Trap states are known to be one of the key parameters limiting charge transport in organic semiconductors and hence the performance of organic solar cells. Here, small-molecule organic solar cells based on a bulk heterojunction between zinc-phtalocyanine (ZnPc) and the fullerene C60 are characterized according to their trapping nature by noninvasive methods and under ambient conditions. We show how impedance spectroscopy, applied to systematically varied device structures, reveals the trap localization as well as its occupation mechanisms. Further insight is given from investigations of different device working points and illumination intensities. Thus, we find the traps to be bulk states in the active layer with an electron-trapping nature. They can be described by a Gaussian energy distribution of 55 meV width, centered at 0.46 eV below the electron transport level and with a concentration of 3.5 $\times$ 10${}^{16}$ cm${}^{-3}$. Moreover, the trap states act as recombination centers in the presence of injected or photogenerated charge carriers. The results are confirmed by electrical simulations.

• Received 12 September 2012

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevB.87.045432