Photovoltaic interface modification via electrostatic self-assembly

The device efficiency of PPV-C-60 based photovoltaic devices has been subst antially increased by increasing the interfacial area between the electron donor and acceptor layers. Electrostatic Self-Assembly (ESA) provides a mea ns to deposit thin films of electroactive materials with a very controlled thickness and has shown usefulness in modifying physical and electrical int erfaces. in this study, we attempt to control the effective interfacial are a by modifying the interface between the PPV electron donor and C-60-based electron acceptor with molecularly blended ESA bilayers of PPV and derivati zed C-60 If is observed that with only 2 bilayers of (PPV/C-60(-)) a 3-fold increase in device efficiency is obtained. Thus, ESA films offer promise f or the nanoscaled modification of interfaces in organic-based photocells.