A recent comprehensive review by Professor Hongbin Wu's team from the State Key Laboratory of Luminescent Materials and Devices at South China University of Technology, along with collaborators, thoroughly discusses the latest advancements in the optical and device physics of non-fullerene-based organic photovoltaics (OPVs). This review article was published in Nature Reviews Physics.
Solar cells, or photovoltaic devices, are devices that convert safe, green, renewable solar energy into electricity. Organic solar cells employ organic semiconductors as active materials for photovoltaic conversion. They offer remarkable advantages such as low manufacturing costs, abundant raw materials, high power density, environmental friendliness, transparency, and the ability to manufacture large-area flexible devices using roll-to-roll printing techniques. They hold promising prospects in applications such as building-integrated photovoltaics, "photovoltaics plus" applications in distributed photovoltaics and the Internet of Things, as well as wearable devices.
In recent years, the development of non-fullerene acceptors has significantly boosted the efficiency of organic solar cells, achieving efficiencies surpassing 20%, approaching the level of crystalline silicon solar cells, thus propelling the field into the "non-fullerene era." Non-fullerene acceptors exhibit significant differences from fullerene acceptors in fundamental optical physics, photochemistry, electronic structure, and optical properties. These differences are crucial factors supporting the breakthrough performance of non-fullerene acceptors.
The outcomes discussed in the review article delve into the relationship between exciton dissociation driving force, charge carrier recombination, and energy losses in non-fullerene acceptor organic solar cells. Particularly, they propose methods to further reduce energy losses in this organic photovoltaic system within the framework of the energy gap law, outlining clear directions for future development.
This collaborative effort was undertaken by Professor Wu's team in conjunction with Professor Wei Xiao's team from Peking University and Professor Justin M. Hodgkiss's team from Victoria University of Wellington, New Zealand. The research received funding from the National Natural Science Foundation of China, the Key Research Program of the Ministry of Science and Technology, as well as support from South China University of Technology and the Talent Project for Full-time Researchers in the School of Materials Science and Engineering.
For more information on the related paper, please visit: https://doi.org/10.1038/s42254-024-00719-y
