Single-Wall Carbon Nanotubes as Transparent Electrodes for Photovoltaics

Transparent and electrically conductive coatings and films have a variety of uses in the fast-growing field of optoelectronic applications. Transparent electrodes typically include semiconductive metal oxides such as indium tin oxide (ITO), and conducting polymers such as poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene), doped and stabilized with poly(styrenesulfonate) (PEDOT/PSS). In recent years, Eikos, Inc. has conceived and developed technologies to deliver novel alternatives using single-wall carbon nanotubes (SWNT). These technologies offer products having a broad range of conductivity, excellent transparency, neutral color tone, good adhesion, abrasion resistance as well as mechanical robustness. Additional benefits include ease of ambient processing and patterning capability. This paper reports our recent findings on achieving 2.6% and 1.4% efficiencies on nonoptimized organic photovoltaic cells employing SWNT as a transparent electrode