Recent Advances in Organic and Inorganic Hole and Electron Transport Layers for Organic Solar Cells: Basic Concept and Device Performance

The emergence of nonfullerene small-molecule acceptors (NFSMA) with the advantages of synthetic versatility, high absorption coefficient in wide wavelength range, and high thermal stability has attained the power conversion efficiency (PCE) exceeding 19% for resulted organic solar cells (OSCs) with the optimization of interface engineering and active layer morphology. Interfacial layers including both hole transporting layer (HTL) and electron transporting layer (ETL) are equally important in the OSCs for facilitating electron and hole extraction from the bulk heterojunction (BHJ) photoactive layer by the respective electrodes. In this Review, we summarize the recent progress in the materials used as HTL and ETL in conventional and inverted OSCs on the basis of their effect on the PCE. Finally, the prospects of HTL and ETL materials for NFSMA-OSCs will be provided.

Automated summary

The emergence of nonfullerene small-molecule acceptors has greatly improved the power conversion efficiency of organic solar cells, with interface engineering and active layer morphology playing crucial roles in optimization.