Interface Engineering for Highly Efficient Organic Solar Cells

Organic solar cells (OSCs) have made dramatic advancements during the past decades owing to the innovative material design and device structure optimization, with power conversion efficiencies surpassing 19% and 20% for single-junction and tandem devices, respectively. Interface engineering, by modifying interface properties between different layers for OSCs, has become a vital part to promote the device efficiency. It is essential to elucidate the intrinsic working mechanism of interface layers, as well as the related physical and chemical processes that manipulate device performance and long-term stability. In this article, the advances in interface engineering aimed to pursue high-performance OSCs are reviewed. The specific functions and corresponding design principles of interface layers are summarized first. Then, the anode interface layer, cathode interface layer in single-junction OSCs, and interconnecting layer of tandem devices are discussed in separate categories, and the interface engineering-related improvements on device efficiency and stability are analyzed. Finally, the challenges and prospects associated with application of interface engineering are discussed with the emphasis on large-area, high-performance, and low-cost device manufacturing.

Automated summary

Organic solar cells (OSCs) have witnessed significant advancements in power conversion efficiency, surpassing 19% and 20% for single-junction and tandem devices, respectively, due to innovative material design and device structure optimization. Interface engineering plays a crucial role in boosting device efficiency by modifying the interface properties between different layers in OSCs. This article provides a review of the progress in interface engineering for high-performance OSCs, discussing the specific functions and design principles of interface layers and analyzing the improvements in device efficiency and stability. The challenges and prospects associated with the application of interface engineering, particularly for large-area, high-performance, and low-cost device manufacturing, are also addressed.