Photovoltaic behavior of polymerizable ionic liquid based fixed-junction light-emitting electrochemical cells

ORAL

Abstract

Although silicon solar cells dominate the solar power market, polymer solar cells (PSCs) are a subject of recent study, and show potential for easier fabrication and wider application than silicon cells. One type of PSC, first proposed in 1994, uses a light-emitting electrochemical cell (LEC) structure, in which an applied electrical bias causes mobile ions within a polymer layer to separate towards opposing electrodes. Most LECs have dynamic junctions, meaning that ion separation disappears as soon as the bias is removed, which prohibit functionality as a solar cell; however, fixed-junction LECs maintain their ion separation and thus produce a notable photovoltaic response. Our group has developed a chemically fixed junction LEC by blending a light-emitting polymer with a polymerizable ionic liquid (PIL). It is hypothesized that ions from the PIL bind to the polymer after separation, preventing deterioration of the junction. PIL-based LECs have shown improvements, in general metrics such as light output, over other chemically-fixed junctions. We are presently testing the photovoltaic response of these devices, by measuring current during light application, in order to reveal more about their microscopic behavior and create a foundation for further study.

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Authors

  • Avalon Hayes

    Western Washington University

  • Corbit Sampson

    Western Washington University

  • Abdul Qadeer Rehan

    University of Tennessee, University of York, Old Dominion University, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Old Dominion University, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, University of California, Berkeley, Institute of Physics - University of Sao Paulo, Naval Research Laboratory, St. Cloud State University, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Space Sciences Laboratory, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Space Sciences Laboratory, University of California Berkeley, University of Maryland - Baltimore County, Sandia National Laboratories, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Federal University of Bahia; University of Brasília, Federal University of Bahia, Department of Applied Physics, Yale University & Department of Physics, Yale University, Theoretical Division and Center for Nonlinear Studies, Los Alamos National Laboratory, Department of Physics, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign & Current affiliation: Seagate Research Group, Seagate Technology, Department of Physics and Astronomy, Wayne State University, Department of Physics, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Department of Applied Physics, Yale University, Swarthmore College, Western Washington University, Departments of Chemistry and Physics and The Baruch 60 Center for Biochemical Solar Energy Research at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, University of Florida, Wayne State University, Vanderbilt University, University of Maryland, College Park, NASA GSFC, CfA, California Institute of Technology, Skidmore College, Durham University, University of Alberta, University of Michigan, Curtin University, Michigan State University, University of Nevada, University of Chicago, Duke University, Cornell, Pennsylvania State University, New York University Abu Dhabi, NASA Ames Research Center, Kenyon Coll, Kenyon College, University of Texas at Austin, Flatiron Institute, University of California, Los Angeles, Ohio State University, University of Pennsylvania, HERA, HERA, Rochester Institute of Technology, Howard Community College, Carleton College, California State University at Long Beach, Bishop Ireton High School, Fayetteville State University, Univ of Oklahoma, University of Massachusetts Amherst, Carnegie Observatories, San Diego State University, Associate of the National Institute of Standards and Technology, National Institute of Standards and Technology, NTT Basic Research Laboratories and NTT Research Center for Theoretical Quantum Physics, JILA, University of Colorado, 440 UCB, Boulder, CO, Department of Physics, 390 UCB University of Colorado, University of Washington, James Franck Institute, Enrico Fermi Institute, University of Chicago Department of Physics, Princeton University, Department of Physics, Arizona State University, Indiana Univ - Bloomington, National Autonomous University of Mexico, Harvard University, Nagoya University, Toyota Technological Institute, University of Tokyo, Zhejiang University, Clark University, Natl Univ of Singapore, University of Richmond

  • Janelle Leger

    Western Washington University