Fullerene-Polymer Photovoltaic Thin-Film Devices

"This Phase II project continues the development of an ew method of photovolatic power generation based on thin-films of conducting polymers in combination with carbon fullernes and nanotubes. Using ionic self-assenbled monolayer (ISAM) techniques, it ispossible to create ultrathin films of photovoltaic material that can be applied to flexible transparent substrates to generate electricity. Luna Innovations demonstrated that the ISAM technique could be used to fabricate polymer light-emitting diodes andelectrochromic thin-films. Photovoltaic devices are another important area of opportunity for conducting polymersused in combination with various electron acceptor materials, including fullerness. Photoexcitation results in a rapid charge transfer fromthe polymeer to the fullerene. The precise spatial positioning of the electron acceptor and ploymer layers using ISAM fabrication provides enhanced charge separation andphotovoltaic response by orders of megnitude, comparable to that of silicon photodiode.ISAM polymer photovoltaic thin-films offer additional major advantages of excellent homogeneity high mechanical, thermal and chemical stability, and low-cost. The development of ISAM photovoltaic devices can result in high-efficiency and lightweightpolymer solar cells. One could produce 10,000 m2 of active solar panels with a film thickness of the organic active layer of 100nm using only 1 kg of organic material."