EP0000830A1 - Photovoltaic elements - Google Patents
Photovoltaic elements Download PDFInfo
- Publication number
- EP0000830A1 EP0000830A1 EP7878300234A EP78300234A EP0000830A1 EP 0000830 A1 EP0000830 A1 EP 0000830A1 EP 7878300234 A EP7878300234 A EP 7878300234A EP 78300234 A EP78300234 A EP 78300234A EP 0000830 A1 EP0000830 A1 EP 0000830A1
- Authority
- EP
- European Patent Office
- Prior art keywords
- layer
- conductors
- photoconductive layer
- groups
- binder
- Prior art date
- Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
- Granted
Links
- 239000004020 conductor Substances 0.000 claims abstract description 34
- 150000003839 salts Chemical class 0.000 claims abstract description 29
- 239000011230 binding agent Substances 0.000 claims abstract description 22
- 230000005670 electromagnetic radiation Effects 0.000 claims abstract description 3
- 125000001997 phenyl group Chemical group [H]C1=C([H])C([H])=C(*)C([H])=C1[H] 0.000 claims description 17
- 125000000217 alkyl group Chemical group 0.000 claims description 13
- 125000004432 carbon atom Chemical group C* 0.000 claims description 12
- PXHVJJICTQNCMI-UHFFFAOYSA-N Nickel Chemical compound [Ni] PXHVJJICTQNCMI-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 claims description 8
- 125000003118 aryl group Chemical group 0.000 claims description 6
- 229910052738 indium Inorganic materials 0.000 claims description 6
- APFVFJFRJDLVQX-UHFFFAOYSA-N indium atom Chemical compound [In] APFVFJFRJDLVQX-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 claims description 6
- 150000001450 anions Chemical class 0.000 claims description 5
- 125000001424 substituent group Chemical group 0.000 claims description 5
- NINIDFKCEFEMDL-UHFFFAOYSA-N Sulfur Chemical compound [S] NINIDFKCEFEMDL-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 claims description 4
- 239000005864 Sulphur Substances 0.000 claims description 4
- QVGXLLKOCUKJST-UHFFFAOYSA-N atomic oxygen Chemical compound [O] QVGXLLKOCUKJST-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 claims description 4
- 239000002019 doping agent Substances 0.000 claims description 4
- RBTKNAXYKSUFRK-UHFFFAOYSA-N heliogen blue Chemical compound [Cu].[N-]1C2=C(C=CC=C3)C3=C1N=C([N-]1)C3=CC=CC=C3C1=NC([N-]1)=C(C=CC=C3)C3=C1N=C([N-]1)C3=CC=CC=C3C1=N2 RBTKNAXYKSUFRK-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 claims description 4
- 229910052759 nickel Inorganic materials 0.000 claims description 4
- 229910052760 oxygen Inorganic materials 0.000 claims description 4
- 239000001301 oxygen Substances 0.000 claims description 4
- 239000011669 selenium Chemical group 0.000 claims description 4
- 239000007787 solid Substances 0.000 claims description 4
- 125000003545 alkoxy group Chemical group 0.000 claims description 3
- 125000004093 cyano group Chemical group *C#N 0.000 claims description 3
- 125000004435 hydrogen atom Chemical group [H]* 0.000 claims description 3
- 125000000449 nitro group Chemical group [O-][N+](*)=O 0.000 claims description 3
- 229910052711 selenium Inorganic materials 0.000 claims description 3
- 125000002373 5 membered heterocyclic group Chemical group 0.000 claims description 2
- 125000004070 6 membered heterocyclic group Chemical group 0.000 claims description 2
- BUGBHKTXTAQXES-UHFFFAOYSA-N Selenium Chemical group [Se] BUGBHKTXTAQXES-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 claims description 2
- 125000002541 furyl group Chemical group 0.000 claims description 2
- 125000004076 pyridyl group Chemical group 0.000 claims description 2
- 125000000714 pyrimidinyl group Chemical group 0.000 claims description 2
- 125000000168 pyrrolyl group Chemical group 0.000 claims description 2
- 125000003748 selenium group Chemical group *[Se]* 0.000 claims description 2
- 125000003107 substituted aryl group Chemical group 0.000 claims description 2
- 125000001113 thiadiazolyl group Chemical group 0.000 claims description 2
- 125000000335 thiazolyl group Chemical group 0.000 claims description 2
- 125000001544 thienyl group Chemical group 0.000 claims description 2
- VYZAMTAEIAYCRO-UHFFFAOYSA-N Chromium Chemical compound [Cr] VYZAMTAEIAYCRO-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 claims 2
- RYGMFSIKBFXOCR-UHFFFAOYSA-N Copper Chemical compound [Cu] RYGMFSIKBFXOCR-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 claims 2
- FYYHWMGAXLPEAU-UHFFFAOYSA-N Magnesium Chemical compound [Mg] FYYHWMGAXLPEAU-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 claims 2
- BQCADISMDOOEFD-UHFFFAOYSA-N Silver Chemical compound [Ag] BQCADISMDOOEFD-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 claims 2
- ATJFFYVFTNAWJD-UHFFFAOYSA-N Tin Chemical compound [Sn] ATJFFYVFTNAWJD-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 claims 2
- 239000004411 aluminium Substances 0.000 claims 2
- 229910052782 aluminium Inorganic materials 0.000 claims 2
- XAGFODPZIPBFFR-UHFFFAOYSA-N aluminium Chemical compound [Al] XAGFODPZIPBFFR-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 claims 2
- 229910052804 chromium Inorganic materials 0.000 claims 2
- 239000011651 chromium Substances 0.000 claims 2
- 229910052802 copper Inorganic materials 0.000 claims 2
- 239000010949 copper Substances 0.000 claims 2
- AMGQUBHHOARCQH-UHFFFAOYSA-N indium;oxotin Chemical compound [In].[Sn]=O AMGQUBHHOARCQH-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 claims 2
- 229910052749 magnesium Inorganic materials 0.000 claims 2
- 239000011777 magnesium Substances 0.000 claims 2
- 239000004332 silver Substances 0.000 claims 2
- 229910052709 silver Inorganic materials 0.000 claims 2
- 239000011135 tin Substances 0.000 claims 2
- 229910052718 tin Inorganic materials 0.000 claims 2
- XOLBLPGZBRYERU-UHFFFAOYSA-N tin dioxide Chemical compound O=[Sn]=O XOLBLPGZBRYERU-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 claims 2
- 229910001887 tin oxide Inorganic materials 0.000 claims 2
- 125000004429 atom Chemical group 0.000 claims 1
- 239000000975 dye Substances 0.000 description 42
- 239000011521 glass Substances 0.000 description 15
- 238000006243 chemical reaction Methods 0.000 description 12
- 239000011248 coating agent Substances 0.000 description 12
- 238000000576 coating method Methods 0.000 description 12
- 238000000034 method Methods 0.000 description 10
- YMWUJEATGCHHMB-UHFFFAOYSA-N Dichloromethane Chemical compound ClCCl YMWUJEATGCHHMB-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 description 8
- 239000002904 solvent Substances 0.000 description 8
- YXFVVABEGXRONW-UHFFFAOYSA-N Toluene Chemical compound CC1=CC=CC=C1 YXFVVABEGXRONW-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 description 6
- -1 e.g. Inorganic materials 0.000 description 6
- 229920000402 bisphenol A polycarbonate polymer Polymers 0.000 description 5
- 238000005286 illumination Methods 0.000 description 5
- 239000000463 material Substances 0.000 description 5
- 239000000203 mixture Substances 0.000 description 5
- 239000002245 particle Substances 0.000 description 5
- 239000004065 semiconductor Substances 0.000 description 5
- WSLDOOZREJYCGB-UHFFFAOYSA-N 1,2-Dichloroethane Chemical compound ClCCCl WSLDOOZREJYCGB-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 description 4
- 230000015572 biosynthetic process Effects 0.000 description 4
- IISBACLAFKSPIT-UHFFFAOYSA-N bisphenol A Chemical compound C=1C=C(O)C=CC=1C(C)(C)C1=CC=C(O)C=C1 IISBACLAFKSPIT-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 description 4
- MVPPADPHJFYWMZ-UHFFFAOYSA-N chlorobenzene Chemical compound ClC1=CC=CC=C1 MVPPADPHJFYWMZ-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 description 4
- 125000002496 methyl group Chemical group [H]C([H])([H])* 0.000 description 4
- 239000002667 nucleating agent Substances 0.000 description 4
- 230000003287 optical effect Effects 0.000 description 4
- 229920000515 polycarbonate Polymers 0.000 description 4
- 239000004417 polycarbonate Substances 0.000 description 4
- 229920000642 polymer Polymers 0.000 description 4
- 238000012545 processing Methods 0.000 description 4
- WFKWXMTUELFFGS-UHFFFAOYSA-N tungsten Chemical compound [W] WFKWXMTUELFFGS-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 description 4
- 229910052721 tungsten Inorganic materials 0.000 description 4
- 239000010937 tungsten Substances 0.000 description 4
- RFFLAFLAYFXFSW-UHFFFAOYSA-N 1,2-dichlorobenzene Chemical compound ClC1=CC=CC=C1Cl RFFLAFLAYFXFSW-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 description 3
- 238000010521 absorption reaction Methods 0.000 description 3
- 238000000862 absorption spectrum Methods 0.000 description 3
- 238000004220 aggregation Methods 0.000 description 3
- 230000002776 aggregation Effects 0.000 description 3
- 229910052736 halogen Inorganic materials 0.000 description 3
- 150000002367 halogens Chemical class 0.000 description 3
- 125000001449 isopropyl group Chemical group [H]C([H])([H])C([H])(*)C([H])([H])[H] 0.000 description 3
- 238000004519 manufacturing process Methods 0.000 description 3
- VLTRZXGMWDSKGL-UHFFFAOYSA-M perchlorate Inorganic materials [O-]Cl(=O)(=O)=O VLTRZXGMWDSKGL-UHFFFAOYSA-M 0.000 description 3
- VLTRZXGMWDSKGL-UHFFFAOYSA-N perchloric acid Chemical compound OCl(=O)(=O)=O VLTRZXGMWDSKGL-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 description 3
- WVIICGIFSIBFOG-UHFFFAOYSA-N pyrylium Chemical compound C1=CC=[O+]C=C1 WVIICGIFSIBFOG-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 description 3
- 230000005855 radiation Effects 0.000 description 3
- 238000004528 spin coating Methods 0.000 description 3
- 229910052717 sulfur Inorganic materials 0.000 description 3
- AZQWKYJCGOJGHM-UHFFFAOYSA-N 1,4-benzoquinone Chemical compound O=C1C=CC(=O)C=C1 AZQWKYJCGOJGHM-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 description 2
- ZAMOUSCENKQFHK-UHFFFAOYSA-N Chlorine atom Chemical compound [Cl] ZAMOUSCENKQFHK-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 description 2
- 239000004793 Polystyrene Substances 0.000 description 2
- 150000004056 anthraquinones Chemical class 0.000 description 2
- QARVLSVVCXYDNA-UHFFFAOYSA-N bromobenzene Chemical compound BrC1=CC=CC=C1 QARVLSVVCXYDNA-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 description 2
- 229910052801 chlorine Inorganic materials 0.000 description 2
- 239000000460 chlorine Substances 0.000 description 2
- 150000001875 compounds Chemical class 0.000 description 2
- 125000001495 ethyl group Chemical group [H]C([H])([H])C([H])([H])* 0.000 description 2
- 238000001704 evaporation Methods 0.000 description 2
- 230000008020 evaporation Effects 0.000 description 2
- 238000009472 formulation Methods 0.000 description 2
- 230000003993 interaction Effects 0.000 description 2
- KFZMGEQAYNKOFK-UHFFFAOYSA-N isopropyl alcohol Natural products CC(C)O KFZMGEQAYNKOFK-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 description 2
- 229910052751 metal Inorganic materials 0.000 description 2
- 239000002184 metal Substances 0.000 description 2
- 239000012046 mixed solvent Substances 0.000 description 2
- 238000005498 polishing Methods 0.000 description 2
- 239000002491 polymer binding agent Substances 0.000 description 2
- 229920002223 polystyrene Polymers 0.000 description 2
- 238000002360 preparation method Methods 0.000 description 2
- 229920005989 resin Polymers 0.000 description 2
- 239000011347 resin Substances 0.000 description 2
- 238000009987 spinning Methods 0.000 description 2
- 235000021286 stilbenes Nutrition 0.000 description 2
- 125000005504 styryl group Chemical group 0.000 description 2
- XLYOFNOQVPJJNP-UHFFFAOYSA-N water Chemical compound O XLYOFNOQVPJJNP-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 description 2
- YJTKZCDBKVTVBY-UHFFFAOYSA-N 1,3-Diphenylbenzene Chemical group C1=CC=CC=C1C1=CC=CC(C=2C=CC=CC=2)=C1 YJTKZCDBKVTVBY-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 description 1
- KXJIIWGGVZEGBD-UHFFFAOYSA-N 2-methyl-n,n-bis(2-methylphenyl)aniline Chemical compound CC1=CC=CC=C1N(C=1C(=CC=CC=1)C)C1=CC=CC=C1C KXJIIWGGVZEGBD-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 description 1
- WKBOTKDWSSQWDR-UHFFFAOYSA-N Bromine atom Chemical compound [Br] WKBOTKDWSSQWDR-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 description 1
- 229920000742 Cotton Polymers 0.000 description 1
- PXGOKWXKJXAPGV-UHFFFAOYSA-N Fluorine Chemical compound FF PXGOKWXKJXAPGV-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 description 1
- UFHFLCQGNIYNRP-UHFFFAOYSA-N Hydrogen Chemical compound [H][H] UFHFLCQGNIYNRP-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 description 1
- CTQNGGLPUBDAKN-UHFFFAOYSA-N O-Xylene Chemical compound CC1=CC=CC=C1C CTQNGGLPUBDAKN-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 description 1
- ISWSIDIOOBJBQZ-UHFFFAOYSA-N Phenol Chemical compound OC1=CC=CC=C1 ISWSIDIOOBJBQZ-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 description 1
- PJANXHGTPQOBST-VAWYXSNFSA-N Stilbene Natural products C=1C=CC=CC=1/C=C/C1=CC=CC=C1 PJANXHGTPQOBST-VAWYXSNFSA-N 0.000 description 1
- QAOWNCQODCNURD-UHFFFAOYSA-L Sulfate Chemical compound [O-]S([O-])(=O)=O QAOWNCQODCNURD-UHFFFAOYSA-L 0.000 description 1
- 125000001118 alkylidene group Chemical group 0.000 description 1
- PNEYBMLMFCGWSK-UHFFFAOYSA-N aluminium oxide Inorganic materials [O-2].[O-2].[O-2].[Al+3].[Al+3] PNEYBMLMFCGWSK-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 description 1
- 150000001412 amines Chemical class 0.000 description 1
- PYKYMHQGRFAEBM-UHFFFAOYSA-N anthraquinone Chemical class CCC(=O)c1c(O)c2C(=O)C3C(C=CC=C3O)C(=O)c2cc1CC(=O)OC PYKYMHQGRFAEBM-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 description 1
- 238000013459 approach Methods 0.000 description 1
- PVGJMICJSHYLON-UHFFFAOYSA-N benzo[f]chromen-4-ium Chemical compound C1=CC=C2C3=CC=CC=C3C=CC2=[O+]1 PVGJMICJSHYLON-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 description 1
- 230000008033 biological extinction Effects 0.000 description 1
- IFVTZJHWGZSXFD-UHFFFAOYSA-N biphenylene Chemical group C1=CC=C2C3=CC=CC=C3C2=C1 IFVTZJHWGZSXFD-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 description 1
- 238000009835 boiling Methods 0.000 description 1
- GDTBXPJZTBHREO-UHFFFAOYSA-N bromine Substances BrBr GDTBXPJZTBHREO-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 description 1
- 229910052794 bromium Inorganic materials 0.000 description 1
- 229910052799 carbon Inorganic materials 0.000 description 1
- 230000015556 catabolic process Effects 0.000 description 1
- 239000002800 charge carrier Substances 0.000 description 1
- JPBGLQJDCUZXEF-UHFFFAOYSA-N chromenylium Chemical compound [O+]1=CC=CC2=CC=CC=C21 JPBGLQJDCUZXEF-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 description 1
- 230000003749 cleanliness Effects 0.000 description 1
- 239000008199 coating composition Substances 0.000 description 1
- 238000002288 cocrystallisation Methods 0.000 description 1
- 238000010276 construction Methods 0.000 description 1
- 239000013078 crystal Substances 0.000 description 1
- 125000004122 cyclic group Chemical group 0.000 description 1
- 238000006731 degradation reaction Methods 0.000 description 1
- 238000000151 deposition Methods 0.000 description 1
- 230000008021 deposition Effects 0.000 description 1
- ROORDVPLFPIABK-UHFFFAOYSA-N diphenyl carbonate Chemical compound C=1C=CC=CC=1OC(=O)OC1=CC=CC=C1 ROORDVPLFPIABK-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 description 1
- 239000012153 distilled water Substances 0.000 description 1
- 238000001035 drying Methods 0.000 description 1
- 230000005611 electricity Effects 0.000 description 1
- 150000002148 esters Chemical group 0.000 description 1
- 150000002170 ethers Chemical class 0.000 description 1
- 229910052731 fluorine Inorganic materials 0.000 description 1
- 239000011737 fluorine Substances 0.000 description 1
- 125000000623 heterocyclic group Chemical group 0.000 description 1
- 229910052739 hydrogen Inorganic materials 0.000 description 1
- 239000001257 hydrogen Substances 0.000 description 1
- 125000002887 hydroxy group Chemical group [H]O* 0.000 description 1
- 230000006872 improvement Effects 0.000 description 1
- PNDPGZBMCMUPRI-UHFFFAOYSA-N iodine Chemical compound II PNDPGZBMCMUPRI-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 description 1
- 239000000155 melt Substances 0.000 description 1
- 125000000956 methoxy group Chemical group [H]C([H])([H])O* 0.000 description 1
- 238000002156 mixing Methods 0.000 description 1
- 125000001624 naphthyl group Chemical group 0.000 description 1
- 238000013086 organic photovoltaic Methods 0.000 description 1
- 238000005191 phase separation Methods 0.000 description 1
- 238000007517 polishing process Methods 0.000 description 1
- 229920005668 polycarbonate resin Polymers 0.000 description 1
- 239000004431 polycarbonate resin Substances 0.000 description 1
- 229920006267 polyester film Polymers 0.000 description 1
- 229920000139 polyethylene terephthalate Polymers 0.000 description 1
- 239000005020 polyethylene terephthalate Substances 0.000 description 1
- 230000002028 premature Effects 0.000 description 1
- 230000008569 process Effects 0.000 description 1
- 125000002572 propoxy group Chemical group [*]OC([H])([H])C(C([H])([H])[H])([H])[H] 0.000 description 1
- 125000001436 propyl group Chemical group [H]C([*])([H])C([H])([H])C([H])([H])[H] 0.000 description 1
- 150000004053 quinones Chemical class 0.000 description 1
- 238000011160 research Methods 0.000 description 1
- 230000004044 response Effects 0.000 description 1
- 238000012552 review Methods 0.000 description 1
- 229910052710 silicon Inorganic materials 0.000 description 1
- 239000010703 silicon Substances 0.000 description 1
- 239000011877 solvent mixture Substances 0.000 description 1
- PJANXHGTPQOBST-UHFFFAOYSA-N stilbene Chemical compound C=1C=CC=CC=1C=CC1=CC=CC=C1 PJANXHGTPQOBST-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 description 1
- 150000001629 stilbenes Chemical class 0.000 description 1
- 229910021653 sulphate ion Inorganic materials 0.000 description 1
- 239000000725 suspension Substances 0.000 description 1
- 238000002834 transmittance Methods 0.000 description 1
- 238000007740 vapor deposition Methods 0.000 description 1
- 239000008096 xylene Substances 0.000 description 1
Classifications
-
- H—ELECTRICITY
- H10—SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES; ELECTRIC SOLID-STATE DEVICES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
- H10K—ORGANIC ELECTRIC SOLID-STATE DEVICES
- H10K85/00—Organic materials used in the body or electrodes of devices covered by this subclass
- H10K85/60—Organic compounds having low molecular weight
- H10K85/649—Aromatic compounds comprising a hetero atom
- H10K85/652—Cyanine dyes
-
- H—ELECTRICITY
- H10—SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES; ELECTRIC SOLID-STATE DEVICES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
- H10K—ORGANIC ELECTRIC SOLID-STATE DEVICES
- H10K30/00—Organic devices sensitive to infrared radiation, light, electromagnetic radiation of shorter wavelength or corpuscular radiation
- H10K30/50—Photovoltaic [PV] devices
-
- H—ELECTRICITY
- H10—SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES; ELECTRIC SOLID-STATE DEVICES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
- H10K—ORGANIC ELECTRIC SOLID-STATE DEVICES
- H10K85/00—Organic materials used in the body or electrodes of devices covered by this subclass
- H10K85/10—Organic polymers or oligomers
-
- Y—GENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
- Y02—TECHNOLOGIES OR APPLICATIONS FOR MITIGATION OR ADAPTATION AGAINST CLIMATE CHANGE
- Y02E—REDUCTION OF GREENHOUSE GAS [GHG] EMISSIONS, RELATED TO ENERGY GENERATION, TRANSMISSION OR DISTRIBUTION
- Y02E10/00—Energy generation through renewable energy sources
- Y02E10/50—Photovoltaic [PV] energy
- Y02E10/549—Organic PV cells
Definitions
- This invention relates to photovoltaic elements useful for converting light, and particularly for converting solar energy, into electrical energy.
- organic photoconductor and semiconductor layers have been considered due to their inexpensive formation by solvent coating and similar techniques.
- prior-art organic photoconductors have provided solar cells with conversion efficiencies only as high as about 0.05% at their highest when exposed to incident sunlight at an intensity of 100 mw/cm 2 .
- An example of such a material is crystal violet, as described, for example, in U.S. Patent No. 3,844,843. Higher efficiencies are desirable if the cells are to have practical.terrestrial use, notwithstanding their inexpensive cost of manufacture.
- the present invention provides a photovoltaic element having enhanced electrical response to incident light.
- a photovoltaic element which comprises a photoconductive layer comprising an electrically insulating binder, a pyrylium-type dye salt and an organic photoconductor having an electrical conductor adjacent each of the surfaces of the layer, at least one of the conductors being transparent to electromagnetic radiation to which the element is sensitive.
- photovoltaic element means a solid- state device which converts radiation absorbed by the element directly to electric power.
- the element of this invention is suitable as a terrestrial rooftop generator or as a light-level measuring device.
- the element may be used both at high and low light levels. The element exhibits a moderately high open-circuit voltage, even in diffuse roomlight conditions.
- the element can also be used in the current mode.
- the current generated in a diffuse room-light condition is about 20 ⁇ A/cm 2 , a large enough current to be measured accurately.
- the current can thus become a measure of the light intensity.
- the element can be calibrated to show light intensity as a function of the amount of current generated and thus the element can be used as an exposure meter in cameras.
- the photovoltaic elements of the present invention are capable of working at conversion efficiencies of àbove 0.05%.
- the photoconductive layer of the element comprises an electrically insulating binder, a pyrylium-type dye salt and an organic photoconductor. Prior to, during, or after coating this layer, it is preferably processed in such a way as to normally obtain “aggregate” formation, i.e., the presence in the photoconductive layer of a discontinuous phase composed of a particulate co-crystalline complex of the binder and dye dispersed in a continuous phase of the binder and photoconductor. Such processing is hereinafter termed “aggregate processing.” In some instances, certain dyes will not form aggregate, huwever, the photoconductive layer will perform in the same manner as if aggregate formation occurred.
- a wide range of film-forming resins may be employed for the insulating binder.
- binders can be used ranging from polystyrene to polycarbonates such as those described more fully hereinafter.
- Such polymers are disclosed in the following U.S. Patents: U.S. Patent No.
- binders may be used, particularly with the dyes of structure (I) described below.
- examples of such other binders are poly[4,4'-hexahydro-4,7-methanoindan-5-ylidene)diphenylene tore- phthalate]; poly[4,4'-(isopropylidene)diphenylene-4,4'-oxydibenzoate; and polystyrene.
- a pyrylium-type dye salt is used as the dye portion of the composition. Included within the term are dyes containing a pyrylium, thiapyrylium or selena- pyrylium nucleus, and also dyes containing condensed ring systems such as benzopyrylium and naphthopyrylium nuclei.
- a preferred class of pyrylium-type dye salts comprises those having the structure:
- R 1 , R 2 and R 3 examples are methyl, ethyl, propyl, isopropyl, phenyl, cyano and nitro.
- R 4 , R 5 , R 6 and R 7 examples are phenyl, methyl, ethyl, isopropyl, methoxy and propoxy.
- anions Z are perchlorate, fluoroborate and sulphate.
- R 4 , R 5 , R 6 or R 7 are substituted phenyl groups, it is preferred that the substituents be located in the para position and be selected from among those which shift the blue absorption peak of the dye to a longer wavelength.
- substituents include alkyl from 1 to 3 carbon atoms, and halogen, e.g., chlorine or fluorine.
- dye salts within structure (I) are those wherein X and Q are either S and 0; S and S; Se and 0; or S and Se respectively, and R 2 and R 3 are hydrogen.
- Another subclass of useful pyrylium-type dyes is 2,4,6-trisubstituted pyrylium-type dyes salts of the general structure: wherein R 8 , R 9 and F 10 are each phenyl, substituted phenyl, alkyl containing from 1 to 6 carbon atoms, thienyl, furyl, pyridyl, pyrimidinyl, thiadiazolyl, thiazolyl or pyrrolyl groups, with the proviso that at least one of the groups R 8 , R 9 and R 10 is an alkylamino-substituted phenyl group which may have additional substituents containing from 1 to 6 carbon atoms in the or each alkyl group or an alkylamino-substituted 5- or 6-membered heterocyclic ring containing from 1 to 6 carbon atoms in the or each alkyl group,
- the alkylamino-substituted groups which R 8 , R 9 and R 10 may represent may be dialkylamino-substituted and halogenated alkylamino-substituted phenyl radicals or dialkylaminopyridyl, dialkylaminofuryl, dialkyl- aminothienyl or dialkylaminothiazolyl groups.
- Examples of such compounds, particularly wherein at least one of R 8 , R 9 and R 10 is heterocyclic, are described in Research Disclosure, Vol. 157, May 1977, Publication No. 15742, published by I,ndustrial Opportunities Limited, Homewell, Havant Hampshire P091EF United Kingdom.
- the dyes of structure (II) includes dyes that undergo a dye-polymer interaction to produce a discernable discontinuous phase composed of the aforementioned particulate co-crystalline complex of dye and binder dispersed within the continuous phase of binder-photoconductor when aggregate-processed.
- the pyrylium-type dye salts employed in the present invention may be prepared by methods which are known in the art.
- organic photoconductors can be used.
- Preferred are organic amines such as triphenyl and tolyl amines as well as amine-substituted stilbenes and styrylstilbenes, and polyarylalkanes represented by the formula: wherein each of D, E and G is an aryl group which may be substituted and J is a hydrogen atom, an alkyl group or an aryl group, with at least one of D, E and G containing an amino substituent.
- the aryl groups attached to the central carbon atom are preferably phenyl groups, although naphthyl groups can also be used.
- Such aryl groups can contain such substituents as alkyl and alkoxy . typically having 1-8 carbon atoms, hydroxy, halogen, etc., in the ortho, meta or para positions, ortho- substituted phenyl being preferred.
- photoconductors which may be used herein include those listed in Table III.
- the efficiency can be further increased by adding an optional amount of a dopant capable of increasing the conductivity of the photoconductor.
- a dopant capable of increasing the conductivity of the photoconductor.
- dopants include halogens, such as iodine, bromine, or chlorine, quinone, substituted quinones, anthraquinone and substituted anthraquinones.
- the dry thickness of the photoconductive layer is an important aspect of the invention, if maximum conversion efficiencies are to be obtained. It has been found that efficiencies begin to decrease drastically for thicknesses in excess of about 0.5 micron, possibly due to increased carrier path length. Minimum thicknesses appear to be dictated more by coating techniques and the minimum that can be used without electrically shorting out. Useful layers of improved efficiency have been constructed with thicknesses as low as about 50 nm.
- the electrical conductors for the present photovoltaic elements may be selected from medals or degenerate semiconductors i.e. semiconductors whose electrical properties approach those of a metal.
- Nesa and Nesatron glass comprise a semitransparent electrical conductor comprising a conductive InSnO 4 layer coated onto transparent glass, manufactured by PPG Industries, Inc., having a surface resistivity of 10 to 50 ohm/square and an optical transmittance of about 80%, for visible light.
- An alternative material is a thin transparent layer of nickel vacuum deposited on poly(ethylene terephthalate) film.
- Nesatron glass are transparent and transmit a high proportion of radiation incident therecn so as to pro-vide an exposure surface for the element.
- Such materials are preferred for the electrical conductor through which the element is after identified as the window electrical conductor.
- the other electrical conductor could be utilized as the window electrical conductor if the metal was in the form of a coating which is thin enough and carried on a transparent support.
- a preferred construction of the element is one in which the electrical conductors are not only adjacent to, but are also in physical contact with, each of the surfaces of the photoconductive layer.
- the finished element has a very thin (about 5 nm) layer of the nucleating agent separating the photoconductive layer from the adjacent window electrical conductor.
- the nucleating agent appears to render more uniform, and possibly smaller, the size of the aggregate particles forming the discrete discontinuous phase, to the extent it forms at all, leading to a more uniform absorption of the light by the element.
- Convenient methods of preparation of the photoconductive layer include those used to make aggregate -containing electrophotographic photoconductors, such as mixing the photoconductor in two solvents of different boiling points, so that differential evaporation rates occur upon drying, or exposing a dried coating of the photoconductor to a solvent vapor.
- Useful methods of manufacturing the photoconductive layer include roll-coating and spin-coating techniques wherein a solution of the binder, dye salt and photoconductor in a 1:1 mixture of 1,1-dichloromethane and 1,2-dichloroethane is poured onto the conducting surface of a clean Nesatron glass electrical conductor while the latter is spun at about 100C to 5000 rpm until a wet thickness is achieved which dries down to a thickness no greater than about 0.5 micron. Subsequently, a vapor treatment for 1-5 minutes in an appropriate solvent vapor can be utilized to aggregate-process the dye salt and binder in the photo- ductive layer.
- Solvents which may be used for the vapor treatment include, toluene, xylene, chlorobenzene, 1,2-dichlorobenzene, bromobenzene, dichloromethane and 1,2-dichloroethane.
- the opposite electrical conductor is then preferably applied by conventional vapo deposition. Such electrical conductor can be coextensive with the contacting surface of the photoconductive layer, but it can also cover only a fraction of the surface.
- the cleanliness of the Nesatron glass electrical conductor can be achieved by any convenient polishing technique.
- a currently preferred polishing process comprises the steps of rubbing the Nesatron glass with a cotton flannel wetted with a suspension of an alumina or other abrasive, or by polishing in a spinning disc, usually for a few minuts.
- the polished Nesatron glass electrical conductor i: then cleaned in a 1:1 H 2 O/isopropyl alcohol ultrasonic bath for about half an hour to remove the abrasive particles, and then rinsed thoroughly with distilled water.
- the polished Nesatron glass electrical conductor appears relatively clear in a strong lignt.
- the concentrations of photoconductor and binder of the photoconductive layers are preferably such as to provide approximately equal weight amounts of organic photoconductor and binder, with no more than 50% of total solids being the binder, and sufficient amounts of dye salt to produce an optical density up to about 1.0.
- Highly useful dye salt concentrations produce an optical density between 0.3 and 0.6.
- Representative amounts of dye salt to produce such optical densities range between 3 and 40 weight percent of the total dried solids weight of the photoconductive layer, depending upon the extinction coefficient of the dye salt and the thickness of the layer.
- the preferred range for the dye salts of Table II is from 5 to 20 weight percent.
- Total coverage of the photoconductive layer can range from 0.2 mg/dm 2 to 20 mg/dm 2 , and preferably from 0.5 mg/dm 2 to 4 mg/dm 2 .
- Preferred solvents for the solutions to be dichloromethane, 1,2-dichloroethane and 1:1 mixtures of these two.
- Elements made in accordance with the preceding description can be illuminated by sunlight or by artificial light.
- preferred usage interposes a filter excluding light of wavelengths less than about 500 nm., as UV radiation can cause premature degradation of the element.
- a clean piece of Nesatron glass about 2.5 cm x 2.5 cm was spun on a turntable at about 2000 rpm. While spinning, a small quantity (about 0.5 ml.) of the coating solution was poured on the conducting surface of the Nesatron glass. A thin and apparently uniform photoconductive layer was obtained upon evaporation of the solvent. The thickness of the dry layer was about 200 nm.
- the spin-coated film was then subjected to vapor treatment by a toluene vapor to induce aggregation of the thiapyrylium dye and the Bisphenol A polycarbonate polymer. Vapor treatment for 2 minutes was sufficient to induce essentially complete aggregation.
- the photovoltaic element was illuminated through the semitransparent Nesatron glass electrical conductor with a broad-band illumination of 100 mW/cm. intensity provided by an unmodified slide projector containing a tungsten light source and filtered through a filter, which cuts off light of wavelength shorter than 500 nm.
- the open-circuit voltage developed between the Nesatron glass and the indium electrical conductors was 800 mV and the short-circuit current was 1.0 mA/cm. 2 .
- the maximum power delivered to a resistive load of 1000 ohms was about 0.2mW /cm 2 , representing a power conversion efficiency of 0.2%.
- Example 1 The element described in Example 1 was illuminated through the Nesatron glass electrical conductor. with monochromatic light of wavelength 670 nm. and of intensity 0.66 mW/cm. 2 , prcduced by intercepting the tungsten light of Example 1 with interference filters with bandwidths of about 10 nm.
- This illumination produced an open-circuit voltage of 740 mV and a short-circuit current of 62 ⁇ A/cm. 2 .
- the power conversion efficiency under such monochromatic illumination was 2.5%.
- the collection efficiency, i.e., charge carriers produced per photon incident on the element was about 17%.
- a photovoltaic element was prepared as described in Example 1 except that the photoconductive layer had the following formulation: 42% high-molecular-weight Bisphenol A polycarbonate polymer binder, 16% 2,6-diphenyl-4-(4-dimethylaminophenyl)thiapyrylium hexafluorophosphate pyrylium dye salt and 42% tritolyl- amine photoconductor. Under a broad-band illumination of intensity 100 mW/cm.
- An element was prepared as described for Example 1, except that 16% by weight of the photoconductive layer coating composition was the dye salt, 4-[2,6-diphenyl-4H-thiapyran-4-ylidene)methyl]-2,6-diphenylthiapyrylium perchlorate.
- Such an element yielded a simulated sunlight conversion efficiency of 0.13% with an open-circuit voltage of 520 mV and a short circuit current of 0.85 mA/cm.
- Preparation of the element of Example 1 was repeated, except that prior to spin-coating the photoconductive layer a vapor deposited coating of copper phthalocyanine (5-10 nm) was first applied as a nucleating agent.
- the resultant photoconductive layer was much more uniform with an aggregate particle size of 0.3 to 0.4 ⁇ compared with the aggregate particle size of about 10 ⁇ for the layer without the nucleating copper phthalocyanine layer.
- the element yielded a conversion efficiency of 0.38% under a simulated sunlight of 75 mW/cm. 2 intensity.
- a photovoltaic element was prepared as described in Example 1, but the photoconductive layer had the following formulation, by weight:
- the element with Nesatron glass and indium as electrical conductors produced an open-circuit voltage of 400 mV, a short-circuit current of 0.75 mA/or 2 , and a power conversion efficiency of about 0.09%.
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Abstract
Description
- This invention relates to photovoltaic elements useful for converting light, and particularly for converting solar energy, into electrical energy.
- Materials most widely used in the past for solar cells have been inorganic semiconductors, due to their fairly high conversion efficiencies which have been as high as 12 to 15%, for example, for silicon. However, such solar cells have proven to be very expensive to construct due to the melt and other processing techniques necessary to fabricate the semiconductor layer. As a result, such cells have had extensive practical utility only in the field of space exploration, and not in terrestrial applications.
- In an effort to reduce the cost of solar cells, organic photoconductor and semiconductor layers have been considered due to their inexpensive formation by solvent coating and similar techniques. However, prior-art organic photoconductors have provided solar cells with conversion efficiencies only as high as about 0.05% at their highest when exposed to incident sunlight at an intensity of 100 mw/cm2. An example of such a material is crystal violet, as described, for example, in U.S. Patent No. 3,844,843. Higher efficiencies are desirable if the cells are to have practical.terrestrial use, notwithstanding their inexpensive cost of manufacture. An efficiency of 0.3 %was reported as being achieved through the use of an undisclosed dopant, as noted in "Prospects for Direct Conversion of Solar Energy to Electricity," L.W.Davies, AWA Technical Review, Vol. 15, No. 4, 1974, 139-142 reference 3.
- Solar cells utilizing other organic photoconductors are disclosed in U.S. Patent Nos. 3,009,006; 3,057,947; 3,507,706 and 3,530,007 and IBM Technical Disclosure Bulletin 18 (8), No. 2442 (January 1976).
- The present invention provides a photovoltaic element having enhanced electrical response to incident light.
- According to the present invention there is provided a photovoltaic element which comprises a photoconductive layer comprising an electrically insulating binder, a pyrylium-type dye salt and an organic photoconductor having an electrical conductor adjacent each of the surfaces of the layer, at least one of the conductors being transparent to electromagnetic radiation to which the element is sensitive.
- Although the invention is hereinafter described particularly with respect to solar cells as the preferred embodiment, it is not limited thereto; rather it applies to all photovoltaic elements. As used herein, "photovoltaic element" means a solid- state device which converts radiation absorbed by the element directly to electric power. Thus, the element of this invention is suitable as a terrestrial rooftop generator or as a light-level measuring device. As a light-level measuring device, the element may be used both at high and low light levels. The element exhibits a moderately high open-circuit voltage, even in diffuse roomlight conditions.
- Alternatively, the element can also be used in the current mode. The current generated in a diffuse room-light condition is about 20µ A/cm2, a large enough current to be measured accurately. The current can thus become a measure of the light intensity. The element can be calibrated to show light intensity as a function of the amount of current generated and thus the element can be used as an exposure meter in cameras.
- The photovoltaic elements of the present invention are capable of working at conversion efficiencies of àbove 0.05%.
- The photoconductive layer of the element comprises an electrically insulating binder, a pyrylium-type dye salt and an organic photoconductor. Prior to, during, or after coating this layer, it is preferably processed in such a way as to normally obtain "aggregate" formation, i.e., the presence in the photoconductive layer of a discontinuous phase composed of a particulate co-crystalline complex of the binder and dye dispersed in a continuous phase of the binder and photoconductor. Such processing is hereinafter termed "aggregate processing." In some instances, certain dyes will not form aggregate, huwever, the photoconductive layer will perform in the same manner as if aggregate formation occurred.
- A wide range of film-forming resins may be employed for the insulating binder. For example, in the case of many of the dyes of structure (I) hereinafter described, a wide variety of binders can be used ranging from polystyrene to polycarbonates such as those described more fully hereinafter. Highly useful for one class of dyes, shown as structure (II) hereafter described, are polymers containing an alkylidene diarylene portion in the recurring'unit such as those prepared with Bisphenol A and including polymeric products of ester exchange between diphenylcarbonate and 2,2-bis-(4-hydroxyphenyl) propane. Such polymers are disclosed in the following U.S. Patents: U.S. Patent No. 2,999,750 by Miller et al, issued September 12, 1961J U.S. Patent No. 3,038,874 by Laakso et al, issued June 12, 1962; U.S. Patent No. 3,106,544 by Laakso et al, issued October 8, 1963; U.S. Patent No. 3,106,545 by Laakso et al, issued October 8, 1963; and U.S. Patent No. 3,106,546 by Laakso et al, issued October 8, 1963. Many film-forming polycarbonate resins are useful, with completely satisfactory results being obtained when using commercial resins which are characterized by an inherent viscosity of between 0.5 and 3.0 measured at a concentration of 0.25 g in 1 dl of a 1:1 by weight phenol/chlorobenzene solvent mixture at 25°C. If the photoconductive layer is to be formed by spin-coating, then the higher-molecular-weight polycarbonates are preferred, such as Bisphenol A polycarbonates with inherent viscosities (measured as above) of 1.5 to 3.0. The following polycarbonates and polythiocarbonates listed in Table I are illustrative of those that can be used.
- A pyrylium-type dye salt is used as the dye portion of the composition. Included within the term are dyes containing a pyrylium, thiapyrylium or selena- pyrylium nucleus, and also dyes containing condensed ring systems such as benzopyrylium and naphthopyrylium nuclei.
-
- wherein R1, R2 and R3 are the same or different and are each hydrogen atoms or aryl, substituted aryl, alkyl containing from 1 to 6 carbon atoms, cyano or nitro groups,
- X and Q are the same or different and are each oxygen, sulphur or selenium atoms, n is 1 or 0,
- R4, R5, R6 and R7 are the same or different and are each a phenyl or substituted phenyl group or an alkyl or alkoxy group containing from 1 to 5 carbon atoms, at least two of the groups R4, R5, R6 and R7 being phenyl groups, and
- Z- is an anion.
- Examples of groups which R1, R2 and R3 may represent are methyl, ethyl, propyl, isopropyl, phenyl, cyano and nitro.
- Examples of groups which R4, R5, R6 and R7 may represent are phenyl, methyl, ethyl, isopropyl, methoxy and propoxy.
- Examples of anions Z are perchlorate, fluoroborate and sulphate.
- If R4, R5, R6 or R7 are substituted phenyl groups, it is preferred that the substituents be located in the para position and be selected from among those which shift the blue absorption peak of the dye to a longer wavelength. Examples of such substituents include alkyl from 1 to 3 carbon atoms, and halogen, e.g., chlorine or fluorine.
- Highly useful and currently preferred examples of dye salts within structure (I) are those wherein X and Q are either S and 0; S and S; Se and 0; or S and Se respectively, and R2 and R3 are hydrogen.
- Although some dye salts of structure (I) do not form visually observable "aggregate" particles of dye salt and binder as described above when processed as described hereinafter. Compounds 39 and 40 of Table II below are processed as though such aggregation does occur. That is, the steps tor aggregate formation or phase separation are followed here as in the case of the other dye salts. It is believed that when these dyes are so processed, for example by fuming with the solvent, the dyes themselves undergo a dye- dye interaction (rather than a dye-polymer co-crystallization) and such dyes exhibit an absorption spectrum that is thus changed.
- Another subclass of useful pyrylium-type dyes is 2,4,6-trisubstituted pyrylium-type dyes salts of the general structure:
- X is oxygen, selenium or sulphur; and
- Z is an anion.
- The alkylamino-substituted groups which R 8, R 9 and R10 may represent may be dialkylamino-substituted and halogenated alkylamino-substituted phenyl radicals or dialkylaminopyridyl, dialkylaminofuryl, dialkyl- aminothienyl or dialkylaminothiazolyl groups. Examples of such compounds, particularly wherein at least one of R8, R9 and R10 is heterocyclic, are described in Research Disclosure, Vol. 157, May 1977, Publication No. 15742, published by I,ndustrial Opportunities Limited, Homewell, Havant Hampshire P091EF United Kingdom.
- The dyes of structure (II) includes dyes that undergo a dye-polymer interaction to produce a discernable discontinuous phase composed of the aforementioned particulate co-crystalline complex of dye and binder dispersed within the continuous phase of binder-photoconductor when aggregate-processed.
-
- The pyrylium-type dye salts employed in the present invention may be prepared by methods which are known in the art.
- A wide range of organic photoconductors can be used. Preferred are organic amines such as triphenyl and tolyl amines as well as amine-substituted stilbenes and styrylstilbenes, and polyarylalkanes represented by the formula:
hydrogen atom, an alkyl group or an aryl group, with at least one of D, E and G containing an amino substituent. The aryl groups attached to the central carbon atom are preferably phenyl groups, although naphthyl groups can also be used. Such aryl groups can contain such substituents as alkyl and alkoxy . typically having 1-8 carbon atoms, hydroxy, halogen, etc., in the ortho, meta or para positions, ortho- substituted phenyl being preferred. -
- It will be appreciated that almost all of the photoconductors of Table III are hole conductors or P-type conductors by themselves. However, when used in the photoconductive layer including the dye salt, certain of these photoconductors give to the photoconductive layer P-type characteristics while ethers give N-type characteristics.
- In the case of N-type photoconductors, the efficiency can be further increased by adding an optional amount of a dopant capable of increasing the conductivity of the photoconductor. Particularly useful examples of such dopants include halogens, such as iodine, bromine, or chlorine, quinone, substituted quinones, anthraquinone and substituted anthraquinones.
- The dry thickness of the photoconductive layer is an important aspect of the invention, if maximum conversion efficiencies are to be obtained. It has been found that efficiencies begin to decrease drastically for thicknesses in excess of about 0.5 micron, possibly due to increased carrier path length. Minimum thicknesses appear to be dictated more by coating techniques and the minimum that can be used without electrically shorting out. Useful layers of improved efficiency have been constructed with thicknesses as low as about 50 nm.
- The electrical conductors for the present photovoltaic elements may be selected from medals or degenerate semiconductors i.e. semiconductors whose electrical properties approach those of a metal.
- It has been found that the higher efficiencies are obtained when the electrical conductors are selected with relative work functions that are sufficient to create significant rectification within the photovoltaic element for a given photoconductor. As used herein, "significant rectification" means the flow of current through the photovoltaic element in one direction is greater than in the other direction, in a ratio which is at least about 5 to 1.
- Elements having'higher conversion efficiencies, e.g., from 0.2 to 0.3$, are those in which the electrical conductors have the greatest difference in work functions. That is, from the materials set forth in Table IV below, two are selected to give a wide disparity in the work functions.
- Highly preferred from the above table is the combination of indium and Nesatron glass, in view of their greatest disparity in work functions. Furthermore, Nesatron glass and the alternative nickel-coated polyester film, are transparent and transmit a high proportion of radiation incident therecn so as to pro-vide an exposure surface for the element. Such materials are preferred for the electrical conductor through which the element is after identified as the window electrical conductor. Clearly however, the other electrical conductor could be utilized as the window electrical conductor if the metal was in the form of a coating which is thin enough and carried on a transparent support.
- It will be appreciated that a preferred construction of the element is one in which the electrical conductors are not only adjacent to, but are also in physical contact with, each of the surfaces of the photoconductive layer. However, this need not always be the case, because it has been found that further improvement can be achieved by optionally coating e.g., by vapor deposition, the window electrical conductor with a nucleating agent comprising copper phthalocyanine prior to coating the photoconductor. In such a case, the finished element has a very thin (about 5 nm) layer of the nucleating agent separating the photoconductive layer from the adjacent window electrical conductor. The nucleating agent appears to render more uniform, and possibly smaller, the size of the aggregate particles forming the discrete discontinuous phase, to the extent it forms at all, leading to a more uniform absorption of the light by the element.
- Convenient methods of preparation of the photoconductive layer include those used to make aggregate -containing electrophotographic photoconductors, such as mixing the photoconductor in two solvents of different boiling points, so that differential evaporation rates occur upon drying, or exposing a dried coating of the photoconductor to a solvent vapor. These and other processes are described in U.S. Patents 3,615,414; 3,615,415; 3,679,407; 3,706,554 and 3,732,180.
- It has been found that many of the photoconductors described abov;, wh;n processed as described, demonstrate an altered absorption spectrum, e.g., a shift of an absorption peak, compared to the absorption spectrum of a identical photoconductor which has not been subjected to such aggregate processing.
- Useful methods of manufacturing the photoconductive layer include roll-coating and spin-coating techniques wherein a solution of the binder, dye salt and photoconductor in a 1:1 mixture of 1,1-dichloromethane and 1,2-dichloroethane is poured onto the conducting surface of a clean Nesatron glass electrical conductor while the latter is spun at about 100C to 5000 rpm until a wet thickness is achieved which dries down to a thickness no greater than about 0.5 micron. Subsequently, a vapor treatment for 1-5 minutes in an appropriate solvent vapor can be utilized to aggregate-process the dye salt and binder in the photo- ductive layer. Solvents which may be used for the vapor treatment include, toluene, xylene, chlorobenzene, 1,2-dichlorobenzene, bromobenzene, dichloromethane and 1,2-dichloroethane. The opposite electrical conductor is then preferably applied by conventional vapo deposition. Such electrical conductor can be coextensive with the contacting surface of the photoconductive layer, but it can also cover only a fraction of the surface.
- The cleanliness of the Nesatron glass electrical conductor can be achieved by any convenient polishing technique. A currently preferred polishing process comprises the steps of rubbing the Nesatron glass with a cotton flannel wetted with a suspension of an alumina or other abrasive, or by polishing in a spinning disc, usually for a few minuts. The polished Nesatron glass electrical conductor i: then cleaned in a 1:1 H2O/isopropyl alcohol ultrasonic bath for about half an hour to remove the abrasive particles, and then rinsed thoroughly with distilled water. The polished Nesatron glass electrical conductor appears relatively clear in a strong lignt.
- The concentrations of photoconductor and binder of the photoconductive layers are preferably such as to provide approximately equal weight amounts of organic photoconductor and binder, with no more than 50% of total solids being the binder, and sufficient amounts of dye salt to produce an optical density up to about 1.0. Highly useful dye salt concentrations produce an optical density between 0.3 and 0.6. Representative amounts of dye salt to produce such optical densities range between 3 and 40 weight percent of the total dried solids weight of the photoconductive layer, depending upon the extinction coefficient of the dye salt and the thickness of the layer. The preferred range for the dye salts of Table II is from 5 to 20 weight percent.
-
- Elements made in accordance with the preceding description can be illuminated by sunlight or by artificial light. In the case of light rich in UV, preferred usage interposes a filter excluding light of wavelengths less than about 500 nm., as UV radiation can cause premature degradation of the element.
- The following examples illustrate the practice of the invention.
- An organic photovoltaic element was fabricated as follows:
- A photoconductive layer coating solution 1.4% by weight of solids in a mixed solvent of 1,1-dichloromethane and 1,2-dichloroethane (in 1:1 weight ratio) was prepared by sequentially dissolving in 40 g. of the mixed solvent 112 mg. of a thiapyrylium dye salt, 2,6-diphenyl-4-(4-dimethylaminophenyl)thiapyrylium hexafluorophosphate, 294 mg. of a binder, high-molecular-weight Bisphenol A polycarbonate having an inherent viscosity of about 2.3 and 294 mg. of an organic photoconductor, 4-di-g-tolylamino-4'-[4-(di-p-tolylamino) styryl]stilbene.
- A clean piece of Nesatron glass about 2.5 cm x 2.5 cm was spun on a turntable at about 2000 rpm. While spinning, a small quantity (about 0.5 ml.) of the coating solution was poured on the conducting surface of the Nesatron glass. A
thin and apparently uniform photoconductive layer was obtained upon evaporation of the solvent. The thickness of the dry layer was about 200 nm. - The spin-coated film was then subjected to vapor treatment by a toluene vapor to induce aggregation of the thiapyrylium dye and the Bisphenol A polycarbonate polymer. Vapor treatment for 2 minutes was sufficient to induce essentially complete aggregation.
- To complete the fabrication, an evaporated layer of indium having an area of 1 cm.2 was applied on top of the aggregated coating.
- The photovoltaic element was illuminated through the semitransparent Nesatron glass electrical conductor with a broad-band illumination of 100 mW/cm. intensity provided by an unmodified slide projector containing a tungsten light source and filtered through a filter, which cuts off light of wavelength shorter than 500 nm. The open-circuit voltage developed between the Nesatron glass and the indium electrical conductors was 800 mV and the short-circuit current was 1.0 mA/cm.2. The maximum power delivered to a resistive load of 1000 ohms was about 0.2mW /cm2, representing a power conversion efficiency of 0.2%.
- The element described in Example 1 was illuminated through the Nesatron glass electrical conductor. with monochromatic light of wavelength 670 nm. and of intensity 0.66 mW/cm.2, prcduced by intercepting the tungsten light of Example 1 with interference filters with bandwidths of about 10 nm. This illumination produced an open-circuit voltage of 740 mV and a short-circuit current of 62 µA/cm.2. The power conversion efficiency under such monochromatic illumination was 2.5%. The collection efficiency, i.e., charge carriers produced per photon incident on the element was about 17%.
- A photovoltaic element was prepared as described in Example 1 except that the photoconductive layer had the following formulation: 42% high-molecular-weight Bisphenol A polycarbonate polymer binder, 16% 2,6-diphenyl-4-(4-dimethylaminophenyl)thiapyrylium hexafluorophosphate pyrylium dye salt and 42% tritolyl- amine photoconductor. Under a broad-band illumination of intensity 100 mW/cm.2 provided by an unmodified slide projector containing a tungsten light source filtered through a filter which cuts off licht of wavelength shorter than 500 nm, the element produced an open-circuit voltage ot 800 mV, a short-circuit current of 240 µ A/c.2 and a conversion efficiency of 0.05%.
- An element was prepared as described for Example 1, except that 16% by weight of the photoconductive layer coating composition was the dye salt, 4-[2,6-diphenyl-4H-thiapyran-4-ylidene)methyl]-2,6-diphenylthiapyrylium perchlorate. Such an element yielded a simulated sunlight conversion efficiency of 0.13% with an open-circuit voltage of 520 mV and a short circuit current of 0.85 mA/cm.
- Preparation of the element of Example 1 was repeated, except that prior to spin-coating the photoconductive layer a vapor deposited coating of copper phthalocyanine (5-10 nm) was first applied as a nucleating agent. The resultant photoconductive layer was much more uniform with an aggregate particle size of 0.3 to 0.4µ compared with the aggregate particle size of about 10µ for the layer without the nucleating copper phthalocyanine layer. With such a two-layer system the element yielded a conversion efficiency of 0.38% under a simulated sunlight of 75 mW/cm.2 intensity.
- A photovoltaic element was prepared as described in Example 1, but the photoconductive layer had the following formulation, by weight:
- 42% high-molecular-weight Bisphenol A polycarbonate polymer binder
- 16% 4-[2,6-diphenyl-4H-thiapyran-4-ylidene) methyl]-2,6-diphenylthiapyrylium perchlorate pyrylium dye salt and
- 42% 4-di-p-tolylamino-4'-[4-di-p-tolylamino) styryl]-stilbene photoconductor.
- Under broad-band illumination of 100 mW/cm2 intensity provided by an unmodified slide projector provided with a tungsten light source and filtered through the filter used in Example 1, the element with Nesatron glass and indium as electrical conductors produced an open-circuit voltage of 400 mV, a short-circuit current of 0.75 mA/or2, and a power conversion efficiency of about 0.09%.
Claims (10)
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US82111777A | 1977-08-02 | 1977-08-02 | |
US05/885,926 US4125414A (en) | 1977-08-02 | 1978-03-13 | Organic photovoltaic elements |
US885926 | 1978-03-13 | ||
US821117 | 1992-01-15 |
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JPS6136252A (en) * | 1984-07-18 | 1986-02-20 | ゼネカ・リミテッド | Pair of enantiomers, enriching method, insecticidal composition and method of increasing yield of crystal substance comprising pair of enantiomer |
WO2007089785A2 (en) * | 2006-01-30 | 2007-08-09 | University Of Iowa Research Foundation | Apparatus and semiconductor co-crystal |
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US4717673A (en) * | 1984-11-23 | 1988-01-05 | Massachusetts Institute Of Technology | Microelectrochemical devices |
JP2001148491A (en) | 1999-11-19 | 2001-05-29 | Fuji Xerox Co Ltd | Photoelectric conversion element |
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US3615415A (en) * | 1966-10-14 | 1971-10-26 | Eastman Kodak Co | Method for the preparation of photoconductive compositions |
US3615414A (en) * | 1969-03-04 | 1971-10-26 | Eastman Kodak Co | Photoconductive compositions and elements and method of preparation |
US3679407A (en) * | 1970-11-13 | 1972-07-25 | Eastman Kodak Co | Method of forming heterogeneous photoconductive compositions and elements |
US3706554A (en) * | 1971-03-24 | 1972-12-19 | Eastman Kodak Co | Photoconductive composition |
US3900945A (en) * | 1973-01-02 | 1975-08-26 | Philco Ford Corp | Organic semiconductor solar cell |
US3938994A (en) * | 1972-03-17 | 1976-02-17 | Eastman Kodak Company | Pyrylium dyes for electrophotographic composition and element |
-
1978
- 1978-08-01 JP JP9323278A patent/JPS5427387A/en active Pending
- 1978-08-02 EP EP78300234A patent/EP0000830B1/en not_active Expired
- 1978-08-02 DE DE7878300234T patent/DE2861434D1/en not_active Expired
- 1978-08-02 AU AU38544/78A patent/AU520193B2/en not_active Expired
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US3057947A (en) * | 1959-10-01 | 1962-10-09 | Calvin Melvin | Photoelectric cell using organic materials |
US3250615A (en) * | 1961-10-23 | 1966-05-10 | Eastman Kodak Co | Light-sensitive layers containing pyrylium and thiapyrylium salts |
US3615415A (en) * | 1966-10-14 | 1971-10-26 | Eastman Kodak Co | Method for the preparation of photoconductive compositions |
US3615414A (en) * | 1969-03-04 | 1971-10-26 | Eastman Kodak Co | Photoconductive compositions and elements and method of preparation |
US3679407A (en) * | 1970-11-13 | 1972-07-25 | Eastman Kodak Co | Method of forming heterogeneous photoconductive compositions and elements |
US3706554A (en) * | 1971-03-24 | 1972-12-19 | Eastman Kodak Co | Photoconductive composition |
US3938994A (en) * | 1972-03-17 | 1976-02-17 | Eastman Kodak Company | Pyrylium dyes for electrophotographic composition and element |
US3900945A (en) * | 1973-01-02 | 1975-08-26 | Philco Ford Corp | Organic semiconductor solar cell |
Non-Patent Citations (2)
Title |
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IBM TECHNICAL DISCLOSURE BULLETIN, vol. 18, nr. 8, January 1976, New York, R.L. GAMBLIN & D.B. SCLOVE: "Solar cell utilizing organic photoconductor", page 2442 * |
JOURNAL OF HETEROCYCLIC CHEMISTRY, vol. 9, October 1972, Provo (US) G.A. REYNOLDS & J.A. VAN ALLAN: "The reactions of pyramylidenemethylpyrylium salts with sodium sulfide", pages 1105-1107 * |
Cited By (3)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
JPS6136252A (en) * | 1984-07-18 | 1986-02-20 | ゼネカ・リミテッド | Pair of enantiomers, enriching method, insecticidal composition and method of increasing yield of crystal substance comprising pair of enantiomer |
WO2007089785A2 (en) * | 2006-01-30 | 2007-08-09 | University Of Iowa Research Foundation | Apparatus and semiconductor co-crystal |
WO2007089785A3 (en) * | 2006-01-30 | 2007-11-01 | Univ Iowa Res Found | Apparatus and semiconductor co-crystal |
Also Published As
Publication number | Publication date |
---|---|
DE2861434D1 (en) | 1982-02-04 |
EP0000830B1 (en) | 1981-12-09 |
AU3854478A (en) | 1980-02-07 |
AU520193B2 (en) | 1982-01-21 |
JPS5427387A (en) | 1979-03-01 |
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