Polymer–TiO2 solar cells: TiO2 interconnected network for improved cell performance

• Published in: Nanotechnology 2006-02, Vol.17 (3), p.706-713
• Main Authors: Oey, C C, Djurišić, A B, Wang, H, Man, K K Y, Chan, W K, Xie, M H, Leung, Y H, Pandey, A, Nunzi, J-M, Chui, P C
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• ISSN: 0957-4484; 1361-6528
• DOI: 10.1088/0957-4484/17/3/015

A titanium dioxide porous network structure was synthesized using a poly(styrene-block-polyethylene oxide) diblock copolymer template. The influence of the titanium precursor concentration and annealing temperature on the obtained morphology was studied. Heterojunction solar cells consisting of TiO2 porous network structure and poly(2-methoxy-5-(2'-ethyl-hexyloxy)-p-phenylene vinylene) (MEH-PPV) were fabricated. The influence of the MEH-PPV layer thickness and device architecture on the solar cell performance was investigated. For an optimized device structure, a short-circuit current as high as 3.3 mA cm -2 is obtained under simulated solar illumination with an air mass AM 1.5 filter. The improved higher short-circuit current compared to other reports on MEH-PPV/TiO2 heterojunction cells can be attributed to improved morphology of the TiO2 layer.