Transparent Conducting Electrodes based on 1D and 2D Ag Nanogratings for Organic Photovoltaics

TL;DR

This paper investigates the optical and electrical properties of 1D and 2D silver nanogratings as transparent electrodes, demonstrating significant broadband absorption enhancement for organic photovoltaics through plasmonic effects.

Contribution

It introduces a novel application of 1D and 2D Ag nanogratings as transparent electrodes, achieving substantial absorption improvements in organic solar cells.

Findings

Photon absorption increased by 150% with 2D nanogrids.

Photon absorption increased by 200% with perpendicular 1D nanogratings.

Broadband, polarization-insensitive absorption enhancement demonstrated.

Abstract

The optical and electrical properties of optically-thin one-dimensional (1D) Ag nanogratings and two-dimensional (2D) Ag nanogrids are studied, and their use as transparent electrodes in organic photovoltaics are explored. A large broadband and polarization-insensitive optical absorption enhancement in the organic light-harvesting layers is theoretically and numerically demonstrated using either single-layer 2D Ag nanogrids or two perpendicular 1D Ag nanogratings, and is attributed to the excitation of surface plasmon resonances and plasmonic cavity modes. Total photon absorption enhancements of 150% and 200% are achieved for the optimized single-layer 2D Ag nanogrids and double (top and bottom) perpendicular 1D Ag nanogratings, respectively.