Fabrication of Dye-sensitized Solar Cells and Fluorescence Quenching Study Using Thiophene Based Copolymers

Abstract

Photovoltaic performance of dye sensitized solar cells fabricated with a commercially available thiophene based copolymer was investigated. Poly[(9,9-dioctylfluorenyl-2,7-diyl)-co-(bithiophene)], a highly soluble polythiophene, was used as a sensitizer. An open-circuit voltage of 0.64 V and a short-circuit current density of 0.36 mA/cm² were measured. The incident photon to current conversion efficiency for the polymer was measured. Fluorescence from the other polythiophene, poly(3,3′-didodecyl quarter thiophene) was found to be quenched when blended with phenyl C₆₁ butyric acid methyl ester (PCBM) (1:1 wt ratio), indicating the charge transfer from the conjugated polymer to PCBM.

Keywords:

• Thiophene copolymers
• fluorescence quenching
• solar cells
• IPCE

Acknowledgment

Financial support from the U.S. Army Natick Soldier Research, Development and Engineering Center (DAAD16-01-C-0011) and NSF (INT-0243011 and ECS-0601602) are gratefully acknowledged. Part of the research was performed while LL held a National Research Council Senior Research Associateship at US Army Natick Soldier Research, Development and Engineering Center.

Dedicated to the memory of Professor Sukant K. Tripathy