Efficient small-molecule solar cells
Nature Materials
November 7, 2011
Solution-processed small-molecule solar cells with power conversion efficiencies of 6.7% are reported online this week in Nature Materials. The performance of these devices rivals that of the best polymer-based solar cells, and they have the potential be mass-produced with better reliability.
Organic bulk heterojunction solar cells, which convert sunlight into electricity, are based on organic semiconductor blends. The possibility to deposit organic semiconductors by solution-based processes such as printing makes these materials potentially attractive for the mass production of flexible large-area photovoltaic devices. The most efficient organic bulk heterojunction solar cells today are fabricated using semiconducting polymers. Owing to the synthesis process, such polymers can show larger batch-to-batch variations in composition and device performance than small molecules.
Through careful molecular design, Guillermo Bazan and colleagues developed a small-molecule semiconductor that can be solution processed into efficient bulk heterojunction solar cells. The performance of these devices approaches that of the best polymer-based solar cells.
doi: 10.1038/nmat3160
Research highlights
-
May 12
Geoscience: Monitoring earthquakes at the speed of lightNature
-
May 4
Microbiology: Bacteriophage therapy helps treat multi-drug resistant infection in an immunocompromised patientNature Communications
-
Apr 27
Planetary science: Building blocks of DNA detected in meteoritesNature Communications
-
Apr 8
Health: Psilocybin use associated with lower risk of opioid addictionScientific Reports
-
Apr 5
Energy: Winterizing the Texan energy infrastructure pays off in the long termNature Energy
-
Mar 17
Neuroscience: Sample size matters in studies linking brain scans to behaviourNature