Photovoltaic Phenomenon in Polymeric Thin Layer Solar Cells

Photovoltaic devices based on semiconducting polymers are a promising route to low-cost solution-processed solar cells (SC). The main goal of this review is to establish a synergy between different units of π-conjugated polymers for simultaneously optimizing each of the fundamental processes, which are taking place within an organic solar cell under solar illumination. Such photovoltaic (PV) parameters as open circuit voltage (Voc), short circuit current (Jsc), fill factor (FF) and power conversion efficiency (, PCE) are compared for different kinds of polymers. Here the focus is on structural differences between the various polymers such as polythiophenes, poly(p-phenylene vinylene)s, polybisbenzothiazoles mainly applied in SC. Additionally, the influences of another chemical constitution such as carbazole, triphenylamine, or oxydiazole groups on the photophysical properties of solar cells are analyzed. Moreover, polymeric devices with [6,6]-phenyl-C61-butyric acid methyl ester (PCBM), [6,6]-phenyl C70-butyric acid methyl ester (PC70BM) and their derivatives with nanocrystals are reviewed in this paper. Finally, we look into present status and development prospects for new polymeric solar cells with respect to the current state-of-the-art.