Performance improvement of polymer solar cells by using a solution processible titanium chelate as cathode buffer layer

A solution processible titanium chelate, titanium (diisopropoxide) bis (2,4-pentanedionate) (TIPD), was used as the cathode buffer layer in the polymer solar cells (PSCs) based on the blend of poly[2-methoxy-5-(2′-ethylhexyloxy)-1,4-phenylenevinylene] and [6,6]-phenyl-C61-butyric acid methyl ester. Introducing TIPD buffer layer reduced the interface resistance between the active layer and Al electrode, leading to a lower device resistance. The power conversion efficiency of the PSC with TIPD buffer layer reached 2.52% under the illumination of AM1.5, 100mW∕cm2, which is increased by 51.8% in comparison with that (1.66%) of the device without TIPD buffer layer under the same experimental conditions.