Near infrared light driven organic p-i-n solar cells incorporating phthalocyanine J-aggregate

Organic p-i-n solar cells having near infrared (NIR) sensitivity to 1050 nm were fabricated using a codeposited i-interlayer consisting of lead phthalocyanine (PbPc) and fullerene (C60). The external quantum efficiency and conversion efficiency for NIR light reached 43% (860 nm) and 2.3%, respectively. The codeposited i-interlayer was shown to have three separate nanostructural components each making a contribution to the operation of the cell. These were electron transport through amorphous C60, hole transport through the H-aggregates of PbPc, and carrier generation by NIR light at the J-aggregate sites of PbPc.