Versatile organic photovoltaics with a power density of nearly 40 W g-1

Maximizing the efficiency while exploiting the fully inherent advantages of organic photovoltaics (OPVs), e.g., ultra-flexibility, ultra-lightweight, rich color, etc., is of great significance for the commercialization of OPVs. To address this, here we implant the top-illuminated devices on 1.3 mu m polyimide substrates and demonstrate ultra-flexible OPVs with tunable colors, record efficiency and power densities, via delicate design of device configurations and selection of fabrication processes. Specifically, the optimized morphology of a transparent Ag electrode and the optical interference effect are utilized to improve the photovoltaic performances and realize a wide color gamut, respectively. Thus, the corresponding devices achieve a benchmark efficiency of 17.32%, and this efficiency remains almost unchanged after peel-off processing and 5 000 compression-release deformation cycles. Encouragingly, the obtained ultra-thin OPVs exhibit an excellent power-to-weight ratio of 39.72 W g(-1), which is the best value among all PV technologies. These results prove that our OPVs have outstanding adaptivity to be diversified for extreme application scenarios.

Automated summary

Maximizing efficiency and utilizing the advantages of organic photovoltaics (OPVs) is crucial for their commercialization. In this study, we developed ultra-flexible OPVs with tunable colors, record efficiency, and power densities by carefully designing device configurations and fabrication processes. Transparent Ag electrode morphology and optical interference effect were optimized to improve photovoltaic performances and achieve a wide color gamut. The resulting devices exhibited a benchmark efficiency of 17.32% and maintained this efficiency even after peel-off processing and 5,000 compression-release deformation cycles. Additionally, the ultra-thin OPVs demonstrated an excellent power-to-weight ratio of 39.72 W g(-1), surpassing other PV technologies and indicating their adaptability for extreme application scenarios.