P3HT:PC61 BM solar cell embedding silver nanostripes for light absorption enhancement

Periodic silver nanostripe arrays are introduced into poly (3-hexylthiophene) and [6, 6]-phenyl-C61-butyric acid methyl ester (P3HT:PC61BM) solar cells to enhance the light absorption in the active materials. The light absorption enhancements were experimentally and numerically investigated. The silver nanostripes with a width, height, and pitch of 82, 50, and 400 nm enhanced the light absorption of P3HT:PC61 BM layer by 20%. Numerical calculations revealed not the magnetic resonance that is supported by a perfect absorber configuration but surface plasmon polaritons excited at the boundary between the P3HT:PC61 BM layer and aluminum electrode is the dominant mechanism behind its light absorption enhancement.