Surface-plasmon enhanced transparent electrodes in organic photovoltaics

Random silver nanohole films were created through colloidal lithography techniques and metal vapor deposition. The transparent electrodes were characterized by uv-visible spectroscopy and incorporated into an organic solar cell. The test cells were evaluated for solar power-conversion efficiency and incident photon-to-current conversion efficiency. The incident photon-to-current conversion efficiency spectra displayed evidence that a nanohole film with 92 nm diameter holes induces surface-plasmon-enhanced photoconversion. The nanohole silver films demonstrate a promising route to removing the indium tin oxide transparent electrode that is ubiquitous in organic optoelectronics. (c) 2008 American Institute of Physics.