Method for fabricating an interlayer

• US 8,951,922 B2
• Filed: 03/13/2013
• Issued: 02/10/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 01/22/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: National Taiwan University (Government of The Republic of China)
• Original Assignee: National Taiwan University (Government of The Republic of China)
• Inventors: Lin, Ching-Fuh, Cian, Kuei-Yu, Kao, Shao-Hsuan
• Primary Examiner(s): Smith, Zandra
• Assistant Examiner(s): Perkins, Pamela E
• Application Number:
  US13/801,517
• Publication Number:
  US 20140206131A1
• Time in Patent Office: 699 Days
• US Class Current: 438/781
• 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 71/12 using liquid deposition, e.g. spin coating
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 85/111 comprising aromatic, heteroaromatic, or aryl chains, e.g. polyaniline, polyphenylene or polyphenylene vinylene
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 85/215 comprising substituents, e.g. PCBM
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 10/549 Organic PV cells

Abstract

The present invention relates to a method for fabricating an interlayer, and particularly relates to a method for fabricating an interlayer PCBM which is difficult to be dissolved in organic solvents. The solubility of the interlayer (PCBM) in organic solvents is decreased by polymerization of the interlayer (PCBM). Therefore, the thickness of the interlayer (PCBM) can be efficiently controlled, and the yield rate and efficiency of photoelectric devices can be improved.

Claims

1. A method for fabricating an interlayer, comprising:

(1) providing a substrate;

(2) forming an interlayer on said substrate; and

(3) performing a polymerization to said interlayer for modifying said interlayer wherein a UV light having a wavelength in range of 100 nm to 400 nm is applied to irradiate a surface of said interlayer in an ozone environment for polymerizing said interlayer; and

(4) performing an OH bonding removing treatment to said surface of said interlayer for removing OH bondings on said surface of said polymerized interlayer after said step (3) wherein said step (4) comprises;

dissolving a surfactant in a solvent for preparing a surfactant solution; and

coating said surfactant solution on said surface of said interlayer.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said substrate is an ITO substrate, a glass substrate, a silicon substrate, a flexible plastic substrate, or an inorganic semiconductor structure.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein there is an inorganic semiconductor structure deposed on said substrate.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein said inorganic semiconductor structure is a zinc oxide structure or a titanium oxide structure.

5. The method of claim 3, wherein said inorganic semiconductor structure is single crystal, multi-crystal, or amorphous crystal.

6. The method of claim 3, wherein said inorganic semiconductor structure is a macro/nano-island structure, macro/nano-rod structure, macro/nano-wire structure, macro/nano-tube structure, or macro/nano-porous structure.

7. The method of claim 3, wherein in said step (2), said interlayer is formed on said inorganic semiconductor structure.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein said interlayer is a PCBM film.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein said PCBM film is made of C60, C70, PC₆₁BM, C60 derivatives, or C70 derivatives.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein said thickness of said PCBM film is 1 nm to 200 nm.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein said step (2) comprises:

dissolving a PCBM in an organic solvent for preparing a solution; and

coating said solution on said substrate.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein said step of coating said solution on said substrate is performed by spin coating, spray coating, ink printing, contact coating, dip coating, or roll-to-roll.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein in said step (3), said UV light irradiates surface of said interlayer for 5 seconds to 2 hours.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein said surfactant has a molecular structure with a hydrophilic end and a hydrophobic end.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein said surfactant is Triton X-100.

16. The method of claim 1, wherein said solvent is water, ethyl isopropanol, toluene, xylene, or chlorine-containing solution.

17. The method of claim 1, wherein said step of coating said surfactant solution on said surface of said interlayer is performed by spin coating, spray coating, ink printing, contact coating, dip coating, or roll-to-roll.

18. The method of claim 1, wherein said solvent is a organic semiconductor solvent.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein said organic semiconductor solvent is used to coat said interlayer for forming an active layer on said interlayer, and thereby said active layer is formed on said interlayer and the OH bonding removing treatment is performed to said interlayer simultaneously.

20. The method of claim 1, further comprising a step of forming an organic semiconductor structure for forming an organic semiconductor structure on said interlayer.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein said organic semiconductor structure is a mixed structure of an organic polymer and said interlayer, or an organic polymer structure.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein said organic polymer is an organic polymer which can absorb light to generate an excitonic interaction, and said organic polymer structure is an organic polymer structure which can absorb light to generate an excitonic interaction.

23. The method of claim 20, further comprising a step of forming an electrode for forming one or several electrodes on said organic semiconductor structure.

24. The method of claim 20, wherein said electrode is made of a metal.

25. The method of claim 24, wherein said metal is sliver or aluminum.