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21 May 2012

Volume 100, Issue 21, Articles (21xxxx)

Issue Cover Spotlight Figure

Appl. Phys. Lett. 100, 213701 (2012); http://dx.doi.org/10.1063/1.3701135 (4 pages)

Wen Lo, Ara Ghazaryan, Chien-Hsin Tso, Po-Sheng Hu, Wei-Liang Chen, Tsung-Rong Kuo, Sung-Jan Lin, Shean-Jen Chen, Chia-Chun Chen, and Chen-Yuan Dong
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Inverted indium-tin-oxide-free cone-shaped polymer solar cells for light trapping

Hongyu Zhen, Kan Li, Zhuoyin Huang, Zheng Tang, Rengmao Wu, Guolong Li, Xu Liu, and Fengling Zhang

Appl. Phys. Lett. 100, 213901 (2012); http://dx.doi.org/10.1063/1.4720176 (4 pages) | Cited 5 times

Online Publication Date: 21 May 2012

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Based on the flexibility of polymer film, cone-shaped polymer solar cells (PSCs) are fabricated and studied. Effective light trapping is achieved due to multi-absorption in all 360° directions. Monte Carlo ray tracing is used to simulate the absorption of cone-shaped PSCs with two variables: wavelength and half cone angle. With an inverted indium-tin-oxide-free device structure, a 43% enhanced light utilization without loss of material utilization is realized in the cone-shaped PSCs with a half cone angle of 45°, compared with the planar PSCs.
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88.40.jr Organic photovoltaics
88.40.hj Efficiency and performance of solar cells

On accurate capacitance characterization of organic photovoltaic cells

J. A. Carr and S. Chaudhary

Appl. Phys. Lett. 100, 213902 (2012); http://dx.doi.org/10.1063/1.4720403 (4 pages) | Cited 2 times

Online Publication Date: 21 May 2012

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Capacitance measurements, widely used to characterize numerous semiconductor properties, have been recently adopted to characterize organic photovoltaic (OPV) devices. It is known that certain challenges are associated with capacitance measurements. Of upmost importance is the employment of a proper measurement model (series or parallel). Owing to larger capacitive impedances and low series resistances, the parallel model is typically employed in inorganics. However, we find that for characteristically thinner organic films, a hybrid model should be used. We highlight the inconsistencies in OPV literature due to indiscriminate usage of parallel model and show how proper model selection can rectify any artifacts.
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88.40.jr Organic photovoltaics
88.40.hj Efficiency and performance of solar cells

Study of photoexcitations in poly(3-hexylthiophene) for photovoltaic applications

Golda Hukic-Markosian, Tek Basel, Sanjeev Singh, Z. Valy Vardeny, Sergey Li, and Darin Laird

Appl. Phys. Lett. 100, 213903 (2012); http://dx.doi.org/10.1063/1.4720177 (5 pages) | Cited 3 times

Online Publication Date: 22 May 2012

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We used a variety of steady state and transient optical techniques for studying the primary and steady state photoexcitations in pristine films of poly(3-hexylthiophene) [P3HT] with different molecular weight used for organic photovoltaic solar cells. The employed techniques include picosecond transient and steady state photoluminescence and photomodulation spectroscopies, laser action, and doping induced absorption. We show that solar cell device qualities based on donor-acceptor blends of the P3HT polymers with substituted fullerene molecules crucially depend on the polymer properties, which can be readily discerned by the steady state photomodulation technique. This technique can, therefore, be applied to specific polymer donors for estimating their solar cell device properties prior to actually fabricating an optimal device.
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73.50.Pz Photoconduction and photovoltaic effects
88.40.jr Organic photovoltaics

Organic bulk heterojunction photovoltaic devices with surfactant-free Au nanoparticles embedded in the active layer

George D. Spyropoulos, Minas M. Stylianakis, Emmanuel Stratakis, and Emmanuel Kymakis

Appl. Phys. Lett. 100, 213904 (2012); http://dx.doi.org/10.1063/1.4720510 (5 pages) | Cited 6 times

Online Publication Date: 23 May 2012

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The effect of embedding uncapped Au nanoparticles, produced by ultrafast laser ablation in liquids, in the active layer of bulk heterojunction organic photovoltaic devices was systematically studied. The nanoparticles incorporation leads to a power conversion efficiency improvement of 40%. This efficiency gain was attributed to enhanced light harvesting and subsequent exciton generation rate into the photoactive layer due to localized surface plasmon resonance and scattering effects. This argument was supported by the combinatorial study of spectroscopic analysis and photon to-electron conversion efficiency measurements of the devices.
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88.40.jr Organic photovoltaics
88.40.hj Efficiency and performance of solar cells

Power generation from conductive droplet sliding on electret film

Zhaochu Yang, Einar Halvorsen, and Tao Dong

Appl. Phys. Lett. 100, 213905 (2012); http://dx.doi.org/10.1063/1.4720517 (4 pages)

Online Publication Date: 23 May 2012

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Generating electrical power from low frequency vibration to power portable devices is a challenge that potentially can be met by nonresonant electrostatic energy harvesters. We propose a generator employing a conductive droplet sliding on a microfabricated electret film which is sputtered onto an interdigital electrode and charged already during deposition. Droplet motion causes a capacitance variation that is used to generate electric power. A prototype of the fluidic energy harvester demonstrated a peak output power at 0.18 µW with a single droplet having a diameter of 1.2 mm and sliding on a 2 -µm thick electret film.
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84.60.Bk Performance characteristics of energy conversion systems; figure of merit
47.85.Np Fluidics

Enhancement of inverted polymer solar cells with solution-processed ZnO-TiOX composite as cathode buffer layer

Jian Liu, Shuyan Shao, Bin Meng, Gang Fang, Zhiyuan Xie, Lixiang Wang, and Xinglin Li

Appl. Phys. Lett. 100, 213906 (2012); http://dx.doi.org/10.1063/1.4722800 (3 pages) | Cited 1 time

Online Publication Date: 24 May 2012

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Solution-processed zinc oxide (ZnO) nanocrystal modified with titanium oxide (TiOX) precursor is introduced as cathode interfacial layer in inverted bulk-heterojunction polymer solar cells. The resultant inverted polymer solar cell exhibits an open-circuit voltage of 0.87 V, a fill factor of 0.67, and an overall power conversion efficiency of 6.53%, respectively, higher than those of the control cells with sole ZnO or TiOX as the cathode interfacial layers. Further studies verify that the improved morphology and electronic structure of ZnO-TiOX composite layer favors reducing shunt loss and interfacial charge recombination and hence enhancing the photovoltaic performance.
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88.40.H- Solar cells (photovoltaics)
73.20.At Surface states, band structure, electron density of states

Double quantum-well tunnel junctions with high peak tunnel currents and low absorption for InP multi-junction solar cells

Matthew P. Lumb, Michael K. Yakes, María González, Igor Vurgaftman, Christopher G. Bailey, Raymond Hoheisel, and Robert J. Walters

Appl. Phys. Lett. 100, 213907 (2012); http://dx.doi.org/10.1063/1.4722890 (4 pages) | Cited 1 time

Online Publication Date: 24 May 2012

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Lattice matched InAlGaAs tunnel junctions with a 1.18 eV bandgap have been grown for a triple-junction solar cell on InP. By including two InGaAs quantum wells in the structure, a peak tunnel current density of 113 A/cm2 was observed, 45 times greater than the baseline bulk InAlGaAs tunnel junction. The differential resistance of the quantum well device is 7.52 × 10−4 Ω cm2, a 15-fold improvement over the baseline device. The transmission loss to the bottom cell is estimated to be approximately 1.7% and a network simulation demonstrates that quantum well tunnel junctions play a key role in improving performance at high sun-concentrations.
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88.40.jp Multijunction solar cells
85.35.Be Quantum well devices (quantum dots, quantum wires, etc.)

Thin metal oxide films to modify a window layer in CdTe-based solar cells for improved performance

John P. Lemmon, Evgueni Polikarpov, Wendy D. Bennett, and Libor Kovarik

Appl. Phys. Lett. 100, 213908 (2012); http://dx.doi.org/10.1063/1.4722921 (4 pages)

Online Publication Date: 25 May 2012

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We report on CdS/CdTe photovoltaic devices containing a thin Ta2O5 film deposited onto the CdS window layer. For thicknesses below 5 nm, Ta2O5 films between CdS and CdTe improve the solar cell performance despite the insulating nature of the interlayer material. Using the Ta2O5 interlayer, an open circuit voltage (VOC) gain of over 100 mV was demonstrated compared to a CdTe/CdS baseline. A Ta2O5 interlayer enabled the fabrication of CdTe solar cells with extremely thin (less than 30 nm) CdS layers. The efficiency of these cells exceeded that of a base line cell with 95 nm of CdS.
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88.40.hj Efficiency and performance of solar cells
88.40.jm Thin film III-V and II-VI based solar cells

Quantitative determination of Mn3+ content in LiMn1.5Ni0.5O4 spinel cathodes by magnetic measurements

Z. Moorhead-Rosenberg, D. W. Shin, K. R. Chemelewski, J. B. Goodenough, and A. Manthiram

Appl. Phys. Lett. 100, 213909 (2012); http://dx.doi.org/10.1063/1.4722927 (5 pages)

Online Publication Date: 25 May 2012

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The magnetic properties of cation-disordered and cation-ordered LiMn1.5Ni0.5O4 spinel samples with different morphologies synthesized by hydrothermal and co-precipitation methods have been investigated. Extrapolation of the magnetization values measured below the ferrimagnetic ordering temperature to 0 K has been employed to quantitatively determine the Mn3+ content. The Mn3+ contents calculated on the basis of collinear spin ferrimagnetism from the extrapolated magnetic moment values at 0 K agree closely with those obtained from the capacity values in the 4 V region of lithium-ion cells. This study demonstrates that the magnetic method presented here could become a valuable tool to quantitatively determine the Mn3+ content in high-voltage spinel cathodes.
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75.30.Cr Saturation moments and magnetic susceptibilities
61.66.Fn Inorganic compounds
75.60.Ej Magnetization curves, hysteresis, Barkhausen and related effects
81.10.Dn Growth from solutions
75.50.Gg Ferrimagnetics
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