PREPARATION AND CHARACTERIZATION OF P3HT-PCBM ORGANIC SOLAR CELLS

Abstract

Organic solar cells using P3HT: PCBM as an active layer on ITO coated glass substrates were fabricated and characterized. Different air annealing procedures and cathode materials were tried and the characteristics were compared with that of a standard thin film polycrystalline silicon solar cell. It was found that the sample prepared with post-deposition air annealing at 130 oC improves the open circuit voltage (Voc) considerably. Besides, short circuit current (Isc) and the efficiency (η) were highest for the sample with a non annealed active layer. Series resistance (Rs) for this sample was lowest, but 103 times higher than that of the silicon solar cell, which in turn may have reduced the efficiency value for the organic cell compared to silicon.