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Categories: energy, environment
BSA 12-26: Enhanced Thin Film Organic Photovoltaic Devices
BNL Reference Number: BSA 12-26
Patent Status: Provisional filed on May 18, 2012
Summary
An Embodiment of the Optical Field Confinement Device
A novel structure design for thin film organic photovoltaic (OPV) devices provides a system for increasing the optical absorption in the active layer. The waveguided structure permits reduction of the active layer thickness, resulting in enhanced charge collection and extraction, leading to improved power conversion efficiency compared to standard OPV devices.
Description
High optical absorption in OPV devices demands an active layer thickness of about 150 nm, a thickness that results in inefficient charge collection. To decrease the thickness of the active layer a new structure has been designed that increases the optical absorption in very thin film OPV devices. The structure makes use of a slot-waveguide approach to confine the electromagnetic field in the thin active layer. The invention enables a stronger optical absorption in the active layers that are thin enough to have electrical transport gain leading to a significant increase in internal quantum efficiency (IQE) and a higher overall power conversion efficiency.
Benefits
In order to exploit the utility of organic photovoltaic devices they must be improved to compete effectively with the more standard inorganic photovoltaic solar cells. The power conversion improvement offered by this easily implemented design should result in an OPV device with very competitive output.
Applications and Industries
Solar device manufacturers; green energy innovators
Have Questions?
For more information about this technology, contact Christine Brakel, (631) 344-7134.
Tags: device, photovoltaic device
