Tandem Photovoltaic Cells
Tandem photovoltaic cells, as well as related components, systems, and methods, are disclosed.
1 . A system, comprising:
first and second electrodes;
a first photoactive layer between the first and second electrodes; and
a second photoactive layer between the second electrode and the first photoactive layer;
wherein at least one of the first and second photoactive layers comprises a polymer including a first comonomer repeat unit and a second comonomer repeat unit different from the first comonomer repeat unit, the first comonomer repeat unit comprises a cyclopentadithiophene moiety, and the system is configured as a tandem photovoltaic cell.
2 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the cyclopentadithiophene moiety is substituted with at least one substituent selected from the group consisting of C 1 -C 20 alkyl, C 1 -C 20 alkoxy, C 3 -C 20 cycloalkyl, C 1 -C 20 heterocycloalkyl, aryl, heteroaryl, halo, CN, OR, C(O)R, C(O)OR, and SO 2 R; R being H, C 1 -C 20 alkyl, C 1 -C 20 alkoxy, aryl, heteroaryl, C 3 -C 20 cycloalkyl, or C 1 -C 20 heterocycloalkyl.
3 . The system of claim 2 , wherein the cyclopentadithiophene moiety is substituted with hexyl, 2-ethylhexyl, or 3,7-dimethyloctyl.
4 . The system of claim 3 , wherein the cyclopentadithiophene moiety is substituted at 4-position.
5 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the first comonomer repeat unit comprises a cyclopentadithiophene moiety of formula (1):
wherein each of R 1 , R 2 , R 3 , and R 4 , independently, is H, C 1 -C 20 alkyl, C 1 -C 20 alkoxy, C 3 -C 20 cycloalkyl, C 1 -C 20 heterocycloalkyl, aryl, heteroaryl, halo, CN, OR, C(O)R, C(O)OR, or SO 2 R; in which R is H, C 1 -C 20 alkyl, C 1 -C 20 alkoxy, aryl, heteroaryl, C 3 -C 20 cycloalkyl, or C 1 -C 20 heterocycloalkyl.
6 . The system of claim 5 , wherein each of R 1 and R 2 , independently, is hexyl, 2-ethylhexyl, or 3,7-dimethyloctyl.
7 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the second comonomer repeat unit comprises a benzothiadiazole moiety, a thiadiazoloquinoxaline moiety, a cyclopentadithiophene oxide moiety, a benzoisothiazole moiety, a benzothiazole moiety, a thiophene oxide moiety, a thienothiophene moiety, a thienothiophene oxide moiety, a dithienothiophene moiety, a dithienothiophene oxide moiety, a tetrahydroisoindole moiety, a fluorene moiety, a silole moiety, a cyclopentadithiophene moiety, a fluorene moiety, a thiazole moiety, a selenophene moiety, a thiazolothiazole moiety, a cyclopentadithiazole moiety, a naphthothiadiazole moiety, a thienopyrazine moiety, a silacyclopentadithiophene moiety, an oxazole moiety, an imidazole moiety, a pyrimidine moiety, a benzoxazole moiety, or a benzimidazole moiety.
8 . The system of claim 7 , wherein the second comonomer repeat unit comprises a benzothiadiazole moiety, a thiophene moiety, a thiophene dioxide moiety, or a thiazole moiety.
9 . The system of claim 7 , wherein the second comonomer repeat unit comprises a benzothiadiazole moiety of formula (2), a thiadiazoloquinoxaline moiety of formula (3), a cyclopentadithiophene dioxide moiety of formula (4), a cyclopentadithiophene monoxide moiety of formula (5), a benzoisothiazole moiety of formula (6), a benzothiazole moiety of formula (7), a thiophene dioxide moiety of formula (8), a cyclopentadithiophene dioxide moiety of formula (9), a cyclopentadithiophene tetraoxide moiety of formula (10), a thienothiophene moiety of formula (11), a thienothiophene tetraoxide moiety of formula (12), a dithienothiophene moiety of formula (13), a dithienothiophene dioxide moiety of formula (14), a dithienothiophene tetraoxide moiety of formula (15), a tetrahydroisoindole moiety of formula (16), a thienothiophene dioxide moiety of formula (17), a dithienothiophene dioxide moiety of formula (18), a fluorene moiety of formula (19), a silole moiety of formula (20), a cyclopentadithiophene moiety of formula (21), a fluorenone moiety of formula (22), a thiazole moiety of formula (23), a selenophene moiety of formula (24), a thiazolothiazole moiety of formula (25), a cyclopentadithiazole moiety of formula (26), a naphthothiadiazole moiety of formula (27), a thienopyrazine moiety of formula (28), a silacyclopentadithiophene moiety of formula (29), an oxazole moiety of formula (30), an imidazole moiety of formula (31), a pyrimidine moiety of formula (32), a benzoxazole moiety of formula (33), or a benzimidazole moiety of formula (34):
where
each of X and Y, independently, is CH 2 , O, or S;
each of R 5 and R 6 , independently, is H, C 1 -C 20 alkyl, C 1 -C 20 alkoxy, C 3 -C 20 cycloalkyl, C 1 -C 20 heterocycloalkyl, aryl, heteroaryl, halo, CN, OR, C(O)R, C(O)OR, or SO 2 R, in which R is H, C 1 -C 20 alkyl, C 1 -C 20 alkoxy, aryl, heteroaryl, C 3 -C 20 cycloalkyl, or C 1 -C 20 heterocycloalkyl; and
each of R 7 and R 8 , independently, is H, C 1 -C 20 alkyl, C 1 -C 20 alkoxy, aryl, heteroaryl, C 3 -C 20 cycloalkyl, or C 3 -C 20 heterocycloalkyl.
10 . The system of claim 9 , wherein the second comonomer repeat unit comprises a benzothiadiazole moiety of formula (2), in which each of R 5 and R 6 is H.
11 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the second comonomer repeat unit comprises at least three thiophene moieties.
12 . The system of claim 11 , wherein at least one of the thiophene moieties is substituted with at least one substituent selected from the group consisting of C 1 -C 20 alkyl, C 1 -C 20 alkoxy, aryl, heteroaryl, C 3 -C 20 cycloalkyl, and C 3 -C 20 heterocycloalkyl.
13 . The system of claim 11 , wherein the second comonomer repeat unit comprises five thiophene moieties.
14 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the polymer further comprises a third comonomer repeat unit.
15 . The system of claim 14 , wherein the third comonomer repeat unit further comprises a thiophene moiety or a fluorene moiety.
16 . The system of claim 15 , wherein the thiophene or fluorene moiety is substituted with at least one substituent selected from the group consisting of C 1 -C 20 alkyl, C 1 -C 20 alkoxy, aryl, heteroaryl, C 3 -C 20 cycloalkyl, and C 3 -C 20 heterocycloalkyl.
17 . The system of claim 1 , further comprising a recombination layer.
18 . The system of claim 17 , wherein the recombination layer comprises a p-type semiconductor material and an n-type semiconductor material.
19 . The system of claim 18 , wherein the p-type and n-type semiconductor materials are blended into one layer.
20 . The system of claim 18 , wherein the recombination layer comprises two layers, one layer comprising the p-type semiconductor material and the other layer comprising the n-type semiconductor material.
21 . The system of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the first and second electrodes comprises a mesh electrode.
22 . A system, comprising:
first and second electrodes;
a first photoactive layer between the first and second electrodes; and
a second photoactive layer between the second electrode and the first photoactive layer;
wherein at least one of the first and second photoactive layers comprises a polymer including a first comonomer repeat unit and a second comonomer repeat unit different from the first comonomer repeat unit, the first comonomer repeat unit comprises a silacyclopentadithiophene moiety, and the system is configured as a tandem photovoltaic cell.
23 . The system of claim 22 , wherein the silacyclopentadithiophene moiety is substituted with at least one substituent selected from the group consisting of C 1 -C 20 alkyl, C 1 -C 20 alkoxy, C 3 -C 20 cycloalkyl, C 1 -C 20 heterocycloalkyl, aryl, heteroaryl, halo, CN, OR, C(O)R, C(O)OR, and SO 2 R; R being H, C 1 -C 20 alkyl, C 1 -C 20 alkoxy, aryl, heteroaryl, C 3 -C 20 cycloalkyl, or C 1 -C 20 heterocycloalkyl.
24 . The system of claim 23 , wherein the silacyclopentadithiophene moiety is substituted with hexyl, 2-ethylhexyl, or 3,7-dimethyloctyl.
25 . The system of claim 24 , wherein the silacyclopentadithiophene moiety is substituted at 4-position.
26 . The system of claim 22 , wherein the first comonomer repeat unit comprises a silacyclopentadithiophene moiety of formula (29):
wherein each of R 5 , R 6 , R 7 , and R 8 , independently, is H, C 1 -C 20 alkyl, C 1 -C 20 alkoxy, C 3 -C 20 cycloalkyl, C 1 -C 20 heterocycloalkyl, aryl, heteroaryl, halo, CN, OR, C(O)R, C(O)OR, or SO 2 R; in which R is H, C 1 -C 20 alkyl, C 1 -C 20 alkoxy, aryl, heteroaryl, C 3 -C 20 cycloalkyl, or C 1 -C 20 heterocycloalkyl.
27 . The system of claim 26 , wherein each of R 5 and R 6 , independently, is hexyl, 2-ethylhexyl, or 3,7-dimethyloctyl.
28 . The system of claim 22 , wherein the second comonomer repeat unit comprises a benzothiadiazole moiety, a thiadiazoloquinoxaline moiety, a cyclopentadithiophene oxide moiety, a benzoisothiazole moiety, a benzothiazole moiety, a thiophene oxide moiety, a thienothiophene moiety, a thienothiophene oxide moiety, a dithienothiophene moiety, a dithienothiophene oxide moiety, a tetrahydroisoindole moiety, a fluorene moiety, a silole moiety, a cyclopentadithiophene moiety, a fluorenone moiety, a thiazole moiety, a selenophene moiety, a thiazolothiazole moiety, a cyclopentadithiazole moiety, a naphthothiadiazole moiety, a thienopyrazine moiety, a silacyclopentadithiophene moiety, an oxazole moiety, an imidazole moiety, a pyrimidine moiety, a benzoxazole moiety, or a benzimidazole moiety.
29 . The system of claim 28 , wherein the second comonomer repeat unit comprises a benzothiadiazole moiety, a thiophene moiety, a thiophene dioxide moiety, or a thiazole moiety.
30 . The system of claim 28 , wherein the second comonomer repeat unit comprises a benzothiadiazole moiety of formula (2), a thiadiazoloquinoxaline moiety of formula (3), a cyclopentadithiophene monoxide moiety of formula (4), a cyclopentadithiophene monoxide moiety of formula (5), a benzoisothiazole moiety of formula (6), a benzothiazole moiety of formula (7), a thiophene dioxide moiety of formula (8), a cyclopentadithiophene dioxide moiety of formula (9), a cyclopentadithiophene tetraoxide moiety of formula (10), a thienothiophene moiety of formula (11), a thienothiophene tetraoxide moiety of formula (12), a dithienothiophene moiety of formula (13), a dithienothiophene dioxide moiety of formula (14), a dithienothiophene tetraoxide moiety of formula (15), a tetrahydroisoindole moiety of formula (16), a thienothiophene dioxide moiety of formula (17), a dithienothiophene dioxide moiety of formula (18), a fluorene moiety of formula (19), a silole moiety of formula (20), a cyclopentadithiophene moiety of formula (21), a fluorenone moiety of formula (22), a thiazole moiety of formula (23), a selenophene moiety of formula (24), a thiazolothiazole moiety of formula (25), a cyclopentadithiazole moiety of formula (26), a naphthothiadiazole moiety of formula (27), a thienopyrazine moiety of formula (28), an oxazole moiety of formula (30), an imidazole moiety of formula (31), a pyrimidine moiety of formula (32), a benzoxazole moiety of formula (33), or a benzimidazole moiety of formula (34):
wherein
each of X and Y, independently, is CH 2 , O, or S;
each of R 5 and R 6 , independently, is H, C 1 -C 20 alkyl, C 1 -C 20 alkoxy, C 3 -C 20 cycloalkyl, C 1 -C 20 heterocycloalkyl, aryl, heteroaryl, halo, CN, OR, C(O)R, C(O)OR, or SO 2 R, in which R is H, C 1 -C 20 alkyl, C 1 -C 20 alkoxy, aryl, heteroaryl, C 3 -C 20 cycloalkyl, or C 1 -C 20 heterocycloalkyl; and
each of R 7 and R 8 , independently, is H, C 1 -C 20 alkyl, C 1 -C 20 alkoxy, aryl, heteroaryl, C 3 -C 20 cycloalkyl, or C 3 -C 20 heterocycloalkyl.
31 . The system of claim 30 , wherein the second comonomer repeat unit comprises a benzothiadiazole moiety of formula (2), in which each of R 5 and R 6 is H.
32 . The system of claim 22 , wherein the second comonomer repeat unit comprises at least three thiophene moieties.
33 . The system of claim 32 , wherein at least one of the thiophene moieties is substituted with at least one substituent selected from the group consisting of C 1 -C 20 alkyl, C 1 -C 20 alkoxy, aryl, heteroaryl, C 3 -C 20 cycloalkyl, and C 3 -C 20 heterocycloalkyl.
34 . The system of claim 32 , wherein the second comonomer repeat unit comprises five thiophene moieties.
35 . The system of claim 22 , wherein the polymer further comprises a third comonomer repeat unit.
36 . The system of claim 35 , wherein the third comonomer repeat unit further comprises a thiophene moiety or a fluorene moiety.
37 . The system of claim 36 , wherein the thiophene or fluorene moiety is substituted with at least one substituent selected from the group consisting of C 1 -C 20 alkyl, C 1 -C 20 alkoxy, aryl, heteroaryl, C 3 -C 20 cycloalkyl, and C 3 -C 20 heterocycloalkyl.
38 . The system of claim 22 , further comprising a recombination layer.
39 . The system of claim 38 , wherein the recombination layer comprises a p-type semiconductor material and an n-type semiconductor material.
40 . The system of claim 39 , wherein the p-type and n-type semiconductor materials are blended into one layer.
41 . The system of claim 39 , wherein the recombination layer comprises two layers, one layer comprising the p-type semiconductor material and the other layer comprising the n-type semiconductor material.
42 . The system of claim 22 , wherein the at least one of the first and second electrodes comprises a mesh electrode.
43 . A system, comprising:
first and second electrodes;
a recombination layer between the first and second electrodes;
a first photoactive layer between the first electrode and the recombination layer; and
a second photoactive layer between the second electrode and the recombination layer;
wherein at least one of the first and second photoactive layers comprises a polymer including a first comonomer repeat unit and a second comonomer repeat unit different from the first comonomer repeat unit, the first comonomer repeat unit comprises a cyclopentadithiophene moiety, and the system is configured as a photovoltaic system.
44 . The system of claim 43 , wherein the system comprises a tandem photovoltaic cell.
45 . A system, comprising:
first and second electrodes;
a recombination layer between the first and second electrodes;
a first photoactive layer between the first electrode and the recombination layer; and
a second photoactive layer between the second electrode and the recombination layer;
wherein at least one of the first and second photoactive layers comprises a polymer including a first comonomer repeat unit and a second comonomer repeat unit different from the first comonomer repeat unit, the first comonomer repeat unit comprises a silacyclopentadithiophene moiety, and the system is configured as a photovoltaic system.
46 . The system of claim 45 , wherein the system comprises a tandem photovoltaic cell.