Metal oxide nanocrystalline thin films as buffer layers in organic/ hybrid solar cells
Abstract
Without reverting to encapsulation, organic bulk - heterojunction solar cells
can be protected from the oxidation of the highly reactive low work function
cathode metal electrode, by the deposition of metal oxide buffer layers onto
an indium-tin oxide (ITO) substrate. The zinc-oxide (ZnO) or titanium
dioxide (TiO2) layer can serve as an electron collecting contact. In such a
case the ordering of layer deposition is inverted from the traditional layer
sequencing, using an additional effect of the metal oxide layer acting as a
hole blocking contact