A non-fullerene organic solar cell with a small driving force and a photovoltage of 1.11V

For the first time, NC state researchers and others have demonstrated a highly efficient fullerene-free organic solar cell (OSC) with a negligible driving force for charge transfer. This unique finding plays major roles in understanding the root of non-radiative recombination in OSCs which is known to have a dramatic effect on photovoltage.

In a paper published in Nature Energy, Harald Ade, Kenan Gundogdu and researchers from Sweden and China demonstrated a non-fullerene OSC with 9.5% power conversion efficiency, and nearly 90% internal quantum efficiency. Interestingly, despite the negligible deriving force, an open-circuit vol
tage of 1.11 V was recorded in an OSC comprising an electron donor polymer with a bandgap of 1.72 eV.