Modeling and Simulation of Organic Photodetectors for Low Light Intensity Applications

In this paper, we investigate the dynamic response of two different bulk heterojunction organic photodetectors over a large illumination and frequency range. To our knowledge, there is no similar study that includes the nW/cm² regime. Photocurrent transient measurements reveal that the interlayer at the hole-extracting electrode is critical for the device performance under ultralow illumination. Furthermore, we observe a nonlinear cutoff frequency behavior over the illumination range, which we attribute to interface-related phenomena. We perform a detailed simulation study of the transient response for the measured samples. Making use of a drift diffusion model that also takes into account charge trapping and detrapping effects, both in bulk and at material interfaces, we are able to successfully reproduce the measured transients. Based on our simulations, we propose an explanation for this effect: it can be attributed to the interplay between the potential landscape seen by the charge carriers and to the presence of a large concentration of interface trap states, as well as of fixed interface charges. The importance of smart interface engineering as a key factor for device optimization is also highlighted.