Fiber based organic photovoltaic devices

A fiber-shaped organic photovoltaic cell is demonstrated, utilizing concentric thin films of small molecular organic compounds. Illuminated at normal incidence to the fiber axis through a thin metal electrode, the cell exhibits 0.5% power conversion efficiency, compared to 0.76% for a planar control device. The fiber device efficiency is nearly independent of illumination angle, increasing its power generation over the planar counterpart for diffuse illumination. Losses due to partial shading of the fiber surface are minimal, while the coated fiber length is limited only by the experimental deposition chamber geometry - factors favoring scale-up to woven energy harvesting textiles. (C) 2008 American Institute of Physics.