Organic Semiconductors: Exploring Principles and Advancements in OPV and OLED - A Review

International Journal of Electrical and Electronics Engineering

© 2024 by SSRG - IJEEE Journal

Volume 11 Issue 5

Year of Publication : 2024

Authors : N. Akash Manikantan, P. Sathya

10.14445/23488379/IJEEE-V11I5P107

How to Cite?

N. Akash Manikantan, P. Sathya, "Organic Semiconductors: Exploring Principles and Advancements in OPV and OLED - A Review," SSRG International Journal of Electrical and Electronics Engineering, vol. 11,  no. 5, pp. 60-76, 2024. Crossref, https://doi.org/10.14445/23488379/IJEEE-V11I5P107

Abstract:

This paper aims to recap the relatively new yet revolutionizing novel organic material technology that is changing everyday life electronic applications. The primary objective of this review paper is to introduce this novel technology to new researchers, starting from the basics of differentiation between inorganic and organic semiconductors, working principles, and underlying fundamental theories like exciton theory, bandgap theory, electron spin theory, their applications and challenges. This will give the much-needed lead to the new researchers to pursue further work in this field. On the application aspect, this review focuses on Organic Light Emitting Diodes (OLEDs) and Organic Solar Cells in detail, from a brief historical outlook, developments, and discussions on the newest technologies along with their challenges and future potentials. More emphasis is given to organic solar cells since they address the wide issue of climate change and global warming. With this review paper, one can accumulate wide knowledge on organic semiconductors and their applications and can couple their research interest with the lead given by this paper to make their contribution in this particular domain, holding massive future potential. To summarize, this paper reviews in detail the basics of organic semiconductors, fundamental working principles and applications, comparing and compiling different research works to highlight the pain points and future research areas.

Keywords:

Bandgap theory, Exciton theory, Organic semiconductor, Organic Light Emitting Diode, Organic photovoltaics, Spin theory.

References:

[1] N. Sönnichsen, Energy Consumption Worldwide from 2000 to 2019, with a Forecast until 2050, Energy Source, 2022.
[2] G.M. Alan, and H. Shirakawa, “The Nobel Prize in Chemistry, 2000: Conductive Polymers,” Kungl Vatenskapsakademien, The Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences, 2000.
[Google Scholar]  
[3] H. Kallmann, and M. Pope, “Positive Hole Injection into Organic Crystals,” The Journal of Chemical Physics, vol. 32, no. 1, pp. 300-301, 1960.
[CrossRef] [Google Scholar] [Publisher Link]  
[4] M. Riede et al., Organic Semiconductors, Elsevier, 2018.
[Google Scholar] [Publisher Link]
[5] Pavlos P. Manousiadis et al., “Organic Semiconductors for Visible Light Communications,” Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society A, vol. 378, no. 2169, 2020.
[CrossRef] [Google Scholar] [Publisher Link]
[6] Hiroyuki Matsui, Yasunori Takeda, and Shizuo Tokito, “Flexible and Printed Organic Transistors: From Materials to Integrated Circuits,” Organic Electronics, vol. 75, pp. 1-17, 2019.
[CrossRef] [Google Scholar] [Publisher Link]
[7] Peter Puschni, and Claudia Ambrosch-Draxl, “First-Principles Approach to the Understanding of π-Conjugated organic Semiconductors,” Monatshefte für Chemie-Chemical Monthly, vol. 139, pp. 389-399, 2008.
[CrossRef] [Google Scholar] [Publisher Link]
[8] Azzedine Boudrioua, Mahmoud Chakaroun, Alexis Fischer, Organic Lasers, Elsevier, pp. 1-47, 2017.  
[9] L.V. Keldysh, and A.N. Kozlov, “Collective Properties of Excitons in Semiconductors,” Selected Papers of Leonid V Keldysh, pp. 79-86, 2024.
[CrossRef] [Google Scholar] [Publisher Link]
[10] Thomas Mueller, and Ermin Malic, “Exciton Physics and Device Application of Two-Dimensional Transition Metal Dichalcogenide Semiconductors,” npj 2D Materials and Applications, vol. 2, pp. 1-12, 2018.
[CrossRef] [Google Scholar] [Publisher Link]
[11] A.K. Geim, and I.V. Grigorieva, “Van der Waals Heterostructures,” Perspectives, vol. 499, pp. 419-425, 2013.
[CrossRef] [Google Scholar] [Publisher Link]
[12] Paul Adrien Maurice Dirac, “The Quantum Theory of the Electron,” Proceedings of the Royal Society of London. Series A, vol. 117, no. 778, pp. 610-624, 1928.
[CrossRef] [Google Scholar] [Publisher Link]
[13] Azzedine Boudrioua, Mahmoud Chakaroun, and Alexis Fischer, An Introduction to Organic Lasers, Elsevier, 2017.
[Google Scholar] [Publisher Link]
[14] Peter Puschnig, and Claudia Ambrosch-Draxl, “Excitons in Organic Semiconductors,” Comptes Rendus Physique, vol. 10, no. 6, pp. 504513, 2009.
[CrossRef] [Google Scholar] [Publisher Link]
[15] José C.S. Costa et al., “Optical Band Gaps of Organic Semiconductor Materials,” Optical Materials, vol. 58, pp. 51-60, 2016.
[CrossRef] [Google Scholar] [Publisher Link] 
[16] K. Nakayama et al., “Tuning the Band Gap of Organic Semiconductors for Better Device Performance,” Advanced Materials, 2010.
[17] D.M. de Leeuw et al., “Electronic Processes in Organic Electronics: Bridging the Gap between Fullerenes and other Materials,” Advanced Materials, 1997.
[18] Xiaoqing Zhan, Wenguan Wang, and Henry Shu-Hung Chung, “A Novel Color Control Method for Multicolor LED Systems to Achieve High Color Rendering Indexes,” IEEE Transactions on Power Electronics, vol. 33, no. 10, pp. 8246-8258, 2018.
[CrossRef] [Google Scholar] [Publisher Link]
[19] V. Kyriazopoulos et al., “High Efficiency Solution Processable Polymer OLEDs: Manufacturing and Characterization,” Materials Today: Proceedings, vol. 37, no. 4, pp. A21-A31, 2021.
[CrossRef] [Google Scholar] [Publisher Link]
[20] C.W. Tang, S.A. VanSlyke, and C.H. Chen, “Electroluminescence of Doped Organic Thin Films,” Journal of Applied Physics, vol. 65, pp. 3610-3616, 1989.
[CrossRef] [Google Scholar] [Publisher Link]
[21] J. H. Burroughes et al., “Light-Emitting Diodes Based on Conjugated Polymers,” Letters, vol. 347, pp. 539-541, 1990.
[CrossRef] [Google Scholar] [Publisher Link]
[22] Y. Karzazi, “Organic Light Emitting Diodes: Devices and Applications,” Journal of Materials and Environmental Science, vol. 5, no. 1, pp. 1-12, 2014.
[Google Scholar] [Publisher Link]
[23] Debashish Nayak, and Ram Bilash Choudhary, Conducting Polymer-Based Emissive Layer on Efficiency of OLEDs,” Light-Emitting Diodes and Photodetectors - Advances and Future Directions, Intech Open, 2021.
[CrossRef] [Google Scholar] [Publisher Link]
[24] Tetsuo Tsutsui, Hiroaki Tokuhisa, and Masanao Era, “Charge Carrier Mobilities in Molecular Materials for Electroluminescent Diodes,” Polymer Photonic Devices, vol. 3281, pp. 230-239, 1998.
[CrossRef] [Google Scholar] [Publisher Link]
[25] Hai-Wei Chen et al., “Liquid Crystal Display and Organic Light- Emitting Diode Display: Present Status and Future Perspectives,” Light: Science & Applications, vol. 7, pp. 1-13, 2018.
[CrossRef] [Google Scholar] [Publisher Link]
[26] Chuanxing Zhan et al., “Conductive Polymer Nanocomposites: A Critical Review of Modern Advanced Devices,” Journal of Materials Chemistry C, vol. 5, no. 7, pp. 1569-1585, 2017.
[CrossRef] [Google Scholar] [Publisher Link]
[27] Hannah L. Smith et al., “N-Doping of a Low-Electron-Affinity Polymer Used as an Electron-Transport Layer in Organic Light Emitting Diodes,” Advanced Functional Materials, vol. 30, no. 17, 2020.
[CrossRef] [Google Scholar] [Publisher Link]
[28] Huaili Zheng et al., “UV-Initiated Polymerization of Cationic Polyacrylamide: Synthesis, Characterization, and Sludge Dewatering Performance,” The Scientific World Journal, vol. 2013, pp. 1-8, 2013.
[CrossRef] [Google Scholar] [Publisher Link]
[29] R.J. Holmes et al., “Blue Organic Electrophosphorescence Using Exothermic Host-Guest Energy Transfer,” Applied Physics Letters, vol. 82, no. 15, pp. 2422-2424, 2003.
[CrossRef] [Google Scholar] [Publisher Link]
[30] Jiawei Chen et al., “Perovskite White Light Emitting Diodes: Progress, Challenges, and Opportunities,” ACS Nano, vol. 15, no. 11, pp. 17150-17174, 2021. [CrossRef] [Google Scholar] [Publisher Link]
[31] Victor Du John H, Jackuline Moni D., and Gracia D., “A Detailed Review on Si, GaAs, and CIGS/CdTe Based Solar Cells and Efficiency Comparison,” Przegląd Elektrotechniczny, pp. 9-18, 2020.
[CrossRef] [Google Scholar] [Publisher Link]
[32] D.M. Chapin, C.S. Fuller, and G.L. Pearson, “A New Siolicn p-n Junction Photocell for Converting Solar Radiation into Electrical Power,” Journal of Applied Physics, vol. 25, no. 5, pp. 676-677, 1954.
[CrossRef] [Google Scholar] [Publisher Link]
[33] Jianhua Zhao, Aihua Wang, and Martin A. Green, “24·5% Efficiency Silicon PERT Cells on MCZ Substrates and 24·7% Efficiency PERL Cells on FZ Substrates,” Progress in Photovoltaics, vol. 7, no. 6, pp. 471-474, 1999.
[CrossRef] [Google Scholar] [Publisher Link]
[34] Our Word in Data, Solar Energy Capacity, 2023. [Online]. Available: https://ourworldindata.org/grapher/installed-solar-pv-capacity
[35] Stephanie Essig et al., “Raising the One-Sun Conversion Efficiency of III–V/Si Solar Cells to 32.8% for Two Junctions and 35.9% for Three Junctions,” Nature Energy, vol. 2, pp. 1-9, 2017.
[CrossRef] [Google Scholar] [Publisher Link]
[36] NREL, Transforming Energy, Best Research-Cell Efficiency Chart. [Online]. Available: https://www.nrel.gov/pv/cell-efficiency.Html
[37] Fan Yang, and Stephen R. Forrest, “Photocurrent Generation in Nanostructured Organic Solar Cells,” ACS Nano, vol. 2, no. 5, pp. 10221032, 2008.
[CrossRef] [Google Scholar] [Publisher Link]
[38] Jhao-Lin Wu et al., “Oligothiophenes and Alkyl Side-Chain Arrangement the Structure-Property Study of their Diketopyrrolopyrrole Copolymers for Organic Photovoltaics,” Organic Electronics, vol. 61, pp. 185-196, 2018.
[CrossRef] [Google Scholar] [Publisher Link]
[39] Antonio Facchetti, “Polymer Donor-Polymer Acceptor (All-Polymer) Solar Cells,” Materials Today, vol. 16, no. 4, pp. 123-132, 2013.
[CrossRef] [Google Scholar] [Publisher Link]
[40] P.R. Berger, and M. Kim, “Polymer Solar Cells: P3HT: PCBM and Beyond,” Journal of Renewable and Sustainable Energy, vol. 10, no. 1, pp. 1-26, 2018.
[CrossRef] [Google Scholar] [Publisher Link]
[41] Jun Yan et al., “Origin of High Fill Factor in Polymer Solar Cells from Semiconducting Polymer with Moderate Charge Carrier Mobility,” Organic Electronics, vol. 24, pp. 125-130, 2015.
[CrossRef] [Google Scholar] [Publisher Link]
[42] Shota Ono, and Kaoru Ohno, “Origin of Charge Transfer Exciton Dissociation in Organic Solar Cells,” Excitons, 2018.
[CrossRef] [Google Scholar] [Publisher Link]
[43] P. Peumans, and S.R. Forrest, “Very-High-Efficiency Double-Heterostructure Copper Phthalocyanine/C60 Photovoltaic Cells,” Applied Physics Letters, vol. 79, no. 1, pp. 126-128, 2001.
[CrossRef] [Google Scholar] [Publisher Link]
[44] Soichi Uchida et al., “Organic Small Molecule Solar Cells with a Homogeneously Mixed Copper Phthalocyanine: C60 Active Layer,” Applied Physics Letters, vol. 84, no. 21, pp. 4218-4220, 2004.
[CrossRef] [Google Scholar] [Publisher Link]
[45] M. Vogel et al., “On the Function of a Bathocuproine Buffer Layer in Organic Photovoltaic Cells,” Applied Physics Letters, vol. 89, no. 16, 2006.
[CrossRef] [Google Scholar] [Publisher Link]
[46] S. Yoo, B. Domercq, and B. Kippelen, “Efficient Thin-Film Organic Solar Cells Based on Pentacene/C60 Heterojunctions,” Applied Physics Letters, vol. 85, no. 22, pp. 5427-5429, 2004.
[CrossRef] [Google Scholar] [Publisher Link]
[47] Gang Li et al., “High-Efficiency Solution Processable Polymer Photovoltaic Cells by Self-Organization of Polymer Blends,” Nature Materials, vol. 4, no. 11, pp. 864-868, 2005.
[CrossRef] [Google Scholar] [Publisher Link]
[48] M. Abdallaoui et al., “Comparative Study of Conventional and Inverted P3HT: PCBM Organic Solar Cell,” Optical Materials, vol. 105, 2020.
[CrossRef] [Google Scholar] [Publisher Link]
[49] V.D. Mihailetchi et al., “Compositional Dependence of the Performance of Poly (p‐Phenylene Vinylene): Methanofullerene Bulk-Heterojunction Solar Cells,” Advanced Functional Materials, vol. 15, no. 5, pp. 795-801, 2005.
[CrossRef] [Google Scholar] [Publisher Link]
[50] Barry P. Rand, Diana P. Burk, and Stephen R. Forrest, “Offset Energies at Organic Semiconductor Heterojunctions and their Influence on the Open-Circuit Voltage of Thin-Film Solar Cells,” Physical Review B, vol. 75, no. 11, 2007.
[CrossRef] [Google Scholar] [Publisher Link]
[51] M.C. Scharber et al., “Design Rules for Donors in Bulk‐Heterojunction Solar Cells-Towards 10% Energy‐Conversion Efficiency,” Advanced Materials, vol. 18, no. 6, pp. 789-794, 2006.
[CrossRef] [Google Scholar] [Publisher Link]
[52] Abdul Rehman et al., “Optimization of Hollow Materials-Based Electron Transport Layer for Enhanced Performance of Perovskite Solar Cell,” Plasmonics, pp. 1-12, 2023.
[CrossRef] [Google Scholar] [Publisher Link]
[53] Asmaa Ahmed et al., “Performance Evaluation of Single Multi-Junction Solar Cell for High Concentrator Photovoltaics Using Minichannel Heat Sink with Nanofluids,” Applied Thermal Engineering, vol. 182, 2021.
[CrossRef] [Google Scholar] [Publisher Link]
[54] Adil Baiju, and Maksym Yarema, “Status and Challenges of Multi-Junction Solar Cell Technology,” Frontiers in Energy Research, vol. 10, pp. 1-17, 2022.
[CrossRef] [Google Scholar] [Publisher Link]
[55] Janne Puustinen et al., “Low Bandgap GaAsNBi Solar Cells,” Solar Energy Materials and Solar Cells, vol. 264, pp. 1-7, 2024.
[CrossRef] [Google Scholar] [Publisher Link]
[56] Michael Pham et al., “Bismuth Perovskite as a Viable Alternative to Pb Perovskite Solar Cells: Device Simulations to Delineate Critical Efficiency Dynamics,” Journal of Materials Science: Materials in Electronics, vol. 30, pp. 9438-9443, 2019.
[CrossRef] [Google Scholar] [Publisher Link]
[57] Junji Kido et al., “27.1: Invited Paper: High Efficiency Organic EL Devices having Charge Generation Layers,” Extended Abstracts- The 49th Spring Meeting, The Japan Society of Applied Physics, vol. 34, no. 1, pp. 964-965, 2003.
[CrossRef] [Google Scholar] [Publisher Link]
[58] Jiangeng Xue et al., “Asymmetric Tandem Organic Photovoltaic Cells with Hybrid Planar-Mixed Molecular Heterojunctions,” Applied Physics Letters, vol. 85, no. 23, pp. 5757-5759, 2004.
[CrossRef] [Google Scholar] [Publisher Link]
[59] Jin Young Kim et al., “Efficient Tandem Polymer Solar Cells Fabricated by All-Solution Processing,” Science, vol. 317, no. 5835, pp. 222-225, 2007.
[CrossRef] [Google Scholar] [Publisher Link]