High transparency and performance slot‐die‐coated large‐area polymer solar module

• Published in: Progress in photovoltaics 2023-08, Vol.31 (8), p.803-812
• Main Authors: Sung, Yun‐Ming, Tsao, Cheng‐Si, Cha, Hou‐Chin, Ma, Wei‐Yang
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Absorption spectra; average visible transmittance; Electrodes; Electromagnetic absorption; Energy conversion efficiency; module; Modules; Photovoltaic cells; polymer solar cell; Polymers; power conversion efficiency; slot‐die coating; Solar cells; Thickness; Transmittance
• ISSN: 1062-7995; 1099-159X
• DOI: 10.1002/pip.3684

We fabricate polymer solar cells (PSCs) and modules by sheet‐to‐sheet slot‐die coating under air environment based on halogen‐free host solvent. How to upscale small‐area PSC to large‐area PSC module is demonstrated here. The opaque module exhibits the most superior performance among the slot‐die‐coated modules reported. The scaling of both the semitransparent top electrode and PSC module is a challenge due to the complex difficulties. In this study, the semitransparent MoO3/Ag/MoO3 top electrode is successfully upscaled to be in the large‐area semitransparent PSC module. Ag layer thickness as reflector in the tri‐layer electrode is used to tune the trade‐off between transmittance, conductivity, and the light absorption in the active layer. The matching combination of transmittance, absorption spectra of MoO3/Ag/MoO3 top electrode, and active layer is a main key of our approach greatly improving photovoltaic and optical performance. The power conversion efficiencies (PCEs) of the semitransparent PSC modules with Ag thickness of 25, 20, and 15 nm are 7.1%, 5.9%, and 4.4%, respectively. The corresponding average visible transmittance (AVT) values are 20.5%, 28.3%, and 36.1%, respectively. The transmittance values at 550 nm are ranging from 24% to 40%. According to the review of all the reported semitransparent modules (>10 cm2), our modules demonstrate the excellent trade‐off performance about two times better than the large‐area semitransparent PSC modules currently reported either based on the similar PCEs or AVTs. We fabricate polymer solar cells (PSCs) and modules by sheet‐to‐sheet slot‐die coating under air environment based on halogen‐free host solvent. According to the review of all the reported semitransparent modules (>10 cm2), our modules demonstrate the excellent trade‐off performance about two times better than the large‐area semitransparent PSC modules currently reported either based on the similar power conversion efficiency or average visible transmittance.