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Published in:
OE-A Roadmap for Organic and Printed Electronics Read chapter Read first chapter

2013 | OriginalPaper | Chapter

2. Solution-Processed Organic Photovoltaics

Authors : Claudia N. Hoth, Pavel Schilinsky, Stelios A. Choulis, Srinivasan Balasubramanian, Christoph J. Brabec

Published in: Applications of Organic and Printed Electronics

Publisher: Springer US

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Abstract

The technology of organic solar cells has matured to an extent that commercialization of first products has already started. However, with the first products pushing into the market, the research community realizes that a qualified product requires more than only high efficiency and good stability. Cost is of course as important as efficiency and lifetime, but to achieve high productivity, multiple technologic challenges have still to be solved. To reduce production costs, printing of functional layers from solution has evolved to a promising manufacturing technology for flexible organic electronics. Current processing of organic photovoltaic devices is mainly based on traditional methods like spin coating or doctor blading. However, these techniques have several disadvantages such as the incompatibility with a roll-to-roll setup and the processing of only small areas at laboratory scale. Enormous benefits in the manufacturing of organic photovoltaics are achieved by using low-cost roll-to-roll capable technologies including screen printing, spray coating, inkjet printing, gravure/flexographic printing and curtain/slot die coating. This review will shed some light on the role and importance of production technologies for organic photovoltaics and give an update on the most recent achievements in the field.

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previous chapter OE-A Roadmap for Organic and Printed Electronics
next chapter High-Performance Organic Light-Emitting Diode Displays
Footnotes
1
External quantum efficiency (EQE) is the percentage of the number of electrons extracted out of a solar cell per incident photon.
 
2
In this chapter, following the widespread convention, J is the symbol of a current density, while I stands for a current.
 
3
Solar cells are typically measured at AM1.5G and a light intensity of 100 mW/cm². The “Air Mass” (AM) factor is defined as the quotient between the actual optical path length of sunlight and the optical path length when the sun is directly overhead; AM1.5G characterizes white light with a spectral intensity distribution matching that of the sun rising at a tilt angle of 37° on the earth’s surface.
 
4
The charge transport is field driven and the relevant transport parameters are the carrier mobility µ, carrier lifetime τ and internal electric field E.
 
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Metadata
Title
Solution-Processed Organic Photovoltaics
Authors
Claudia N. Hoth
Pavel Schilinsky
Stelios A. Choulis
Srinivasan Balasubramanian
Christoph J. Brabec
Copyright Year
2013
Publisher
Springer US
Book
Applications of Organic and Printed Electronics

Print ISBN: 978-1-4614-3159-6

Electronic ISBN: 978-1-4614-3160-2

Copyright Year: 2013

DOI
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4614-3160-2_2