Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Towards highly efficient solar cells based on merocyanine dyes

  • Published:
MRS Online Proceedings Library Aims and scope

Abstract

We present the development of highly efficient merocyanine solar cells at the example of the dye MD376. Due to their unique processing flexibility, merocyanines have been applied in solution- as well as vacuum-processed organic photovoltaics. In fully vapor-deposited MD376 single cells, efficiencies up to 5.0% were achieved while maintaining a rather simple device setup with only four organic layers. Moreover, MD376 has been successfully introduced to vacuum-processed tandem cell structures, reporting a high open-circuit voltage of 2.1 V.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Z. He, C. Zhong, X. Huang, W.-Y. Wong, H. Wu, L. Chen, S. Su, and Y. Cao, Adv. Mater., DOI: 10.1002/adma.201103006 (2011).

    Google Scholar 

  2. M. Riede, C. Uhrich, J. Widmer, R. Timmreck, D. Wynands, G. Schwartz, W.-M. Gnehr, D. Hildebrandt, A. Weiss, J. Hwang, S. Sudharka, P. Erk, M. Pfeiffer, and K. Leo, Adv. Funct. Mater. 21, 3019–3028 (2011).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  3. V. Steinmann, N. M. Kronenberg, M. R. Lenze, S. M. Graf, D. Hertel, K. Meerholz, H. Bürckstümmer, E. V. Tulyakova, and F. Würthner, Adv. Energy Mater. 1, 888–893 (2011).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  4. L.-Y. Lin, Y.-H. Chen, Z.-Y. Huang, H.-W. Lin, S.-H. Chou, F. Lin, C.-W. Chen, Y.-H. Liu, and K.-T. Wong, J. Am. Chem. Soc., DOI: 10.1021/ja205126t (2011).

    Google Scholar 

  5. Y. Sun, G. C. Welch, W. L. Leong, C. J. Takacs, G. C. Bazan, and A. J. Heeger, Nature Mater., DOI: 10.1038/NMAT3160 (2011).

    Google Scholar 

  6. F. Würthner, R. Wortmann, and K. Meerholz, ChemPhysChem 3, 17–31 (2002).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  7. S. Köber, M. Salvador, K. Meerholz, Adv. Mater., 23, 4725–4763 (2011).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  8. H. Bürckstümmer, N. M. Kronenberg, M. Gsänger, M. Stolte, K. Meerholz, and F. Würthner, J. Mater. Chem. 20, 240–243 (2010).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  9. N. M. Kronenberg, M. Deppisch, F. Würthner, H. W. A. Lademann, K. Deing, and K. Meerholz, Chem. Commun., 6489-91 (2008).

    Google Scholar 

  10. N. M. Kronenberg, V. Steinmann, H. Bürckstümmer, J. Hwang, D. Hertel, F. Würthner, and K. Meerholz, Adv. Mater. 22, 4193–4197 (2010).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  11. V. Steinmann, N. M. Kronenberg, M. R. Lenze, S. M. Graf, D. Hertel, H. Bürckstümmer, F. Würthner, and K. Meerholz, Appl. Phys. Lett. 99, 193306 (2011).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  12. H. Frohne, S. E. Shaheen, C. J. Brabec, D. C. Müller, N. S. Sariciftci, and K. Meerholz, ChemPhysChem 3, 795–799 (2002).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  13. D. W. Zhao, X. W. Sun, C. Y. Jiang, A. K. K. Kyaw, G. Q. Lo, and D. L. Kwong, Appl. Phys. Lett. 93, 083305 (2008).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  14. T. Ameri, G. Dennler, C. Lungenschmied, and C. J. Brabec, Energ. Environ. Sci. 2, 347 (2009).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  15. A. Hadipour, B. de Boer, and P. W. M. Blom, Org. Electron. 9, 617–624 (2008).

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgments

The authors thank Dr. Dirk Hertel for fruitful, scientific discussions. For financial support, the authors thank the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG, project SP1355). Further, we would like to acknowledge the funding through the Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) of Germany through the OPEG project. We also thank the BASF SE for providing some of the material.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department für Chemie, Universität Köln, Luxemburger Straße 116, 50939, Köln, Germany

    Vera Steinmann, Nils M. Kronenberg, Martin R. Lenze & Klaus Meerholz

  2. Institut für Organische Chemie and Röntgen Research Center for Complex Material Systems, Universität Würzburg, Am Hubland, 97074, Würzburg, Germany

    Manuela Deppisch, Hannah Bürckstümmer & Frank Würthner

Authors
  1. Vera Steinmann
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Nils M. Kronenberg
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Martin R. Lenze
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Manuela Deppisch
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. Hannah Bürckstümmer
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  6. Frank Würthner
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  7. Klaus Meerholz
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Steinmann, V., Kronenberg, N.M., Lenze, M.R. et al. Towards highly efficient solar cells based on merocyanine dyes. MRS Online Proceedings Library 1390, 00442 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1557/opl.2012.442

Download citation

  • Published:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1557/opl.2012.442

Search

Navigation