Organic Photovoltaic Devices Based on Oriented n-Type Molecular Films Deposited on Oriented Polythiophene Films.

The molecular orientation of π-conjugated molecules has been reported to significantly affect the performance of organic photovoltaic devices (OPVs) based on molecular films. Hence, the control of molecular orientation is a key issue toward the improvement of OPV performance. In this research, oriented thin films of an n-type molecule, 3,4,9,10-Perylenetetracarboxylic Bisbenzimida-zole (PTCBI), were formed by deposition on in-plane oriented polythiophene (PT) films. Orientation of the PTCBI films was evaluated by polarized UV-vis spectroscopy and 2D-Grazing incidence X-ray diffraction. Results indicated that PTCBI molecules on PT film exhibit nearly edge-on and in-plane orientation (with molecular long axis along the substrate), whereas PTCBI molecules without PT film exhibit neither. OPVs composed of PTCBI molecular film with and without PT were fabricated and evaluated for correlation of orientation with performance. The OPVs composed of PTCBI film with PT showed higher power conversion efficiency (PCE) than that of film without PT. The experiment indicated that in-plane orientation of PTCBI molecules absorbs incident light more efficiently, leading to increase in PCE.

Crystallization Dynamics of Organolead Halide Perovskite by Real-Time X-ray Diffraction.

We analyzed the crystallization process of the CH3NH3PbI3 perovskite by observing real-time X-ray diffraction immediately after combining a PbI2 thin film with a CH3NH3I solution. A detailed analysis of the transformation kinetics demonstrated the fractal diffusion of the CH3NH3I solution into the PbI2 film. Moreover, the perovskite crystal was found to be initially oriented based on the PbI2 crystal orientation but to gradually transition to a random orientation. The fluctuating characteristics of the crystallization process of perovskites, such as fractal penetration and orientational transformation, should be controlled to allow the fabrication of high-quality perovskite crystals. The characteristic reaction dynamics observed in this study should assist in establishing reproducible fabrication processes for perovskite solar cells.

Fullerene/cobalt porphyrin hybrid nanosheets with ambipolar charge transporting characteristics.

A novel supramolecular nanoarchitecture, comprising C(60)/Co porphyrin nanosheets, was prepared by a simple liquid-liquid interfacial precipitation method and fully characterized by means of optical microscopy, AFM, STEM, TEM, and XRD. It is established that the highly crystalline C(60)/Co porphyrin nanosheets have a simple (1:1) stoichiometry, and when incorporated in bottom-gate, bottom-contact field-effect transistors (FETs), they show ambipolar charge transport characteristics.

Oriented Thin Films of Insoluble Polythiophene Prepared by the Friction Transfer Technique.

A thin film of unsubstituted polythiophene (PT), an insoluble conjugated polymer, with molecular chains uniaxially oriented in plane was prepared by the friction transfer method. The structure of highly oriented thin films of PT was investigated using grazing-incidence X-ray diffraction (GIXD), ultraviolet-visible (UV-vis) spectroscopy, and infrared (IR) spectroscopy. The polarized UV-vis and IR spectra and GIXD measurements showed the PT molecular chains were well aligned in parallel to the friction direction. The GIXD studies clarified that the polymer backbones were aligned with very narrow distribution, such that the half-width was about 4 degrees. The degree of orientation of the PT friction-transferred film was higher compared with those of regioregular poly(3-alkylthiophene)s. Moreover, the GIXD results show a preferred orientation where the a-axis is perpendicular to the substrate plane.

Multi-layered oriented polyfluorene films.

Multilayered oriented polyfluorene (PF) films were obtained by applying thermal treatment procedure to a multilayered PF film constructed with fluorene derivatives layer formed on top of a highly oriented friction-transferred crystalline poly(9,9-dioctylfluorene) (PF8) film. The orientations in the multilayered PF films were investigated by polarized photoluminescence (PL) spectroscopy and grazing incident X-ray diffraction (GIXD) analysis. The results of the multilayered PF film constructed with spin-coated PF8 on friction-transferred PF8 indicate that the rearrangement of the upper PF8 layer is induced from the orientation of lower PF8 layer by thermal treatment at the nematic phase temperature. Polarized green emission from the multilayered oriented PF film was demonstrated using the blend of PF8 and poly(9,9-dioctylfluorene-co-benzothiadiazol) (F8BT) as green light emitter for upper layer. By this method, the polarized emission color can be tuned using polymer blends for upper layer similar to the liquid-crystalline polymer arrangement without using different materials as an underlying layer such as the rubbed polyimide.

Crystal structure of friction-transferred poly(2,5-dioctyloxy-1,4-phenylenevinylene).

Poly(2,5-dioctyloxy-1,4-phenylenevinylene) (DOPPV) was found to form a highly oriented film by a friction-transfer technique. Structural investigation of friction-transferred DOPPV was studied by means of polarized ultraviolet-visible (UV-vis) absorption spectroscopy, polarized photoluminescence (PL) spectroscopy, and synchrotron-sourced grazing incident X-ray diffraction (GIXD) analysis. The polarized UV-vis absorption and PL spectra indicate clear axial alignment. DOPPV backbones in friction-transferred film are highly aligned along the drawing direction of the friction-transfer. Further information of the molecular arrangement in friction-transferred DOPPV film was investigated by both the out-of-plane and the in-plane GIXD analyses with synchrotron source. The DOPPV molecules in friction-transferred films were perfectly arranged three-dimensionally: the backbones aligned along the drawing direction of friction-transfer, the alkyl side chains lay in the film plane, and the planar backbones were arranged parallel to the film surface. Additionally, two neighboring DOPPV molecules along the direction of inter-backbones separation by alkyl side chains were found to be shifted with respect to one another by the mean distance of half of a monomeric repeat.

Orientation of α-sexithiophene on friction-transferred polythiophene film.

Controlling the molecular orientation of the conjugated oligomer, α-sexithiophene (6T), is crucial to improve organic optoelectronic device performance. Most 6T molecules evaporated onto quartz and SiO(2)/Si substrates orient nearly perpendicular to the substrate. Here, we report the formation of oriented thin films of 6T on in-plane-oriented polythiophene (PT) films formed by the friction-transfer method. 6T was evaporated onto oriented PT films under vacuum. The films were investigated by polarized optical microscopy, polarized ultraviolet-visible light (UV-vis) absorption spectroscopy, and grazing incidence X-ray diffraction measurement (GIXD). In all spectra, larger absorbance derived from PT and 6T was observed, in parallel polarization to the friction direction, compared to that of orthogonal polarization. These results indicate that the 6T molecular axis is aligned in the friction direction (PT chain direction) of PT films. GIXD also confirmed that the 6T molecular axis was aligned parallel to the PT chain axis. In contrast, 6T molecules evaporated onto quartz and poly(ethylenedioxythiophene):poly(styrenesulfonate) (PEDOT:PSS)-coated silicon substrates aligned nearly perpendicular to the substrate. These results indicate that oriented PT films induce 6T orientation parallel to the PT chain direction.

Photosensor based on an FET utilizing a biocomponent of photosystem I for use in imaging devices.

We have investigated a photosensor that consists of a field emission transistor (FET) utilizing the biocomponent of the photosystem I (PSI) protein complex for use in an imaging device. The PSI was immobilized on a gold electrode via the self-assembling monolayer (SAM) of 3-mercapto-1-propanesulfonic acid sodium salt to obtain a PSI-modified gold electrode. As for the PSI-modified gold electrode, the basic photoresponses originating from the excitation of PSI, including the photocurrent (106 nA) and the photoresponse of the open-circuit voltage (photo-Voc: 28.6 mV), were characterized. Then, the PSI-modified gold electrode was linked to the gate of the FET using a lead line, and the device was successfully driven by the photoelectric signals from the PSI like a voltage follower circuit. Further, we successfully demonstrated that the PSI-based FET acts as a photosensor in imaging devices.