Organic P-N Junction Solar Cells

Abstract

A number of solid state organic solar cells have been prepared and tested in simulated sunlight. Photovoltaic effects were consistent with the formation of a rectifying junction at the interface between a triphenylmethane dye (n-type) and a merocyanine dye (p-type). The most efficient device consisted of a sandwich of thin layers of indium-tin oxide/malachite green/a benzothiazole-rhodanine merocyanine/Au on Pyrex. Exposure of the cell to chlorine vapour in the absence of air improved the sunlight efficiency to 0.12%. Investigations of the photocurrent action spectrum, rectification and capacitance have given mechanistic information on the photovoltaic energy conversion processes.