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None-fullerene solar cells with ternary architecture have attracted much attention because it is an effective approach for boosting the device power conversion efficiency. Here, the crystalline polymer N2200 as the third component is integrated into J71:ITIC bulk heterojunction. A series of characterizations indicate that N2200 could increase photo-harvesting, balanced hole and electron mobilities, enhanced exciton dissociation, and suppressed charge recombination, which result in the comprehensive improvement of open circuit voltage, short circuit current and fill factor in the device. Moreover, after introduction of N2200, the morphology of the ternary active layer is optimized, and the film crystallinity is improved. This work demonstrates that adding a small quantity of high crystallization acceptor into non-fullerene donor: acceptor mixture is a promising strategy toward developing high-performance organic solar cells. Image 1 • The effect of the crystalline polymer N2200 as the third component into J71:ITIC bulk heterojunction was investigated. • The enhanced device efficiency was attributed to balanced charge mobilities, and enhanced exciton dissociation. • The morphology and crystallization of the ternary active layer were optimized. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Interfacial compatibility between the electrode and organic semiconductor plays a critical role in controlling the charge transport and hence efficiency of organic solar cell. Here, we introduce a novel small-molecule zwitterionic electrolyte (S1) combined with ZnO as electron transporting interlayer employed for the inverted PTB7:PC 71 BM bulk heterojunction solar cell. The resulting device with the S1/ZnO stacked interlayer achieves a high PCE of 8.59%, obtaining a 16.2% improvement over the control device performance of 7.4% without the S1 attributed to the significant increased short-circuit current density and fill factor. The interfacial properties are investigated. It is found that the S1/ZnO interlayer possess an ultralow work function of 3.6 eV, which originates from the interfacial double dipole step induced by the zwitterionic side chain electrostatic realignment at interface. The S1/ZnO interlayer exhibits the excellent charge extraction ability, suppresses the charge recombination loss and decreases the series resistance at the active layer/electrode contact. Graphical abstract Image 1 Highlights • S1 coated ZnO layer is employed as electron transporting layer for inverted organic solar cell. • S1/ZnO stacked interlayer exhibits the excellent charge extraction ability. • ZnO/S1 stacked interlayer has an ultralow work function of 3.6 eV. • The efficiency of the device with the S1/ZnO interlayer constitutes a 16.2% improvement over that of the controlled device. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Room temperature flexible heat harvesters based on conducting polymers are ideally suited to cover the energy demands of the modern nomadic society. The optimization of their thermoelectric efficiency is usually sought by tuning the oxidation levels of the conducting polymers, even if such methodology is detrimental to the Seebeck coefficient ( S ) as both the Seebeck coefficient and the electrical conductivity ( σ ) are antagonistically related to the carrier concentration. Here we report a concurrent increase of S and σ and we experimentally derive the dependence of Seebeck coefficient on charge carrier mobility for the first time in organic electronics. Through specific control of the conducting polymer synthesis, we enabled the formation of a denser percolation network that facilitated the charge transport and the thermodiffusion of the charge carriers inside the conducting polymer layer, while the material shifted from a Fermi glass towards a semi-metal, as its crystallinity increased. This work sheds light upon the origin of the thermoelectric properties of conducting polymers, but also underlines the importance of enhanced charge carrier mobility for the design of efficient thermoelectric polymers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Energy level alignment and spin polarization at tetracyanoquinodimethane/Fe and acridine orange base/Fe interfaces are investigated by means of photoelectron spectroscopy and X-ray magnetic circular dichroism (XMCD), respectively, to explore their potential application in organic spintronics. Interface dipoles are observed at both hybrid interfaces, and the work function of Fe is increased by 0.7eV for the tetracyanoquinodimethane (TCNQ) case, while it is decreased by 1.2eV for the acridine orange base (AOB) case. According to XMCD results, TCNQ molecule has little influence on the spin polarization of Fe surface. In contrast, AOB molecule reduces the interfacial spin polarization of Fe significantly. Induced spin polarization of the two organic molecules at the interfaces is not observed. The results reveal the necessity of investigating the magnetic property changes of both the OSC and the FM during the process of energy level alignment engineering. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Persistent photoconductivity (PPC) behavior in organic phototransistors has fascinating potentials in applications of photoelectronic devices. A key issue is how the presence of air affects the PPC behavior. Here, combining with the theoretical and experimental results, the PPC behavior is associated with photogenerated electrons trapped in oxygen atom-induced the reduced Lowest Unoccupied Molecular Orbitals or oxygen molecule-induced new trap state within energy bandgap of organic semiconductor. Inspired by the potential applications arising from the PPC behavior, organic memory phototransistors (OMPTs) are achieved by light programming and electrical erasing. The OMPTs show bistable current states as well as long retention times. Our results suggested that oxygen in air plays a key role in PPC behavior and provides a guidance for controlling the PPC behavior toward integrated multifunctional optoelectronic devices. [Display omitted] • 2DMCs are used as OSCs layer to rule out the influence of grain boundaries on OPTs. • PPC behavior can be obtained when OPTs measured in air compared with OPTs measured under vacuum. • Oxygen-induced trap states play a critical role in PPC behavior. • Memory characteristics arising from PPC behavior are investigated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: We report a method for inkjet-printing an organic semiconductor layer on top of the electrolyte insulator layer in polyelectrolyte-gated OFETs by using a surface modification treatment to overcome the underlying wettability problem at this interface. The method includes depositing an amphiphilic diblock copolymer (P3HT-b-PDMAEMA). This material is designed to have one set of blocks that mimics the hydrophobic properties of the semiconductor (poly(3-hexylthiophene) or P3HT), while the other set of blocks include polar components that improve adhesion to the polyelectrolyte insulator. Contact angle measurements, atomic force microscopy, and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy confirm formation of the desired surface modification film. Successful inkjet printing of a smooth semiconductor layer allows us to manufacture complete transistor structures that exhibit low-voltage operation in the range of 1V. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Substantial potential steps ∼0.5eV are frequently observed in organic multilayers of donor and acceptor molecules. Often such potential steps depend on the order in which the individual layers are deposited, or on which substrate they are deposited. In this paper we outline a model for these potential steps, based upon integer charge transfer between donors and acceptors, charge equilibration across the multilayer, and simple electrostatics. Each donor, acceptor, or substrate material is characterized by a pinning level, and the potential profile can be deduced from the sequential order of the layers, and the differences between their pinning levels. For particular orderings we predict that intrinsic potential differences lead to electric fields across individual layers, which may falsely be interpreted as band bending. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]