High fill factor polymer solar cells comprising a transparent, low temperature solution processed doped metal oxide/metal nanowire composite electrode

In this paper we report on the replacement for the commonly used ITO electrode material by a low temperature solution processed silver nanowire/(doped) metal oxide composite. Devices employing silver nanowires (AgNWs)/buffer layer electrodes with a photoactive layer of poly(3-hexylthiophene) (P3HT) and [6,6]-phenyl-C-61 butyric acid methyl ester (PCBM) are showing a comparable performance to the ITO reference cell with fill factors (FF) of over 62% and a power conversion efficiency of similar to 2.7%. Zinc oxide (ZnO) and highly conductive Al doped ZnO (AZO) are used as buffer layer. AgNW devices without a buffer layer have a high open circuit voltage (V-OC) but the FF and the short circuit current density (j(SC)) are substantially lower. Overall it is demonstrated that AgNWs and the low temperature solution process of the buffer layer are an attractive device concept towards an indium free organic solar cell. (C) 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.