Performance characteristics of pentacene-based organic photovoltaic cells

We demonstrate the maximum power conversion efficiency of 3.89% from organic photovoltaic cells using pentacene as a hole transport layer with PIN structure of ITO/poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene)-poly(styrenesulfonate) (PEDOT: PSS)-glycerol/pentacene/pentacene:C-60/C-60/BCP (bathocuproine)/Al under standard AM 1.5 illumination (100 mW/cm(2)). To achieve high power conversion efficiency, the optimization of thickness of pentacene and glycerol-doped poly(3,4-ethylenedioxy-thiophene)-poly(styrene sulfonate) (G-PEDOT: PSS) as well as pentacene:C-60 (1: 1) thin film as an active layer was accomplished. Our results show that the PIN structure with enlarged interface between pentacene and C-60 thin films increases the power conversion efficiency of the devices than the PN devices. The morphology of pentacene thin film with various thicknesses and glycerol-doped PEDOT: PSS layers crucially affected the performance characteristics of pentacene-based photovoltaic cells. (c) 2012 Elsevier B. V. All rights reserved.