Photovoltaic devices including self-assembling fullerene derivatives for improved efficiencies

• US 9,231,214 B2
• Filed: 04/07/2009
• Issued: 01/05/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 04/08/2008
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Regents of the University of California (University of California)
• Original Assignee: Regents of the University of California (University of California)
• Inventors: Tolbert, Sarah H., Schwartz, Benjamin J., Rubin, Yves, Halim, Merissa, Wanger, Darcy, Tassone, Christopher J., Ayzner, Alexander L., Kennedy, Robert D., Day, Christopher
• Primary Examiner(s): PEETS, MONIQUE R
• Application Number:
  US12/419,936
• Publication Number:
  US 20090266416A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,464 Days
• Field of Search: 136/263, 136/256, 136/243, 549/246, 549/13, 546/330, 544/330, 544/41, 544/103, 428/835.3, 423/445
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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 30/30 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 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

Described herein are photovoltaic devices including self-assembling fullerene derivatives. In one embodiment, a photovoltaic device includes a first electrode layer, a second electrode layer, and an active layer disposed between the first electrode layer and the second electrode layer. The active layer is configured to absorb incident light to produce a first type of charge carrier that is transported to the first electrode layer and a second type of charge carrier that is transported to the second electrode layer. The active layer includes self-assembled molecules of a fullerene derivative to provide a conductive path through at least a portion of the active layer.

Claims

1. A photovoltaic device, comprising:

a first electrode layer;

a second electrode layer; and

an active layer disposed between the first electrode layer and the second electrode layer, the active layer being configured to absorb incident light to produce a first type of charge carrier that is transported to the first electrode layer and a second type of charge carrier that is transported to the second electrode layer, the active layer including molecules of a fullerene derivative that are arranged into a packing structure to provide a conductive path through at least a portion of the active layer, wherein the fullerene derivative is a 6,9,12,15,18-penta-substituted-1-hydro-C₆₀ given by the formula;

2. The photovoltaic device of claim 1, wherein R₁, R₂, R₃, R₄, and R₅ are independently selected from:

(a) monocyclic aryl groups including 5-membered ring structures; and

(b) polycyclic aryl groups including 5-membered ring structures.

3. A photovoltaic device, comprising:

a first electrode layer;

a second electrode layer; and

an active layer disposed between the first electrode layer and the second electrode layer, the active layer being configured to absorb incident light to produce a first type of charge carrier that is transported to the first electrode layer and a second type of charge carrier that is transported to the second electrode layer, the active layer including molecules of a fullerene derivative that are arranged into a packing structure to provide a conductive path through at least a portion of the active layer, wherein the fullerene derivative is a 6,9,12,15,18-penta-substituted-1-R—

C₆₀ given by the formula;

4. A photovoltaic device, comprising:

a first electrode layer;

a second electrode layer; and

an active layer disposed between the first electrode layer and the second electrode layer, the active layer being configured to absorb incident light to produce a first type of charge carrier that is transported to the first electrode layer and a second type of charge carrier that is transported to the second electrode layer, the active layer including molecules of a fullerene derivative that are arranged into a packing structure to provide a conductive path through at least a portion of the active layer, wherein the fullerene derivative is a 1,9-epoxy-6,12,15,18-tetra-substituted-C₆₀ given by the formula;

5. A photovoltaic device, comprising:

a first electrode layer;

a second electrode layer; and

an active layer disposed between the first electrode layer and the second electrode layer, the active layer being configured to absorb incident light to produce a first type of charge carrier that is transported to the first electrode layer and a second type of charge carrier that is transported to the second electrode layer, the active layer including molecules of a fullerene derivative that are arranged into a packing structure to provide a conductive path through at least a portion of the active layer, wherein the fullerene derivative is a 1,9-dihydroxy-6,12,15,18-tetra-substituted-C₆₀ given by the formula;

6. A photovoltaic device, comprising:

a first electrode layer;

a second electrode layer; and

an active layer disposed between the first electrode layer and the second electrode layer, the active layer being configured to absorb incident light to produce a first type of charge carrier that is transported to the first electrode layer and a second type of charge carrier that is transported to the second electrode layer, the active layer including molecules of a fullerene derivative that are arranged into a packing structure to provide a conductive path through at least a portion of the active layer, wherein the fullerene derivative is a 6,12,15,18-tetra-substituted-C₆₀ given by the formula;

7. A photovoltaic device, comprising:

a first electrode layer;

a second electrode layer; and

an active layer disposed between the first electrode layer and the second electrode layer, the active layer being configured to absorb incident light to produce a first type of charge carrier that is transported to the first electrode layer and a second type of charge carrier that is transported to the second electrode layer, the active layer including molecules of a fullerene derivative that are arranged into a packing structure to provide a conductive path through at least a portion of the active layer, wherein the fullerene derivative is a 6,9,12,15,18-penta-substituted-1-aza-C₆₀ given by the formula;

8. The photovoltaic device of claim 7, wherein R₁, R₂, R₃, R₄, and R₅ are independently selected from:

(a) monocyclic aryl groups including 5-membered ring structures;

and (b) polycyclic aryl groups including 5-membered ring structures.

9. A photovoltaic device, comprising:

a first electrode layer;

a second electrode layer; and

an active layer disposed between the first electrode layer and the second electrode layer, the active layer being configured to absorb incident light to produce a first type of charge carrier that is transported to the first electrode layer and a second type of charge carrier that is transported to the second electrode layer, the active layer including molecules of a fullerene derivative that are arranged into a packing structure to provide a conductive path through at least a portion of the active layer, wherein the fullerene derivative is a C₆₀ e,e,e-trisadduct given by the formula;

10. A photovoltaic device, comprising:

a first electrode layer;

a second electrode layer; and

an active layer disposed between the first electrode layer and the second electrode layer, the active layer being configured to absorb incident light to produce a first type of charge carrier that is transported to the first electrode layer and a second type of charge carrier that is transported to the second electrode layer, the active layer including molecules of a fullerene derivative that are arranged into a packing structure to provide a conductive path through at least a portion of the active layer, wherein the fullerene derivative is a C₆₀ e,e,e-trisadduct given by the formula;

11. A photovoltaic device, comprising:

a first electrode layer;

a second electrode layer; and

an active layer disposed between the first electrode layer and the second electrode layer, the active layer being configured to absorb incident light to produce a first type of charge carrier that is transported to the first electrode layer and a second type of charge carrier that is transported to the second electrode layer, the active layer including molecules of a fullerene derivative that are arranged into a packing structure to provide a conductive path through at least a portion of the active layer, wherein the fullerene derivative is a C₆₀ e,e,e-trisadduct given by the formula;

12. A photovoltaic device, comprising:

a first electrode layer;

a second electrode layer; and

an active layer disposed between the first electrode layer and the second electrode layer, the active layer being configured to absorb incident light to produce a first type of charge carrier that is transported to the first electrode layer and a second type of charge carrier that is transported to the second electrode layer, the active layer including molecules of a fullerene derivative that are arranged into a packing structure to provide a conductive path through at least a portion of the active layer, wherein the fullerene derivative is a C₆₀ e,e,e-trisadduct given by the formula;

13. A photovoltaic device, comprising:

a first electrode layer;

a second electrode layer; and

an active layer disposed between the first electrode layer and the second electrode layer, the active layer being configured to absorb incident light to produce a first type of charge carrier that is transported to the first electrode layer and a second type of charge carrier that is transported to the second electrode layer, the active layer including molecules of a fullerene derivative that are arranged into a packing structure to provide a conductive path through at least a portion of the active layer, wherein the fullerene derivative is a C₆₀ e,e,e-trisadduct given by the formula;

14. A photovoltaic device, comprising:

a first electrode layer;

a second electrode layer; and

an active layer disposed between the first electrode layer and the second electrode layer, the active layer being configured to absorb incident light to produce a first type of charge carrier that is transported to the first electrode layer and a second type of charge carrier that is transported to the second electrode layer, the active layer including molecules of a fullerene derivative that are self-assembled into a packing structure to provide a conductive path through at least a portion of the active layer, the photovoltaic device having a solar energy conversion efficiency of at least 1.5 percent, wherein the fullerene derivative corresponds to a 6,9,12,15,18-penta-substituted fullerene.

17. The photovoltaic device of any one of claims 14-16, wherein the active layer includes a matrix that is configured to provide transport of the first type of charge carrier, and the self-assembled molecules of the fullerene derivative are disposed in the matrix and are configured to provide transport of the second type of charge carrier.

18. The photovoltaic device of claim 17, wherein the matrix includes a semiconducting polymer, and the solar energy conversion efficiency is at least 3 percent.

19. The photovoltaic device of any one of claims 14-16, wherein a density of the self-assembled molecules of the fullerene derivative in a crystalline form is in the range of 8×

10<sup>−

4</sup> molecules/Å

³ to 11×

10<sup>−

4</sup> molecules/Å

³.

15. A photovoltaic device, comprising:

a first electrode layer;

a second electrode layer; and

an active layer disposed between the first electrode layer and the second electrode layer, the active layer being configured to absorb incident light to produce a first type of charge carrier that is transported to the first electrode layer and a second type of charge carrier that is transported to the second electrode layer, the active layer including molecules of a fullerene derivative that are self-assembled into a packing structure to provide a conductive path through at least a portion of the active layer, the photovoltaic device having a solar energy conversion efficiency of at least 1.5 percent, wherein the fullerene derivative corresponds to a 6,12,15,18-tetra-substituted fullerene.

16. A photovoltaic device, comprising:

a first electrode layer;

a second electrode layer; and

an active layer disposed between the first electrode layer and the second electrode layer, the active layer being configured to absorb incident light to produce a first type of charge carrier that is transported to the first electrode layer and a second type of charge carrier that is transported to the second electrode layer, the active layer including molecules of a fullerene derivative that are self-assembled into a packing structure to provide a conductive path through at least a portion of the active layer, the photovoltaic device having a solar energy conversion efficiency of at least 1.5 percent, wherein the fullerene derivative corresponds to a fullerene e,e,e-trisadduct.