated growth of inorganic or hybrid networks by using organic molecules, macromolecules proteins or fibers as structure directing agents; and

templated growth using nanoparticles, followed by removal of the nanoparticles.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein forming the nanostructured network layer uses templated growth technique including:

disposing a precursor sol on a substrate, wherein the precursor sol includes one or more alkoxides with a central element X, one or more surfactants, one or more condensation inhibitors, water, and a solvent;

evaporating the solvent from the precursor sol to form a surfactant-templated porous film; and

covalently crosslinking the surfactant-templated porous film to form a nanostructured network layer based on a compound of central element X.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein a central element X in one or more of the alkoxides is Ag, Au, Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Fe, Ir, Mn, Mo, Nb, Ni, Sr, Ta, Ti, V, W, Y, Zn, Zr, Al, B, Ba, Pb, Se, Si, or Sn.