Islands of Stability: Discovering connections between materials, morphology and reliability of OPVs
Abstract
All solar cell technologies must possess three cardinal attributes: (i) low manufacturing cost over large areas at high yield, (ii) high efficiency and (iii) long term operational reliability. In fact, all of these attributes can be reduced to the primary consideration of low cost, since they all act in concert to deliver a higher output power using panels with the smallest area footprint at an acceptably low level of maintenance. Organic photovoltaics OPVs have long shown promise for application to solar cells due to their lightweight and flexible form factors, semitransparency in the visible, and the potentially low cost of materials. And while OPVs are now routinely demonstrating efficiencies at or even exceeding 16%, their ability to withstand use in adverse environments over long periods is as yet largely unproven. This proposed program, therefore, is focused on discovering the fundamental linkages between materials, defects and impurities, film morphology, device architecture and the reliability of OPVs. Our approaches follow a similar path that we have successfully used in exploring the fundamental lifetime limitations of organic light emitting devices (OLEDs). We begin by developing physics-based models that assume the long term formation of defects due to materials and morphological changes, followed by tests of the models using archetype materials and morphologies, and then examining the chemical and morphological changes that have occurred during operation. In this way, we can define those factors that lead to long term stability, and ultimately to develop ~design rules~ for devices with a combination of the highest efficiency and reliability. Most importantly, the insights gained from this physics-to-materials science-to-chemistry investigation can be readily applied to organic electronic devices and systems that extend well beyond the boundaries of OPVs. We assert that developing a fundamental understanding of failure mechanisms has widespread application to a variety of materials and devices employing disordered organic materials that is entirely independent of their application.
Document Details
- Document Type
- DoD Grant Award
- Publication Date
- Mar 11, 2020
- Source ID
- N000142012114
Entities
People
- Stephen R. Forrest
Organizations
- Board of Regents of the University of Michigan
- Office of Naval Research
- United States Navy