Plasmonic backscattering enhanced inverted photovoltaics

A plasmonic nanoparticle incorporated inverted organic photovoltaic structure was demonstrated where a monolayer of Ag nanoparticles acted as a wavelength selective reflector. Enhanced light harvesting via plasmonic backscattering into the photovoltaic absorber was observed, resulting in a two-fold improvement in the photocurrent and increased open-circuit voltage. Further, utilizing an optical spacer, the plasmonic backscattering was spectrally controlled, thereby modulating the external quantum efficiency and the photocurrent. Unlike a regular thin-film metallic back reflector, excellent off-resonance optical transmission in excess of 80% was observed from the Ag nanoparticles, making this structure highly suitable for semi-transparent and multi-junction photovoltaic applications. (C) 2011 American Institute of Physics. [doi:10.1063/1.3640217]