Progressive evolutions of non-fused ring electron acceptors toward efficient organic solar cells with improved photocurrent and reduced energy loss

Resolving competitive counterbalance between high external quantum efficiency (EQE) response and low energy loss is critical for achieving efficient organic solar cells (OSCs), including those based on low-cost non-fused-ring electron acceptor (NFREA). In this work, we performed a comparable study by utilizing four NFREAs with progressive evolutions in molecular structures, energetic levels, spectral coverages, crystallinity, etc, to pair with polymer donor J52. By regulating the terminal and side chains of NFREAs, the enhanced intramolecular charge transfer (ICT) effect allows O-PC-EH possessing the broader spectral coverage for higher photocurrent, the reduced energetic offset enables O-PC-EH-based device owning higher luminescence property for lower energy loss, the strengthened crystallinity endows O-PC-EH-based blend better charge transport property for less charge recombination. With those comprehensive managements from molecule to blend properties, the J52:O-PC-EH-based OSCs achieved the best efficiency of 14.4% (certified: 14.1%) with benefits in all the three device pa-rameters. This work reveals the importance of fine-tuning molecular structures of NFREAs according to paired polymer donor for maximizing the device performances.

Automated summary

In this study, four NFREAs with different molecular structures, energetic levels, spectral coverages, and crystallinity were used to pair with the polymer donor J52. By regulating the terminal and side chains of NFREAs, enhanced intramolecular charge transfer, reduced energetic offset, and strengthened crystallinity were achieved, resulting in a J52:O-PC-EH-based OSC with the best efficiency of 14.4%.