Use of silicon nanoparticle for the photocurrent enhancement of organic solar cell

This report presents the enhancement of photocurrent of bulk heterojunction organic solar cell (OSC) using silicon nanoparticles (Si-NPs). Si-NPs were mixed homogeneously with the blend of poly(3-hexylthiophene) (P3HT) and phenyl-C61-butyric acid methyl ester (PCBM) polymer by sonication. The solar cell was fabricated by sandwiching Si-NPs mixed bulk-heterojunction of P3HT:PCBM blend between Indium-tin-oxide (ITO) and Aluminium (Al) contacts. Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM) and Energy Dispersive X-ray Analysis (EDAX) of the Si-NPs mixed blend confirmed the presence of the Si-NPs. Si-NPs were found to enhance the absorption of the P3HT:PCBM. The absorption was higher when the blend was spin-coated at lower speed. Absorption was also found to increase with the thickness of the coated layer. As a consequence of addition of the Si-NPs with the P3HT:PCBM huge enhancement of solar-cell photocurrent was observed. Experimental results show that the performance of OSC can be enhanced using Si-NPs mixed with P3HT:PCBM.