Table of Contents
Abstract i
Résumé iii
Acknowledgements v
List of the Publications vii
List of Acronyms ix
1 Introduction 1
2 A Renewable Source of Energy 5
2.1 Overview of Solar Cell Technologies . . . 5
2.1.1 Economic Considerations . . . 13
2.2 Challenges Facing Organic Solar Cells . . . 17
2.2.1 Active Materials . . . 19
2.2.2 Blocking Layers . . . 25
2.2.3 Electrodes . . . 26
2.2.4 Device Stability . . . 29
2.2.5 Roll-to-roll Printing Technique . . . 32
2.3 Environmental Impacts . . . 35
2.3.1 Impacts of the Electrodes . . . 38
2.3.2 Recyclable Solar Cells . . . 40
2.4 The TeraWatts Challenge by 2050 . . . 44
3 Theoretical Tools 49 3.1 Eciency and I(V ) Curve . . . 49
3.2 Shockley-Queisser Theory and its Generalization . . . 51
3.2.1 Detailed Balance Theory for Conventional Solar Cells . . . . 52
3.2.2 Detailed Balance Theory for Exciton-Regulated Solar Cells . 55 3.2.3 Complementary Considerations . . . 58
3.3 Computation of the External Quantum Eciency . . . 63
xii TABLE OF CONTENTS
3.3.2 EQE for Organic Bilayer Solar Cells . . . 71
3.4 Conclusion . . . 75
4 Light Injection Management via Homo-Tandems 77 4.1 Introduction . . . 78
4.1.1 Advantages and Constraints of Parallel and Series Connection 78 4.1.2 ITO-free front electrode . . . 80
4.2 Materials and Method . . . 80
4.2.1 Studied Materials and Types of Cells . . . 80
4.2.2 Simulation Method . . . 82
4.2.3 Series vs Parallel Connection . . . 83
4.2.4 An Important Design Constraint : the Maximum Active Thick-ness, Lmax . . . 84
4.2.5 An Important Economic Constraint : the Total Active Thick-ness, h2+ h4 . . . 84
4.2.6 Special Emphasis on the 3T Architecture . . . 85
4.3 Numerical Results with the Theoretical Material . . . 86
4.3.1 Optimal Design as a Function of Lmax . . . 86
4.3.2 Comparison of TRTC and ITO Electrodes . . . 86
4.3.3 Signs of Microcavity Eects . . . 87
4.3.4 Saving Material Thanks to Interferences . . . 88
4.3.5 Eect of the UTMF Thickness in 2T . . . 88
4.3.6 Eect of the UTMF thickness in 3T . . . 90
4.4 Numerical Results with the Realistic Materials . . . 92
4.4.1 Additional Results about 3T . . . 96
4.5 Discussion . . . 99
4.5.1 Additional Discussion about 3T . . . 99
5 Fluorescence Loss Management 101 5.1 Introduction . . . 102
5.2 Numerical Results . . . 103
5.2.1 First Example: High-Eciency Cell . . . 105
5.2.2 Second Example: Low Eciency Cell . . . 106
5.3 Discussion . . . 108 6 Conclusions and Outlook 111
Bibliography 131
TABLE OF CONTENTS xiii A Charge Carrier Diusion Derivation 135
A.1 PN-Junction . . . 137
A.2 Transport Equations . . . 137
A.3 Depletion Approximation and Boundary Conditions . . . 139
A.4 Current-Voltage Curve . . . 141
B How the Central UTMF Inuence 2T Performances 143 C How the Central UTMF Inuence 3T Performances 145 C.1 PTB7:PC71BM . . . 145
C.2 Perovskite . . . 150
C.3 P3HT:PC61BM . . . 153