Poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene):poly(styrene sulfonate), PEDOT:PSS, has been widely used as an effective hole transporting material in many different organic semiconductor devices for well over a decade. However, despite having many strong features which make this material such a popular hole transport/injection layer, PEDOT:PSS is well-known to cause degradation in devices and limit their stability due to the acidity of the PSS chain. This review focusses on the attempts that have been made to combat this problem, with different strategies explored, including the development of neutral analogues, use of alternative materials and the introduction of barrier layers to prevent degradation of the electrode. Since solution-processing is a key advantage of using PEDOT:PSS, we concentrate on analogous materials that can also be solution-processed, with particular attention on whether orthogonal processing can be retained. We intend this work to be a useful guide for researchers considering enhanced device lifetimes, an important parameter when considering organic semiconductor devices for commercialisation.

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The damaging effects of the acidity in PEDOT:PSS on semiconductor device performance and solutions based on non-acidic alternatives

Recent progress in degradation and stabilization of organic solar cells

Low-temperature-processed perovskite solar cells (PSCs), which can be fabricated on rigid or flexible substrates, are attracting increasing attention because they have a wide range of potential applications. In this study, the stability of reduced graphene oxide and the ability of a poly(triarylamine) underlayer to improve the quality of overlying perovskite films to construct hole-transport bilayer by means of a low-temperature method are taken advantage of. The bilayer is used in both flexible and rigid inverted planar PSCs with the following configuration: substrate/indium tin oxide/reduced graphene oxide/polytriarylamine/CH3NH3PbI3/PCBM/bathocuproine/Ag (PCBM = [6,6]-phenyl-C61-butyric acid methyl ester). The flexible and rigid PSCs show power conversion efficiencies of 15.7 and 17.2%, respectively, for the aperture area of 1.02 cm2. Moreover, the PSC based the bilayer shows outstanding light-soaking stability, retaining ≈90% of its original efficiency after continuous illumination for 500 h at 100 mW cm−2.

Stable Inverted Planar Perovskite Solar Cells with Low-Temperature-Processed Hole-Transport Bilayer

Organic solar cells (OSCs) have made dramatic advancements during the past decades owing to the innovative material design and device structure optimization, with power conversion efficiencies surpassing 19% and 20% for single-junction and tandem devices, respectively. Interface engineering, by modifying interface properties between different layers for OSCs, has become a vital part to promote the device efficiency. It is essential to elucidate the intrinsic working mechanism of interface layers, as well as the related physical and chemical processes that manipulate device performance and long-term stability. In this article, the advances in interface engineering aimed to pursue high-performance OSCs were reviewed. The specific functions and corresponding design principles of interface layers were summarized firstly. Then we discussed the anode interface layer (AIL), cathode interface layer (CIL) in single-junction OSCs, and interconnecting layer (ICL) of tandem devices in separate categories and analyzed the interface engineering-related improvements on device efficiency and stability. Finally, the challenges and prospects associated with application of interface engineering were discussed with the emphasis on large-area, high-performance and low-cost device manufacturing. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.

Interface Engineering for Highly Efficient Organic Solar Cells.

In recent years, solution‐processed conjugated polymers have been extensively used as anode interfacial layer (AIL) materials in organic solar cells (OSCs) due to their excellent film‐forming property and low‐temperature processing advantages. In this review, the authors focus on the recent advances in conjugated polymers as AIL materials in OSCs. Several of the main classes of solution‐processable conjugated polymers, including poly(3,4‐ethylenedioxythiophene):(styrenesulfonate), polyaniline, polythiophene, conjugated polyelectrolytes, sulfonated poly(diphenylamine), and crosslinked polymers as AIL materials are discussed in depth, and the mechanisms of these AIL materials in enhancing OSC performances are also elucidated. The structure–property relationships of various conjugated polymer AIL materials are analyzed, and some important design rules for such materials toward high efficiencies and stable OSCs are presented. In addition, some chemical and physical approaches to optimize the photoelectronic and physic properties of conjugated polymer AIL materials, which improve their performance in modifying OSCs, are also highlighted. Considering the significance of tandem OSCs, the relevant applications of conjugated polymer AIL materials in constructing interconnection layers for tandem OSCs are also mentioned. Finally, a brief summary is presented and some perspectives to help researchers understand the current challenges and opportunities in this area are proposed.

Solution-Processable Conjugated Polymers as Anode Interfacial Layer Materials for Organic Solar Cells

This work describes a simple process to improve the stability of small molecule organic photovoltaics (OPVs) that use poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene):poly(styrenesulfonate) (PEDOT:PSS) as the hole transport layer (HTL), without reducing the power conversion efficiency (PCE). We investigated the effect of self-assembled monolayers (SAMs) on the degradation of electrical properties caused by the diffusion of indium through the matrix commonly used in OPV devices. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy depth profiles suggested that the acidic PEDOT:PSS etched the indium from the indium tin oxide (ITO) electrode, which resulted in indium diffusion into and chemical interaction with the active layer. Such behavior was responsible for the deterioration of the device. By inserting a self-assembled monolayer (SAM) with carboxylic acid functional groups at the interface between the ITO and PEDOT:PSS layers, such diffusion could be significantly suppressed. The PCE of the pristine OPV diminished to zero at 49 days post-fabrication under ambient conditions. However, the PCE of the SAM-modified device was reduced by only 30% over the same period, and only to 48% after 98 days. Moreover, the SAMs improved the interfacial electrical properties between the ITO and PEDOT:PSS layers, which maintained the PCE of the device. Our findings suggest a simple approach to improve the stability of OPVs that utilize PEDOT:PSS as the HTL.

Marked improvement in the stability of small molecule organic photovoltaics by interfacial modification using self-assembled monolayers to prevent indium diffusion into the active layer

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Marked improvement in the stability of small molecule organic photovoltaics by interfacial modification using self-assembled monolayers to prevent indium diffusion into the active layer