Near-field multiple scattering effects of plasmonic nanospheres embedded into thin-film organic solar cells

We investigate near-field multiple scattering effects of plasmonic nanospheres (NSPs) embedded into organic solar cells (OSCs). When NSPs are embedded into a spacer layer, the near-field scattering from the NSPs shows strong direction-dependent features, which significantly affects the optical absorption. When NSPs are embedded into an active layer, the absorption enhancement is attributed to the interplay between longitudinal and transverse modes supported by the NSP chain. The breakdown of electrostatic scaling law is confirmed by our theoretical model and should be accounted for optical designs of OSCs. The work provides the fundamental physical understanding and design guidelines for plasmonic photovoltaics.