The Effect of a Nanosize TiOx Layer on the Performance of an Organic Solar Cell

This work studies the role of a cathodic TiOx buffer layer in operation of a photovoltaic organic solar cell (OSC) based on a photoactive layer with a bulk heterojunction. Using a liquid solution to obtain a TiOx layer is of current interest for simplification of process technologies of successive formation of OSC layers. It is found that the optimum thickness of the TiOx layer is 10 nm; at this thickness, the efficiency of the OSC reaches the value of 4.36%. The effect of air oxygen on the OSC samples is studied and it is found that samples with a TiOx buffer layer undergo degradation to a lesser extent as compared to the samples with no such layer. The effect of oxygen on operation of the photovoltaic device is discussed.