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Surface-Plasmon-Enhanced Organic Thin-Film Solar Cells

Metallic nanoparticles fabricated using a fast and cost-effective nanofabrication technique can be used in the optoelectronics industry.

Fabrication of two-dimensional metal nanoparticle arrays was achieved both by thermal annealing and nanosphere lithography techniques, which are both very fast and economic. The surface plasmon resonance of the fabricated nanostructure was analyzed experimentally by optical absorption spectroscopy and theoretically by three-dimensional finite-difference time-domain (FDTD) calculation. The surface plasmon resonance frequency of the metal nanos- tructure can be modified to match the solar spectrum by adjusting several processing parameters. These results will provide a database of the surface plasmon resonance of different metal nanoparticle arrays with different sizes and shapes.

Nanoscale optical characterization of the metal nanoparticles was performed using near-field scanning optical microscopy (NSOM), and the effects of the surface plasmon were studied. Strong near-field electric field was detected near the metal nanoparticle when using light that matched the surface plasmon resonance of the metal nanoparticles. The induced high electric field only exists at the metal-dielectric interface and decays

exponentially when moving away from the interface. Therefore, the optical absorption should be greatly enhanced near the metal nanoparticles. The scientific impact of these measurements provided necessary evidence as to whether effects of surface plasmon can be used to enhance the power conversion efficiency.

The metal nanoparticle arrays were fabricated on top of transparent conducting oxides (ITO). A standard organic solar cell was subsequently fabricated on top of the array. The metal and the organic layer were very close, and the plasmonic effects can enhance the optical absorption. Standard incident photon-to-current conversion efficiency (IPCE) measurements were performed to determine the plasmonic effects on the conversion efficiency at different optical wavelengths. An organic thin-film solar cell with enhanced conversion efficiency is expected in this study.

Gold nanoparticles fabricated by thermal annealing of gold thin films were studied using NSOM. The transmitted intensity by an NSOM operating at illumination mode was recorded when using light sources with different wavelengths. The transmitted intensity contrast between the gold nanoparticle and the background is higher when the localized surface plasmon resonance of the gold nanoparticle matches the wavelength of the light source. This phenomenon was theoretically confirmed by the three-dimensional FDTD simulations. Therefore, gold nanoparticles with controlled sizes can be distinguished by NSOM in this study, while conventional atomic force microscopy (AFM) can only recognize the existence of nanoparticles. By modifying the surface of metal nanoparticles differently according to their sizes, one can obtain material-specific NSOM images and reveal more material information compared to the current AFM images. Further development of this technique will be beneficial for future nano-imaging of biomolecular studies.

This work was done by Yia-Chung Chang of the Academia Sinica for the Asian Office of Aerospace Research and Development. For more information, download the Technical Support Package (free white paper) at www.defensetechbriefs.com/tsp  under the Manufacturing & Prototyping category. AFRL-0154

Topics:
Fabrication Heat treatment Imaging and visualization Manufacturing & Prototyping Manufacturing processes Metallurgy Metals Microscopy Optics Research and development
This Brief includes a Technical Support Package (TSP).
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Surface-Plasmon-Enhanced Organic Thin-Film Solar Cells

(reference AFRL-0154) is currently available for download from the TSP library.

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    Defense Tech Briefs Magazine

    This article first appeared in the October, 2010 issue of Defense Tech Briefs Magazine (Vol. 4 No. 5).

    Read more articles from this issue here.

    Read more articles from the archives here.

    Overview

    The document is a final report on a research project titled "Surface-Plasmon-Enhanced Organic Thin-Film Solar Cells," conducted under the auspices of AOARD (Asian Office of Aerospace Research and Development). The project, led by Yia-Chung Chang from Academia Sinica in Taiwan, spans from May 22, 2008, to May 21, 2009, and focuses on investigating the effects of surface plasmon resonance on the performance of organic solar cells.

    The research explores the integration of metallic nanoparticles into organic thin films to enhance solar cell efficiency. These nanoparticles, fabricated using thermal annealing and Nanosphere lithography, are studied both experimentally and theoretically to understand their surface plasmon resonance characteristics. The report highlights the use of Near-field Scanning Optical Microscopy (NSOM) to measure the strength of the optical near-field generated near the metal nanoparticles when illuminated with resonant light. The findings indicate that significant electric fields are produced due to the surface plasmon effects, which can enhance the performance of photonic devices.

    The document outlines several key accomplishments, including published research on enhanced near-field imaging contrasts of silver nanoparticles and studies on carrier transport in AlGaN/GaN structures. These findings contribute to the broader understanding of plasmonic effects in optoelectronic applications.

    The report emphasizes the potential for future work in developing plasmonic-enhanced photonic devices and improving nanofabrication techniques. The integration of selected metal nanoparticles with organic thin films is identified as a promising area for further investigation, with the goal of advancing technologies in the optoelectronic industry.

    Overall, the research aims to improve the understanding of plasmonic effects in organic solar cells and to explore new applications for these findings in future technologies. The document concludes with a call for continued exploration of these innovative approaches to enhance solar cell performance and efficiency, which could lead to significant advancements in renewable energy technologies. The report is approved for public release, indicating its relevance and potential impact on the scientific community and industry.

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