Hole-selective-molecule doping improves the layer thickness tolerance of PEDOT:PSS for efficient organic solar cells
Bin Zhao, Xiaozhen Huang, Sein Chung, Min Zhang, Yufei Zhong, Anhai Liang, Zhenmin Zhao, Chaofeng Zhu, Jingjing Zhao, Seunghyun Kim, Jimin Kim, Ming Wang, Shilin Chen, Kilwon Cho, Yang Wang, Zhipeng Kan, eScience,Volume 5, Issue 1,2025, 100305, ISSN 2667-1417,
The goal of this study was to enhance the thickness tolerance and performance of PEDOT:PSS-based hole transport layers (HTLs) in organic solar cells (OSCs) by introducing a novel hole-selective molecule, MPA2FPh-BT-BA (2F).
Key findings revealed that doping PEDOT:PSS with 2F molecules formed an interfacial dipole layer, improving hole extraction, increasing conductivity, and promoting better crystallinity in the active layer. Devices with the modified HTL (2FPP) achieved higher power conversion efficiencies (PCEs) of 18.3%, 19.2%, and 19.1% in different OSC systems. Notably, devices maintained a PCE above 15% even with a 170 nm thick 2FPP layer—significantly improving thickness tolerance compared to standard PEDOT:PSS.
Fluxim’s Paios platform was used to perform transient photocurrent and photovoltage measurements. This allowed precise analysis of charge carrier dynamics, confirming reduced recombination and faster charge extraction in 2FPP devices. The advanced measurement capabilities of Paios contributed crucial validation to the study’s conclusions, underlining the benefit of using reliable and detailed characterization tools.
These findings are highly relevant to the scientific community as they provide a strategy for fabricating more robust, high-efficiency OSCs, essential for scaling up flexible and printed solar technologies.