Achieving EQE of 16,700% in P3HT:PC71BM based photodetectors by trap-assisted photomultiplication

Abstract We report a trap-assisted photomultiplication (PM) phenomenon in solution-processed polymer photodetectors (PPDs) based on P3HT:PC 71 BM as the active layer, the maximum EQE of 16,700% is obtained for the PPDs with PC 71 BM doping weight ratio of 1%. The PM phenomenon is attributed to the enhanced hole tunneling injection assisted by trapped electrons in PC 71 BM near Al cathode, which can be demonstrated by the transient photocurrent curves and EQE spectra of PPDs with different PC 71 BM doping ratios. The positive effect of trapped electrons in PC 71 BM near Al cathode on the hole tunneling injection is further confirmed by the simulated optical field and exciton generation rate distributions in the active layer and the EQE spectra of PPDs with Al(1)/P3HT:PC 71 BM(100:1)/Al(2) device structure under forward and reverse biases. This discovery may open a new road for organic materials to be used in highly sensitive photodetectors while preserving the advantages of organic materials.