Collaborative Research: High-Performance Crystalline Bulk Heterojunction Organic Solar Cells

技术概要：该合作研究项目旨在研究小分子晶体半导体的成核和生长，识别精确控制晶粒尺寸，表面覆盖率和施主/受主界面的方法，最终目标是实现低成本，高效率的太阳能电池。高纯度的小分子有机材料在光伏性能方面具有显著的优势。通过使用可溶性小分子半导体，期望产生适当的薄膜形态以提供上级电荷传输性质，潜在地实现光伏器件的高性能。该项目需要数学家的合作来模拟混合半导体的成核，晶体生长和相分离;化学家设计，合成和调整适当的供体和受体半导体;材料研究人员分析薄膜;工程师建造和评估太阳能电池。该团队将协同工作，以了解晶粒生长的机制，定制施主和受主以最大限度地提高电压和电流，并改进表面处理和沉积方法，以形成大面积材料和器件。对可溶性小分子半导体的成核和生长的理解预计将对整个电子学领域的一系列努力产生重大影响，包括太阳能电池、固态照明、柔性显示器和射频识别标签。为了最大限度地提高本研究项目的培训效果，肯塔基州和普林斯顿大学的参与研究小组交换了研究人员，以加强参与学生的跨学科培训。该交流项目向工程研究人员介绍有机合成，并允许数学研究生学习薄膜生长和器件制造技术。PI计划每年举办一次夏令营，让所有参与者都参与到项目的联合审查中。科学家们还将继续推广到当地学校和指导高中学生的研究项目。这个项目是由材料研究，化学和数学科学部门共同资助的。

TECHNICAL SUMMARY: This collaborative research project is to study the nucleation and growth of small-molecule crystalline semiconductors, to discern ways to precisely control crystal grain size, surface coverage, and donor/acceptor interfaces, with the ultimate goal to realize low-cost, highly efficient solar cells. High-purity, small-molecule organic materials promise significant advantages in photovoltaic performance. By using soluble small-molecule semiconductors, the creation of appropriate thin-film morphologies is expected to provide superior charge transport properties, potentially achieving high performance of photovoltaic devices. The project requires collaboration of mathematicians for modeling nucleation, crystal growth and phase separation of the blended semiconductors; chemists for the design, synthesis and tuning of appropriate donor and acceptor semiconductors; materials researchers for the analysis of films; and engineers for construction and evaluation of solar cells. The team will work synergistically to understand the mechanisms of grain growth, tailor donor and acceptor to maximize voltage and current, and improve surface treatments and deposition methods to allow the formation of large-area materials and devices.NON-TECHNICAL SUMMARY: An understanding of nucleation and growth of soluble small-molecule semiconductors is expected to have significant impact in an array of endeavors across the spectrum of electronics, including solar cells, solid-state lighting, flexible displays and radio-frequency identification tags. To maximize the training impact of this research project, the participating research groups at Kentucky and Princeton exchange researchers to enhance the cross-disciplinary training of participating students. This exchange introduces engineering researchers to organic synthesis, and allows mathematics graduate students to learn film growth and device fabrication techniques. The PIs plan to run an annual summer camp, to immerse all participants in a joint review of the project. The scientists will also continue outreach to local Schools and mentor high school students in research projects.This project is co-funded by the Divisions of Materials Research, Chemistry, and Mathematical Sciences.