Interfacial Engineering Materials for Photovoltaics
Organic solar cells and Perovskite solar cells have been regarded as the two of the most conspicuous candidates for the next-generation high-performance photovoltaics. To further enhance their performance and long-term stability, it is crucial to extract the charge generated by photon absorption as well as to avoid electron-hole recombination in a more efficient manner. In pursuit of such objective, the strategy of interfacial engineering between electrodes and active materials is an effective and efficient way to reach our goal. Through my work we are developing a series of fullerene derivatives and conductive polymers as charge transporting materials for photovoltaics. The design, synthesis and characterization of these materials will give us a deeper insight into the relationship between their properties and device performance, thus to finally realize our goal to convert sunlight into low-cost, clean and renewable energy for the daily usage of human beings.
Advisor: Alex K.-Y. Jen, Chemistry & Materials Science and Engineering