Indium Tin Oxide-Free Inverted Organic Photovoltaics Using Laser-Induced Forward Transfer Silver Nanoparticle Embedded Metal Grids

• Published in: ACS applied electronic materials 2022-06, Vol.4 (6), p.2689-2698
• Main Authors: Pozov, Sergey M., Andritsos, Kostas, Theodorakos, Ioannis, Georgiou, Efthymios, Ioakeimidis, Apostolos, Kabla, Ayala, Melamed, Semyon, de la Vega, Fernando, Zergioti, Ioanna, Choulis, Stelios A.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• ISSN: 2637-6113; 2637-6113
• DOI: 10.1021/acsaelm.2c00217

Laser-induced forward transfer (LIFT) printing has emerged as a valid digital printing technique capable of transferring and printing a wide range of electronic materials. In this paper, we present for the first time LIFT printing as a method to fabricate silver (Ag) nanoparticle (np) grids for the development of indium tin oxide (ITO)-free inverted PM6:Y6 nonfullerene acceptor organic photovoltaics (OPVs). Limitations of the direct use of LIFT-printed Ag np grids in inverted ITO-free OPVs are addressed through a Ag grid embedding process. The embedded laser-printed Ag grid lines have high electrical conductivity, while the Ag metal grid transparency is varied by altering the number of Ag grid lines within the inverted OPVs’ ITO-free bottom electrode. Following the presented Ag-grid embedding (EMP) process, metal-grid design optimizations, and device engineering methods incorporating an EMB-nine-line Ag np grid/PH500/AI4083/ZnO bottom electrode, we have demonstrated inverted ITO-free OPVs incorporating laser-printed Ag grids with 11.0% power conversion efficiency.