Improved efficiency of small-molecular (S-M) tandem organic solar cells (TOSCs) by employing low work function alloy nanoparticle intermediate layer

Abstract We improved the power conversion efficiency (PCE) of the small molecular (S-M) tandem organic solar cells (TOSCs) by employing different low work function alloy nanoparticle intermediate layers. The enhancement of the PCE was mainly attributed to the gap states formed at the interface between the buffer layer and alloy nanoparticle intermediate layer. The gap states result in the disappearance of the electron injection barrier. Compared with the planar heterojunction (PHJ) TOSCs with single Ag nanoparticle intermediate layer, the PCE of the PHJ TOSC with the Mg-Ag alloy nanoparticle intermediate layer exhibits an enhancement of 7.5%. Moreover, the Mg-Ag alloy nanoparticle intermediate layer was also employed in the bulk-heterojunction (BHJ) TOSCs. Compared with the PHJ TOSCs, the PCE of the BHJ TOSCs with Mg-Ag alloy nanoparticle intermediate layer is doubled and achieves a value of 5.54%.