Efficient flexible inverted small-bandgap organic solar cells with low-temperature zinc oxide interlayer

In this work, we employ an aqueous solution-processed ZnO layer on indium tin oxide (ITO)-coated poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET) as an electron-selective layer in a flexible inverted organic solar cell (OSC) based on poly({4,8-bis[(2-ethylhexyl)oxy]benzo[1,2-b: 4,5-b']dithiophene-2,6-diyl}{3-fluoro-2-[(2-ethylhexy)carbonyl]thieno[3,4-b]thiophenediyl}):[6,6]-phenyl-C-71-butyric acid methyl ester (PTB-7:PC71BM) blends. The electron-selective ZnO layer is prepared in a low-temperature process so that it can be compatible with a flexible substrate. An efficient flexible OSC with the configuration PET/ITO/ZnO/PTB7:PC71BM/MoO3/Ag with a power conversion efficiency (PCE) above 7.6% is obtained. The flexible device could maintain 85% of its initial PCE after 240 h when exposed under air ambient condition without any encapsulation and with a humidity of around 40%. This flexible device shows superior mechanical properties and could keep 93% of its original efficiency after 1000 bending cycles with a curvature radius of 0.8 cm. The results show that the ZnO layer deposited as the electron-selective layer through the aqueous solution is suitable for flexible OSCs. (C) 2016 The Japan Society of Applied Physics