Modulated Photocurrent Spectroscopy Study of the Electronic Transport Properties of Working Organic Photovoltaics: Degradation Analysis

Electronic transport measurement using modulated photocurrent (MPC) spectroscopy is demonstrated herein in working organic photovoltaics (OPVs) before and after AM1.5G irradiation. OPVs with bulk heterojunction (BHJ) using prototypical donor and acceptor materials, poly[[4,8-bis[(2-ethylhexyl)oxy]benzo[1–2-b:4,5-b′]dithiophene-2,6-diyl][3-fluoro-2-[(2-ethylhexyl)carbonyl] = hieno [3–4-b]thiophenediyl]] (PTB7) and [6,6]-phenyl-C71-butyric acid methyl ester (PC(71)BM), were fabricated. The OPVs had inverted structures (BHJs are formed on transparent conductive oxide substrates). The photovoltaic performance of PTB7:PC(71)BM OPVs was characterized and the best power conversion efficiency was obtained at PTB7 content of 40 wt%. Electron and hole mobility were determined with MPC spectroscopy in PTB7:PC(71)BM OPVs and were well balanced at PTB7 content of 40 wt%. Degradation of the photovoltaic performance of PTB7:PC(71)BM OPVs with PTB7 content of 40 wt% caused by AM1.5G irradiation was studied. MPC spectroscopy showed that the well-balanced mobility was not affected by AM1.5G irradiation. The degradation of OPVs was not due to changes in the electronic transport properties, but mainly to the reduced short circuit current (J(sc)) and fill factor (FF). The origin of this reduction is discussed.