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Sains Malaysiana 54(6)(2025): 1583-1592
http://doi.org/10.17576/jsm-2025-5406-13
Improved
Performance of P3HT: PCBM-Based Inverted Organic Solar Cell using SnO2/ZnO
Electron Transport Bilayer for Low Light Application
(Peningkatan
Prestasi Sel Suria Organik Songsang Berasaskan P3HT:PCBM Menggunakan Dwilapisan
Pengangkut Elektron SnO2/ZnO untuk Aplikasi Cahaya Rendah)
NOORAKMAR HIDAYAH BINTI
MOHAMED HASHINI1,2, MOHAMMAD HAFIZUDDIN HJ JUMALI1 &
CHI CHIN YAP1,*
1Department
of Applied Physics, Faculty of Science and Technology, Universiti Kebangsaan
Malaysia, 43600 UKM Bangi, Selangor, Malaysia
2Centre of Foundation
Studies, Universiti Teknologi MARA, Cawangan Selangor, Kampus Dengkil, 43800 Dengkil,
Selangor, Malaysia
Diserahkan: 23 Disember 2024/Diterima: 4 April 2025
Abstract
Organic solar cells (OSCs) have attracted much
research attention due to their advantages such as low cost, easy processing,
light weight, flexible and suitable for large-scale production. ZnO has shown to be an effective electron transport
layer (ETL) in OSCs. However, it also suffers from various defects on its
surface and improperly matched work function with the photoactive layer which
then hinders electron extraction and conduction in OSCs. Hence, in this work,
due to its favorable attributes such as high electron mobility, wide bandgap as
well as deep conduction and valence band, SnO2 was chosen in this
study as cathode interfacial layer placed in stacked structure with ZnO. This
study intends to improve the power conversion efficiency (PCE) of poly(3-hexylthiophene-2,5-diyl) (P3HT): (6,6)-phenyl-C61-butyric-acid-methyl-ester (PCBM) based
inverted OSCs by exploiting the properties of SnO2 and ZnO as
bilayer ETL. The ETL was inserted between transparent fluorine-doped tin oxide
(FTO) and P3HT:PCBM photoactive layer. Experimental analysis of the different
configurations of ETL (ZnO only, SnO2/ZnO, and ZnO/SnO2)
toward the PCE of inverted type OSCs was presented. The SnO2 layer
was synthesized via sol-gel spin coating method. Under both 1-Sun and white LED
illumination, the devices with SnO2/ZnO ETL demonstrated the highest
PCE of 1.01% and 1.62%, respectively, with 63% and 30% enhancement compared to
the control device with ZnO only ETL. Our results suggest that by depositing
the SnO2 layer before the ZnO layer, it can enhance the optical
transmission, decrease the surface roughness and provide a well-matched energy
level.
Keywords:
Electron conduction; indoor; optical transmission; organic photovoltaic; work
function
Abstrak
Sel suria organik (OSC) dilihat semakin menarik
perhatian dalam bidang penyelidikan disebabkan oleh kelebihannya seperti
ringan, fleksibel, memerlukan fabrikasi yang mudah serta murah dan amat sesuai
dalam penyediaan berskala besar. Kajian terdahulu membuktikan bahawa ZnO adalah
bahan yang baik dan berkesan sebagai lapisan pengangkut elekton (ETL) dalam OSC.
Namun begitu, masih terdapat banyak kelemahan pada lapisan ZnO yang perlu
diatasi seperti kecacatan pada permukaan serta fungsi tenaga yang tidak sesuai
dengan lapisan fotoaktif yang membantutkan pengekstrakan dan pemindahan
elektron di dalam OSC. Dalam kajian ini, SnO2 telah dipilih untuk digunakan
sebagai lapisan tambahan untuk membentuk ETL dwilapisan disebabkan kadar
konduktiviti elektronnya yang tinggi, jurang tenaga yang besar serta jalur
valensi dan konduksi yang lebih dalam. Kajian ini bertujuan untuk meningkatkan kecekapan
penukaran kuasa (PCE) peranti OSC songsang berasaskan poli (3-heksilthiofena-2,5-dil) (P3HT):(6,6)-fenil-C61 asid butrik metal ester (PCBM) dengan
menggabungkan kelebihan ZnO dan SnO2. ETL dimendapkan di antara
lapisan oksida timah terdop
fluorin (FTO) dan lapisan fotoaktif P3HT:PCBM. Penyelidikan uji kaji untuk
konfigurasi ETL yang berbeza (ZnO, SnO2/ZnO dan ZnO/SnO2)
terhadap PCE OSC songsang dibentangkan. Lapisan SnO2 disediakan
dengan menggunakan kaedah sol-gel dan salutan putaran. Hasil keputusan
menunjukkan peranti dengan ETL SnO2/ZnO menghasilkan PCE tertinggi
di bawah kedua-dua keadaan pencahayaan 1-matahari (1.01%) serta pencahayaan LED
putih (1.62%). Keputusan ini mencatatkan peningkatan prestasi masing-masing
sebanyak 63% dan 30% berbanding peranti kawalan dengan ETL lapisan tunggal ZnO. Hasil
kajian ini menunjukkan apabila lapisan SnO2 dimendapkan sebelum
lapisan ZnO, ia membantu meningkatkan penghantaran optik, mengurangkan
kekasaran permukaan dan menyediakan aras tenaga yang berpadanan.
Kata kunci: Dalam bangunan; fotovoltaik organik; fungsi
tenaga; pemindahan elektron; penghantaran optik
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*Pengarang
untuk surat-menyurat; email:
ccyap@ukm.edu.my
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