Improvement of Solar Cell Performance by Annealing Temperature Treatment and Active Layer Ratio

Polymer solar cells are potential candidates for providing energy as an alternative energy source. In this type of solar cell, the active layer of the semiconductor material absorbs light. The P3HT: PPV layer was used as the active layer in this study. This research aimed to determine the impact of annealing and P3HT composition on the performance of solar cells. The annealing temperatures tested in this study were 120 °C, 135 °C, 150 °C, 165 °C, and 180 °C. Based on the findings, the annealing treatment affects the morphological structure of the active layer and the self-ordering crystallinity of P3HT, which PPV hampers. The results of SEM characterization revealed the effect of annealing on the morphological structure of the active layer. An annealing temperature of 150 °C produced the most homogeneous layers. The P3HT: PPV ratio was tested at 1: 1, 2: 1, and 3: 1. The 3:1 ratio yielded the highest efficiency, which was 3.5 percent. In this condition, an electric current of 0.04 mA and a voltage of 4.098 V were also obtained.