US2012132272A1PendingUtilityA1

Solution processed metal oxide thin film hole transport layers for high performance organic solar cells

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Assignee: STEIRER K XERXESPriority: Nov 19, 2010Filed: Nov 21, 2011Published: May 31, 2012
Est. expiryNov 19, 2030(~4.4 yrs left)· nominal 20-yr term from priority
Inventors:K. Xerxes SteirerJoseph Jonathan BerryJordan P. ChesinMatthew T. LloydNicodemus Edwin WidjonarkoAlex MiedanerCalvin J. CurtisDavid S. GinleyDana C. Olson
Y02E10/549H10K 30/50H10K 30/82H10K 30/353H10K 85/113H10K 30/30
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Claims

Abstract

A method for the application of solution processed metal oxide hole transport layers in organic photovoltaic devices and related organic electronics devices is disclosed. The metal oxide may be derived from a metal-organic precursor enabling solution processing of an amorphous, p-type metal oxide. An organic photovoltaic device having solution processed, metal oxide, thin-film hole transport layer.

Claims

exact text as granted — not AI-modified
1 . A method for fabricating an organic photovoltaic device, the method comprising:
 forming a substrate;   forming an ITO layer on the substrate, wherein the ITO layer comprises an anode;   forming an HTL layer on the ITO layer, wherein the HTL layer comprises an amorphous, p-type metal oxide;   forming an active layer on the HTL layer, wherein the active layer comprises a donor region and an acceptor region; and   forming a contact on the active layer, wherein the contact comprises a cathode.   
     
     
         2 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the donor region of the active layer comprises a polymer and wherein the acceptor region of the active layer comprises a fullerene. 
     
     
         3 . The method according to  claim 2 , wherein the donor region of the active layer comprises P3HT and wherein the acceptor region of the active layer comprises PCBM. 
     
     
         4 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the HTL layer comprises p-NiO. 
     
     
         5 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the HTL layer comprises sNiO. 
     
     
         6 . The method according to  claim 5 , wherein the sNiO is formed by solution deposited NiO followed by a low temperature anneal. 
     
     
         7 . The method according to  claim 6 , wherein the sNiO is formed by spin-coating a diluted nickel ink followed by a low temperature anneal. 
     
     
         8 . The method according to  claim 6 , wherein the sNiO is formed by spin-coating a diluted nickel ink at approximately 4000 rpm for approximately 60 seconds, followed by annealing at approximately 250° C. for approximately 1 hour. 
     
     
         9 . The method according to  claim 6 , wherein the sNiO is formed by spin-coating a nickel ink at approximately 4000 rpm, followed by annealing on a low temperature hot plate in air. 
     
     
         10 . The method according to  claim 5 , wherein the sNiO comprises a thin-film. 
     
     
         11 . The method according to  claim 10 , wherein the thin-film sNiO is approximately 10 nm. 
     
     
         12 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the HTL layer comprises p-NiO and the active layer comprises a PCDTBT/PCBM bulk heterojunction. 
     
     
         13 . The method according to  claim 1  further comprising: exposing the HTL layer to oxygen plasma after the HTL layer is formed. 
     
     
         14 . The method according the  claim 1  further comprising: exposing the HTL layer to an O 2 -plasma treatment after the HTL layer is formed. 
     
     
         15 . A method for fabricating an organic photovoltaic device, the method comprising:
 forming a substrate;   forming an TCO layer on the substrate, wherein the TCO layer comprises an anode;   forming an HTL layer on the TCO layer, wherein the HTL layer comprises an amorphous, p-type metal oxide, wherein the HTL layer is formed from a metal-precursor via solution processing of the amorphous, p-type metal oxide;   forming an active layer on the HTL layer, wherein the active layer comprises a donor region and an acceptor region; and   forming a contact on the active layer, wherein the contact comprises a cathode.   
     
     
         16 . The method according to  claim 15 , wherein the HTL layer is formed via solution processing of a metal-organic ink: 
     
     
         17 . The method according to  claim 15 , wherein the HTL layer is formed via solution processing of a metal-organic ink using ink-jet or continuous flow printing. 
     
     
         18 . The method according to  claim 17 , wherein the metal-organic ink comprises a complex in which a metal in solution coordinates to one or more diamine groups suspended in a solvent. 
     
     
         19 . The method according to  claim 16 , further comprising annealing the metal-organic ink in air at elevated temperatures after the solution processing. 
     
     
         20 . The method according to  claim 15 , wherein the TCO comprises a ZnO-based material. 
     
     
         21 . The method according to  claim 20 , wherein the TCO comprises gallium-doped ZnO. 
     
     
         22 . The method according to  claim 20 , wherein the TCO comprises aluminum-doped ZnO. 
     
     
         23 . The method according to  claim 15  further comprising: exposing the HTL layer to an O 2 -plasma treatment after the HTL layer is formed. 
     
     
         24 . An organic photovoltaic device comprising:
 a substrate;   a TCO layer on the substrate, wherein the TCO is configured to act as an anode;   an HTL layer on the TCO layer, wherein the HTL layer comprises an amorphous, p-type metal oxide thin film;   an active layer on the TCO layer, wherein the active layer comprises a donor region and an acceptor region; and   a cathode on the active layer.   
     
     
         25 . The organic photovoltaic device according to  claim 24 , wherein the HTL layer comprises amorphous, p-type NiO. 
     
     
         26 . The organic photovoltaic device according to  claim 24 , wherein the HTL layer comprises a spinel structure. 
     
     
         27 . The organic photovoltaic device according to  claim 26 , wherein the HTL layer comprises Co(Ni)Zn2O4. 
     
     
         28 . The organic photovoltaic device according to  claim 24 , wherein the HTL layer comprises a delafossite structure. 
     
     
         29 . The organic photovoltaic device according to  claim 28 , wherein the HTL layer comprises CuAlOx. 
     
     
         30 . The organic photovoltaic device according to  claim 24 , wherein the HTL layer is formed from a metal-organic ink using direct write solution processing via ink-jet or continuous flow printing followed by annealing in air at elevated temperatures. 
     
     
         31 . The organic photovoltaic device according to  claim 24 , wherein the TCO layer comprises a ZnO-based material and the HTL comprises amorphous, p-type NiO. 
     
     
         32 . The organic photovoltaic device according to  claim 24 , wherein the active layer comprises a PCDTBT:PC 70 BM bulk heterojunction. 
     
     
         33 . The organic photovoltaic device according to  claim 24 , wherein the active layer comprises P3HT:PCBM. 
     
     
         34 . The organic photovoltaic device according to  claim 24 , wherein the HTL layer comprises an oxygen plasma treated thin film NiO layer.

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