The Photovoltaic Effect in Naphthacene–Gold Layers

Abstract

The photovoltaic effect in gold–naphthacene thin layers has been studied. By excitation in the region of the visible absorption band of naphthacene (2.4–3.0 eV), it was found that the photovoltage consists of two components; one with a short response time, caused by the electron transfer across the boundary between gold and naphthacene, and the other with a long response time, attributable to a diffusion process in the naphthacene film. The lifetime of carriers produced by the former process was estimated to be 0.08 s at least, decaying by the recombination of trapped holes in naphthacene with electrons in gold. Photovoltage was also observed in a region of wavelengths greater than the visible absorption band of naphthacene.