INFLUENCE OF STRUCTURAL FEATURES OF ZNO FILMS ON OPTICAL AND PHOTOELECTRIC CHARACTERISTICS OF INVERTED POLYMER SOLAR ELEMENTS

Abstract

In this work we investigated the effect of preliminary annealing of zinc acetate solution films on the morphology, structure, optical properties of the formed ZnO films and also on the photovoltaic properties of polymer solar cells based on the obtained ZnO films. It was found that the pre-annealing temperature significantly affects the morphology and structure of the obtained ZnO films. At pre-annealing temperatures below 200 oC the films have a strongly relief morphology (wrinkled morphology), while at pre-annealing temperatures above 200oC the surface morphology of the films is smooth. The relief of ZnO films affects the photocurrent density of solar cells. Cells based on ZnO films with wrinkled morphology showed a higher photocurrent compared to smooth morphology, which is due to strong light scattering and, as a result, the optical path of light in the photoactive layer is increased due to multiple reflection of light in the wrinkled structure of ZnO. In addition, with increasing pre-annealing temperature, the photovoltage of solar cells and the rate of recombination of charge carriers increases, but the diffusion coefficient of charge carriers decreases, which indicates an increase in the density of defects in the crystal lattice of ZnO. Thus, it has been shown that smooth or highly relief thin ZnO films with controlled properties can be obtained from a zinc acetate solution.