Electro-optical simulation of an organic solar cell

• Main Author: Xu, Baohua.
• Other Authors: Ang Lay Kee Ricky
• Format: Final Year Project
• Language: English
• Published: 2009
• Subjects: DRNTU::Engineering::Electrical and electronic engineering
• Online Access: http://hdl.handle.net/10356/17947
• Institution: Nanyang Technological University

Silicon solar cells have been the dominant type of photovoltaic device used commercially for the past decade. However, the process to produce silicon solar cells typically requires a huge energy input and the cost is still far from grid parity. Organic solar cells is touted as a cheap and high throughput alternative due to the simplicity in manufacturing and low energy input. Moreover these solar cells have better optical absorption in the visible light range (which the bulk of the solar spectrum resides) as opposed to silicon solar cell which only absorbs in the near infra-red. This allows organic solar cells to absorb light much more effectively. In addition, their thin and flexible nature allows for great flexibility in their design and deployment. Currently, the drawbacks of organic photovoltaic devices lie in their stability and efficiency. These drawbacks are preventing the use of these devices on a commercial scale. Research is still ongoing with the focus on dealing with these issues. Simulation platforms of various developers have been used to hugely aid on this research. With the advances in computing technology and material physics, simulation has become reliable enough as a third bedrock of science.