Incorporating photonic layers into polymer solar cells

本奖项由2009年美国复苏与再投资法案(公共法律111-5)资助。摘要在这项提案中，PI将确定具有可调谐表面等离子体极化子(SPP)频率的单分子纳米颗粒是否可以有效地用于增加光吸收，从而提高溶液处理有机光伏器件(OPV)的功率转换效率(PCE)。拟议的项目有以下四个智力优势部分，将分别加以论述。1)调谐SPP共振法合成介电/金属核/壳胶体：在合成成分中，金属纳米粒子和纳米壳的SPP能量可调至600 nm-850 nm。纳米壳的制备将以二氧化硅为核心，以金、银或铜为壳层。胶体的溶解度和与周围OPV材料的电连接将使用各种共轭表面活性剂进行控制。2)大面积胶体单层沉积：采用旋涂技术大面积沉积胶体单层。加州大学戴维斯分校先前的研究表明，如果仔细控制浓度、纺丝速度、表面张力和表面附着力，就可以旋涂定义良好的单分子膜。3)胶体薄膜光学性质的表征和模拟：将使用变角椭圆偏振光谱仪(VASE)在各种衬底上测量胶体单分子膜的光学性质。这一步骤的目的是确定i)被SPP模吸收的光是热消散的，还是通过在OPV材料中引起电子激发来消散的？Ii)如果SPP模引起电子激发，在哪个方向，多远，在什么光谱范围内？Iii)在这样的层叠中，从纳米壳层单分子膜反射和透射的光的光谱和强度是多少？Iv)在OPV层中，增加的光场中有多大比例可以归因于正常散射，哪部分可以归因于SPP模？4)包含等离子体波导层的单禁带和多带隙聚合物光伏器件的制造和测试：将制造串联式(两个PV层)OPV器件，以确定是否可以使用光子金属纳米颗粒层来增加光吸收，以及增加多少光吸收。该装置研究的具体目标是利用金属胶体单分子膜来增强吸收近红外的低带隙OPV材料的吸收。该项目更广泛的影响是培训受过光伏技术关键领域教育的新专业人员。这个项目特别强调支持一位在职母亲的研究生。

0933435MouleThis award is funded under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (Public Law 111-5).SummaryIn this proposal, the PIs will determine whether monolayers of nanoparticles with tuned surface plasmon polaron (SPP) frequencies can be effectively used to increase the light absorption and thereby the power conversion efficiency (PCE) of solution processed organic photovoltaic devices (OPV). The proposed project has the following four Intellectual Merits components that will be addressed separately. 1) Synthesis of dielectric/metal core/shell colloids with tuned SPP resonance: In the synthesis component, metal nanoparticles and nano-shells will be fabricated with SPP energies that are tuned from 600 nm - 850 nm. The nano-shells will be fabricated with a SiO2 core and Au, Ag or Cu as the shell layer. The solubility of the colloids and electrical connection to surrounding OPV materials will be controlled using various conjugated surfactants. 2) Deposition of colloid monolayers over large areas: The colloid monolayers will be deposited over large areas using the spin coating technique. Prior UC Davis research has shown that well defined monolayers can be spin coated if the concentration, spinning speed, surface tension and surface adhesion are carefully controlled. 3) Characterization and modeling of colloid film optical properties: The optical properties of the colloid monolayers will be measured using variable angle spectroscopic ellipsometry (VASE) on a variety of substrates. The object of this step is to determine i) Whether light that is absorbed by SPP modes is dissipated thermally or does it dissipate by causing electronic excitation in the OPV materials? ii) If the SPP modes cause electronic excitations, in which direction, over what distance and in what spectral range? iii) What is the spectrum and intensity of light reflected and transmitted from a nano-shell monolayer in such a layer stack? iv) What proportion of the increased optical field in the OPV layers can be attributed to normal scattering and what part to the SPP modes? 4) Fabrication and testing of single and multiple band gap polymer photovoltaic devices incorporating the plasmonic waveguide layers: Tandem (two PV layers) OPV devices will be fabricated to determine if and how much the optical absorption can be increased using layers of photonic metal nanoparticle layers. The specific goal of the device studies is to enhance the absorption of low band gap OPV materials that absorb in the near infrared using the metal colloid monolayers. The broader impacts of this project are in the training of new professionals that are educated in the key area of photovoltaic technology. Special emphasis is placed in this project on supporting a graduate student that is a working mother.