Multifunctional ternary semitransparent organic solar cell module with area above 100 cm2 and average visible transmittance above 30%

Abstract

Semitransparent organic solar cells (ST-OSCs), which are characterized by flexibility, transparency and colour tunability, are more suitable for integrated applications in fields such as architecture, automotive and agriculture. An ideal ST-OSC should exhibit high efficiency in the utilization of ultraviolet and near-infrared photons, while maintaining a proper balance between visible light absorption and transparency. This study proposes a simple and efficient method to fabricate high performance ST-OSCs by incorporating a high mobility small molecule donor BTR-Cl into the active layer with a low donor content. The incorporation of BTR-Cl improves charge transport, facilitates balanced charge transfer and reduces non-radiative recombination. The blade coated module with active areas of 21 cm² and 100 cm² achieved power conversion efficiencies (PCEs) of 15.2% and 11.0%, respectively. Similarly, the semitransparent module exhibited a PCE of 10.2% and 6.7%, accompanied by a notable average visible transmittance (AVT) of 32.8% and 32.9%, respectively. This work demonstrates a simple and effective approach to enhance the photon-to-electron conversion performance of ST-OSCs and shows its potential application in the fabrication of highly efficient semitransparent organic solar cell modules.