Visibly transparent, near-infrared-absorbing boron-containing photovoltaic devices

Abstract

Visibly transparent photovoltaic devices are disclosed, such as those are transparent to visible light but absorb near-infrared light and/or ultraviolet light. The photovoltaic devices make use of transparent electrodes and near-infrared absorbing visibly transparent photoactive compounds, optical materials, and/or buffer materials.

1 . A visibly transparent photovoltaic device comprising:
 a visibly transparent substrate;   a first visibly transparent electrode coupled to the visibly transparent substrate;   a second visibly transparent electrode above the first visibly transparent electrode;   a first visibly transparent active layer between the first visibly transparent electrode and the second visibly transparent electrode, wherein the first visibly transparent photoactive layer comprises a first photoactive compound having a formula:                                                                      , wherein each A1 and A2 is independently a fused or unfused aromatic or heteroaromatic group including one or more R group substituents, wherein each R is independently a hydrogen, a halogen, a cyano group, a substituted or unsubstituted alkyl group, a substituted or unsubstituted aromatic group, a substituted or unsubstituted fused aromatic group, a substituted or unsubstituted heteroaromatic group, a substituted or unsubstituted fused heteroaromatic group, a substituted or unsubstituted amine group, or a substituted or unsubstituted alkoxy group or wherein two or more R groups form a substituted or unsubstituted ring group or a substituted or unsubstituted fused ring group, wherein the first photoactive compound exhibits a first maximum near-infrared absorption strength and a first maximum visible absorption strength, wherein the first maximum near-infrared absorption strength is greater than the first maximum visible absorption strength; and   a second visibly transparent photoactive layer between the first visibly transparent electrode and the second visibly transparent electrode and exhibiting wherein the second visibly transparent photoactive layer comprises a second photoactive compound exhibiting a second maximum absorption strength in the near-infrared or ultraviolet and a second maximum visible absorption strength, wherein the second maximum absorption strength is greater than the second maximum visible absorption strength.   
     
     
         2 . The visibly transparent photovoltaic device of  claim 1 , wherein one or more R comprises a thiazole ring, a benzene ring, a pyridine ring, a imidazole ring, a pyrrole ring, a thiophene ring, a naphthalene, a pyrene, an indole, a benzothiophene, a benzimidazole, a benzothiazole, or a triazine ring. 
     
     
         3 . The visibly transparent photovoltaic device of  claim 1 , wherein each A1 is independently an unsubstituted or R substituted ring group including one or more of a thiazole ring, a benzene ring, a pyridine ring, a imidazole ring, a pyrrole ring, a thiophene ring, a naphthalene, a pyrene, an indole, a benzothiophene, a benzimidazole, a benzothiazole, or a triazine ring. 
     
     
         4 . The visibly transparent photovoltaic device of  claim 1 , wherein each A2 independently comprises a 5-membered or 6-membered aromatic or heteroaromatic ring including one or more R group substituents. 
     
     
         5 . The visibly transparent photovoltaic device of  claim 1 , wherein each A2 independently comprises an unsubstituted or R substituted ring group including one or more of a thiazole ring, a benzene ring, a pyridine ring, a imidazole ring, a pyrrole ring, a thiophene ring, a naphthalene, a pyrene, an indole, a benzothiophene, a benzimidazole, a benzothiazole, or a triazine ring. 
     
     
         6 . The visibly transparent photovoltaic device of  claim 1 , wherein the first photoactive compound has a formula 
       
         
           
           
               
               
           
         
       
        , wherein each X is independently S, N, or C-R. 
     
     
         7 . The visibly transparent photovoltaic device of  claim 1 , wherein the first photoactive compound has a formula 
       
         
           
           
               
               
           
         
       
        , wherein each X is independently S, N, or C-R. 
     
     
         8 . The visibly transparent photovoltaic device of  claim 1 , wherein the first photoactive compound has a formula. 
       
         
           
           
               
               
           
         
       
     
     
         9 . The visibly transparent photovoltaic device of  claim 1 , wherein the first photoactive compound has a formula 
       
         
           
           
               
               
           
         
       
        , wherein each X is independently S, N, or C-R. 
     
     
         10 . The visibly transparent photovoltaic device of  claim 1 , wherein the first photoactive compound has a formula 
       
         
           
           
               
               
           
         
       
        , wherein each X is independently S, N, or C-R. 
     
     
         11 . The visibly transparent photovoltaic device of  claim 1 , wherein the first photoactive compound has a formula 
       
         
           
           
               
               
           
         
       
        , wherein each X is independently S, N, or C-R, and wherein each A3 is independently an aromatic or heteroaromatic group including one or more R group substituents. 
     
     
         12 . The visibly transparent photovoltaic device of  claim 1 , wherein the first photoactive compound has a formula 
       
         
           
           
               
               
           
         
       
        , wherein each X is independently S, N, or C-R, and wherein each A3 is independently an aromatic or heteroaromatic group including one or more R group substituents. 
     
     
         13 . The visibly transparent photovoltaic device of  claim 1 , wherein the first photoactive compound has the formula. 
       
         
           
           
               
               
           
         
       
       
         
           
           
               
               
           
         
       
       
         
           
           
               
               
           
         
       
       
         
           
           
               
               
           
         
       
       
         
           
           
               
               
           
         
       
       
         
           
           
               
               
           
         
       
       
         
           
           
               
               
           
         
       
       
         
           
           
               
               
           
         
       
       
         
           
           
               
               
           
         
       
       
         
           
           
               
               
           
         
       
       
         
           
           
               
               
           
         
       
       
         
           
           
               
               
           
         
       
       
         
           
           
               
               
           
         
       
       
         
           
           
               
               
           
         
       
       
         
           
           
               
               
           
         
       
     
     
         14 . The visibly transparent photovoltaic device of  claim 1 , wherein the second photoactive compound comprises a boron-dipyrromethene-based compound. 
     
     
         15 . The visibly transparent photovoltaic device of  claim 1 , wherein the second photoactive compound comprises a fullerene, a nickel dithiolate (NDT) compound, a dicyano-indandione (DiCN), a benzothiadiazole (BT), a benzo-bis-thiadiazole (BBT), a diketopyrrolopyrrole diphenythienylamine (DPP-DPTA), a naphthalenetetracarboxylic diimide (NTCDI), a bisimide coronene (CBI), a fluoranthene, a corannulene, a phthalocyanine, or a naphthalocyanine. 
     
     
         16 . The visibly transparent photovoltaic device of  claim 1 , wherein the first photoactive compound functions as an electron acceptor material and wherein the second photoactive compound functions as an electron donor material. 
     
     
         17 . The visibly transparent photovoltaic device of  claim 1 , wherein the first visibly transparent photoactive layer and the second visibly transparent photoactive layer independently have thicknesses of 1 nm to 300 nm. 
     
     
         18 . The visibly transparent photovoltaic device of  claim 1 , wherein the first visibly transparent photoactive layer and the second visibly transparent photoactive layer correspond to separate, mixed, or partially mixed layers. 
     
     
         19 . The visibly transparent photovoltaic device of  claim 1 , wherein the first visibly transparent photoactive layer is coupled to the first visibly transparent electrode or wherein the first visibly transparent photoactive layer is coupled to the second visibly transparent electrode. 
     
     
         20 . The visibly transparent photovoltaic device of  claim 1 , wherein the first visibly transparent photoactive layer and the second visibly transparent photoactive layer exhibit visible transparency greater than 30%.