Solar Power Wires Based on Organic Photovoltaic Materials
Michael R. Lee,
Robert D. Eckert,
Karen Forberich,
Gilles Dennler,
Christoph J. Brabec,
Russell A. Gaudiana*
Organic photovoltaics in a flexible wire format has potential
advantages that are described in this paper. A wire format requires
long-distance transport of current that can be achieved only
with conventional metals, thus eliminating the use of transparent
oxide semiconductors. A phase-separated, photovoltaic layer,
comprising a conducting polymer and a fullerene derivative,
is coated onto a thin metal wire. A second wire, coated with
a silver film, serving as the counter electrode, is wrapped
around the first wire. Both wires are encased in a transparent
polymer cladding. Incident light is focused by the cladding
onto to the photovoltaic layer even when it is completely shadowed
by the counter electrode. Efficiency values of the wires range
from 2.79% to 3.27%.
* To whom correspondence should be addressed. E-mail: rgaudiana{at}konarka.com
