Morphology Development in Solution-Processed Functional Organic Blend Films: An In Situ Viewpoint

Recent progress and prospects of dimer and multimer acceptors for efficient and stable polymer solar cells

High power conversion efficiency (PCE) and long-term stability are essential prerequisites for the commercialization of polymer solar cells (PSCs). Small-molecule acceptors (SMAs) are core materials that have led to recent, rapid increases in the PCEs of the PSCs. However, a critical limitation of the resulting PSCs is their poor long-term stability. Blend morphology degradation from rapid diffusion of SMAs with low glass transition temperatures (Tgs) is considered the main cause of the poor long-term stability of the PSCs. The recent emergence of oligomerized SMAs (OSMAs), composed of two or more repeating SMA units (i.e., dimerized and trimerized SMAs), has shown great promise in overcoming these challenges. This innovation in material design has enabled OSMA-based PSCs to reach impressive PCEs near 19% and exceptional long-term stability. In this review, we summarize the evolution of OSMAs, including their research background and recent progress in molecular design. In particular, we discuss the mechanisms for high PCE and stability of OSMA-based PSCs and suggest useful design guidelines for high-performance OSMAs. Furthermore, we reflect on the existing hurdles and future directions for OSMA materials towards achieving commercially viable PSCs with high PCEs and operational stabilities.

Bridging length scales in organic mixed ionic-electronic conductors through internal strain and mesoscale dynamics

Understanding the structural and dynamic properties of disordered systems at the mesoscale is crucial. This is particularly important in organic mixed ionic-electronic conductors (OMIECs), which undergo significant and complex structural changes when operated in an electrolyte. In this study, we investigate the mesoscale strain, reversibility and dynamics of a model OMIEC material under external electrochemical potential using operando X-ray photon correlation spectroscopy. Our results reveal that strain and structural hysteresis depend on the sample's cycling history, establishing a comprehensive kinetic sequence bridging the macroscopic and microscopic behaviours of OMIECs. Furthermore, we uncover the equilibrium and non-equilibrium dynamics of charge carriers and material-doping states, highlighting the unexpected coupling between charge carrier dynamics and mesoscale order. These findings advance our understanding of the structure-dynamics-function relationships in OMIECs, opening pathways for designing and engineering materials with improved performance and functionality in non-equilibrium states during device operation.

Transient nucleation driven by solvent evaporation

We theoretically investigate homogeneous crystal nucleation in a solution containing a solute and a volatile solvent. The solvent evaporates from the solution, thereby continuously increasing the concentration of the solute. We view it as an idealized model for the far-out-of-equilibrium conditions present during the liquid-state manufacturing of organic electronic devices. Our model is based on classical nucleation theory, taking the solvent to be a source of the transient conditions in which the solute drops out of the solution. Other than that, the solvent is not directly involved in the nucleation process itself. We approximately solve the kinetic master equations using a combination of Laplace transforms and singular perturbation theory, providing an analytical expression for the nucleation flux. Our results predict that (i) the nucleation flux lags slightly behind a commonly used quasi-steady-state approximation. This effect is governed by two counteracting effects originating from solvent evaporation: while a faster evaporation rate results in an increasingly larger influence of the lag time on the nucleation flux, this lag time itself is found to decrease with increasing evaporation rate. Moreover, we find that (ii) the nucleation flux and the quasi-steady-state nucleation flux are never identical, except trivially in the stationary limit, and (iii) the initial induction period of the nucleation flux, which we characterize as a generalized induction time, decreases weakly with the evaporation rate. This indicates that the relevant time scale for nucleation also decreases with an increasing evaporation rate. Our analytical theory compares favorably with results from a numerical evaluation of the governing kinetic equations.

Directional Crystallization of Conjugated Molecules during Coating Processes

The coating of organic molecules from the solution phase can result in directional crystal growth under certain conditions, even on a smooth isotropic surface and without the need of any kind of graphoexpitaxial preparation of the substrate. Based on reviewing the results from a variety of coating techniques and coating parameters, we identified that it is crucial for the coating speed to match the growth speed of the fastest growing crystal plane to achieve a high degree of directional crystallization.

Gas-assisted blade-coating of organic semiconductors: molecular assembly, device fabrication and complex thin-film structuring

The competitive performance of optoelectronic devices based on advanced organic semiconductors increasingly calls for suitably scalable processing schemes to capitalise on their application potential. With performance benchmarks typically established by spin-coating fabrication, doctor-blade deposition represents a widely available roll-to-roll-compatible means for the preparation of large-area samples and establishing the device upscaling potential. However, the inherently slower film formation kinetics often result in unfavourable active layer microstructures, requiring empirical and material-inefficient optimisation of solutions to reach the performance of spin-coated devices. Here we present a versatile approach to achieving performance parity for spin- and blade-coated devices using in situ gas-assisted drying enabled by a modular 3D-printed attachment. This is illustrated for organic photodetectors (OPDs) featuring bulk heterojunction active layers comprising blends of P3HT and PM6 polymer donors with the nonfullerene acceptor ITIC. Compared to conventionally blade-coated devices, mild drying gas pressures of 0.5-2 bar yield up to a 10-fold enhancement of specific detectivity by maximising external quantum efficiency and suppressing dark-current. Furthermore, controlling gas flux distribution enables one-step fabrication of 1D chain conformation and 2D chain orientation patterns in, respectively, PFO and P3HT:N2200 blend films, opening the possibility for high-throughput fabrication of devices with complex structured active layers.

Modification of the Surface Composition of PTB7-Th: ITIC Blend Using an Additive

We investigated the effect of adding p-anisaldehyde (AA) solvent to the ink containing poly[[2,60-4,8-di(5-ethylhexylthienyl)benzo[1,2-b:3,3-b]dithiophene][3-fluoro-2[(2-ethylhexyl)carbonyl]thieno[3,4-b]thiophenediyl]](PTB7-Th) and 3,9-bis(2-methylene-(3-(1,1-dicyanomethylene)-indanone))-5,5,11,11-tetrakis(4-hexylphenyl)-dithieno[2,3-d:20,30-d0]-s-indaceno[1,2-b:5,6-b0]-dithiophene(ITIC) on the morphology of the active layer. The present study focuses on determining the effect of the additive on the compositions at the surface of the PTB7-Th: ITIC composite and its morphology, forming one side of the interface of the blend with the MoO_X electrode, and the influence of the structural change on the performance of devices. Studies of device performance show that the addition of the additive AA leads to an improvement in device performance. Upon the addition of AA, the concentration of PTB7-Th at the surface of the bulk heterojunction (BHJ) increases, causing an increase in surface roughness of the surface of the BHJ. This finding contributes to an understanding of the interaction between the donor material and high work function electrode/interface material. The implications for the interface are discussed.

In Situ Studies of the Swelling by an Electrolyte in Electrochemical Doping of Ethylene Glycol-Substituted Polythiophene

Organic mixed ionic electronic conductors (OMIECs) have the potential to enable diverse new technologies, ranging from biosensors to flexible energy storage devices and neuromorphic computing platforms. However, a study of these materials in their operating state, which convolves both passive and potential-driven solvent, cation, and anion ingress, is extremely difficult, inhibiting rational material design. In this report, we present a novel approach to the in situ studies of the electrochemical switching of a prototypical OMIEC based on oligoethylene glycol (oEG) substitution of semicrystalline regioregular polythiophene via grazing-incidence X-ray scattering. By studying the crystal lattice both dry and in contact with the electrolyte while maintaining potential control, we can directly observe the evolution of the crystalline domains and their relationship to film performance in an electrochemically gated transistor. Despite the oEG side-chain enabling bulk electrolyte uptake, we find that the crystalline regions are relatively hydrophobic, exhibiting little (less than one water per thiophene) swelling of the undoped polymer, suggesting that the amorphous regions dominate the reported passive swelling behavior. With applied potential, we observe that the π-π separation in the crystals contracts while the lamella spacing increases in a balanced fashion, resulting in a negligible change in the crystal volume. The potential-induced changes in the crystal structure do not clearly correlate to the electrical performance of the film as an organic electrochemical transistor, suggesting that the transistor performance is strongly influenced by the amorphous regions of the film.

Crystallinity and Molecular Packing of Small Molecules in Bulk-Heterojunction Organic Solar Cells

Crystallinity has played a major role in organic solar cells (OSCs). In small molecule (SM) bulk-heterojunction (BHJ) OSCs, the crystallinity and crystalline packing of SM donors have been shown to have a dramatic impact on the formation of an optimum microstructure leading to high-power conversion efficiency (PCE). Herein we describe how crystallinity differs from polymers to SMs, and how the packing habits of SMs (particularly donors) in active layers of BHJ devices can be described as following two different main modes: a single crystal-like and a liquid crystal-like packing type. This notion is reviewed from a chronological perspective, emphasising milestone donor structures and studies focusing on the crystallinity in SM-BHJ OSCs. This review intends to demonstrate that a shift towards a liquid crystalline-like packing can be identified throughout the history of SM-BHJ, and that this shift can be associated with an increase in overall PCE.

Chiral emergence in multistep hierarchical assembly of achiral conjugated polymers

Intimately connected to the rule of life, chirality remains a long-time fascination in biology, chemistry, physics and materials science. Chiral structures, e.g., nucleic acid and cholesteric phase developed from chiral molecules are common in nature and synthetic soft materials. While it was recently discovered that achiral but bent-core mesogens can also form chiral helices, the assembly of chiral microstructures from achiral polymers has rarely been explored. Here, we reveal chiral emergence from achiral conjugated polymers, in which hierarchical helical structures are developed through a multistep assembly pathway. Upon increasing concentration beyond a threshold volume fraction, dispersed polymer nanofibers form lyotropic liquid crystalline (LC) mesophases with complex, chiral morphologies. Combining imaging, X-ray and spectroscopy techniques with molecular simulations, we demonstrate that this structural evolution arises from torsional polymer molecules which induce multiscale helical assembly, progressing from nano- to micron scale helical structures as the solution concentration increases. This study unveils a previously unknown complex state of matter for conjugated polymers that can pave way to a field of chiral (opto)electronics. We anticipate that hierarchical chiral helical structures can profoundly impact how conjugated polymers interact with light, transport charges, and transduce signals from biomolecular interactions and even give rise to properties unimagined before.

Operando Characterization of Organic Mixed Ionic/Electronic Conducting Materials

Operando characterization plays an important role in revealing the structure-property relationships of organic mixed ionic/electronic conductors (OMIECs), enabling the direct observation of dynamic changes during device operation and thus guiding the development of new materials. This review focuses on the application of different operando characterization techniques in the study of OMIECs, highlighting the time-dependent and bias-dependent structure, composition, and morphology information extracted from these techniques. We first illustrate the needs, requirements, and challenges of operando characterization then provide an overview of relevant experimental techniques, including spectroscopy, scattering, microbalance, microprobe, and electron microscopy. We also compare different in silico methods and discuss the interplay of these computational methods with experimental techniques. Finally, we provide an outlook on the future development of operando for OMIEC-based devices and look toward multimodal operando techniques for more comprehensive and accurate description of OMIECs.

Self-Aligned Bilayers for Flexible Free-Standing Organic Field-Effect Transistors

Free-standing and flexible field-effect transistors based on 6,13-bis(triisopropylsilylethynyl)-pentacene (TIPS-pentacene)/polystyrene bilayers are obtained by well-controlled phase separation of both components. The phase separation is induced by solvent vapor annealing of initially amorphous blend films, leading to crystallization of TIPS-pentacene as the top layer. The crystallinity and blend morphology strongly depend on the molecular weight of polystyrene, and under optimized conditions, distinct phase separation with a well-defined and trap-free interface between both fractions is achieved. Due to the distinct bilayer morphology, the resulting flexible field-effect transistors reveal similar charge carrier mobilities as rigid devices and additionally pronounced environmental and bias stress stabilities. The performance of the flexible transistors remains stable up to a strain of 1.8%, while above this deformation, a close relation between current and strain is observed that is required for applications in strain sensors.

Evidence That Sharp Interfaces Suppress Recombination in Thick Organic Solar Cells

Commercialization and scale-up of organic solar cells (OSCs) using industrial solution printing require maintaining maximum performance at active-layer thicknesses >400 nm─a characteristic still not generally achieved in non-fullerene acceptor OSCs. NT812/PC71BM is a rare system, whose performance increases up to these thicknesses due to highly suppressed charge recombination relative to the classic Langevin model. The suppression in this system, however, uniquely depends on device processing, pointing toward the role of nanomorphology. We investigate the morphological origins of this suppressed recombination by combining results from a suite of X-ray techniques. We are surprised to find that while all investigated devices are composed of pure, similarly aggregated nanodomains, Langevin reduction factors can still be tuned from ∼2 to >1000. This indicates that pure aggregated phases are insufficient for non-Langevin (reduced) recombination. Instead, we find that large well-ordered conduits and, in particular, sharp interfaces between domains appear to help to keep opposite charges separated and percolation pathways clear for enhanced charge collection in thick active layers. To our knowledge, this is the first quantitative study to isolate the donor/acceptor interfacial width correlated with non-Langevin charge recombination. This new structure-property relationship will be key to successful commercialization of printed OSCs at scale.

A Multi-modal Approach to Understanding Degradation of Organic Photovoltaic Materials

State-of-the-art organic photovoltaic (OPV) materials are composed of complex, chemically diverse polymeric and molecular structures that form highly intricate solid-state interactions, collectively yielding exceptional tunability in performance and aesthetics. These properties are especially attractive for semitransparent power-generating windows or shades in living environments, greenhouses, or other architectural integrations. However, before such a future is realized, a broader and deeper understanding of property stability must be acquired. Stability during operating and environmental conditions is critical, namely, material color steadfastness, optoelectronic performance retention, morphological rigidity, and chemical robustness. To date, no single investigation encompasses all four distinct, yet interconnected, metrics. Here, we present a multimodal strategy that captures a dynamic and interconnected evolution of each property during the course of an accelerated photobleaching experiment. We demonstrate this approach across relevant length scales (from molecular to visual macroscale) using X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, grazing-incidence X-ray scattering, microwave conductivity, and time-dependent photobleaching spectroscopies for two high-performance semitransparent OPV blends-PDPP4T:PC₆₀BM and PDPP4T:IEICO-4F, with comparisons to the stabilities of the individual components. We present direct evidence that specific molecular acceptor (fullerene vs nonfullerene) designs and the resulting donor-acceptor interactions lead to distinctly different mechanistic routes that ultimately arrive at what is termed "OPV degradation." We directly observe a chemical oxidation of the cyano endcaps of the IEICO-4F that coincides with a morphological change and large loss in photoconductivity while the fullerene acceptor-containing blend demonstrates a significantly greater fraction of oxygen uptake but retains 55% of the photoconductivity. This experimental roadmap provides meaningful guidance for future high-throughput, multimodal studies, benchmarking the sensitivity of the different analytical techniques for assessing stability in printable active layers, independent of complete device architectures.

Probing morphology and chemistry in complex soft materials within situresonant soft x-ray scattering

Small angle scattering methodologies have been evolving at fast pace over the past few decades due to the ever-increasing demands for more details on the complex nanostructures of multiphase and multicomponent soft materials like polymer assemblies and biomaterials. Currently, element-specific and contrast variation techniques such as resonant (elastic) soft/tender x-ray scattering, anomalous small angle x-ray scattering, and contrast-matching small angle neutron scattering, or combinations of above are routinely used to extract the chemical composition and spatial arrangement of constituent elements at multiple length scales and examine electronic ordering phenomena. Here we present some recent advances in selectively characterizing structural architectures of complex soft materials, which often contain multi-components with a wide range of length scales and multiple functionalities, where novel resonant scattering approaches have been demonstrated to decipher a higher level of structural complexity that correlates to functionality. With the advancement of machine learning and artificial intelligence assisted correlative analysis, high-throughput and autonomous experiments would open a new paradigm of material research. Further development of resonant x-ray scattering instrumentation with crossplatform sample environments will enable multimodalin situ/operando characterization of the system dynamics with much improved spatial and temporal resolution.

Label-free characterization of organic nanocarriers reveals persistent single molecule cores for hydrocarbon sequestration

Self-assembled molecular nanostructures embody an enormous potential for new technologies, therapeutics, and understanding of molecular biofunctions. Their structure and function are dependent on local environments, necessitating in-situ/operando investigations for the biggest leaps in discovery and design. However, the most advanced of such investigations involve laborious labeling methods that can disrupt behavior or are not fast enough to capture stimuli-responsive phenomena. We utilize X-rays resonant with molecular bonds to demonstrate an in-situ nanoprobe that eliminates the need for labels and enables data collection times within seconds. Our analytical spectral model quantifies the structure, molecular composition, and dynamics of a copolymer micelle drug delivery platform using resonant soft X-rays. We additionally apply this technique to a hydrocarbon sequestrating polysoap micelle and discover that the critical organic-capturing domain does not coalesce upon aggregation but retains distinct single-molecule cores. This characteristic promotes its efficiency of hydrocarbon sequestration for applications like oil spill remediation and drug delivery. Such a technique enables operando, chemically sensitive investigations of any aqueous molecular nanostructure, label-free.

Mobility anisotropy in the herringbone structure of asymmetric Ph-BTBT-10 in solution sheared thin film transistors

Thin films of the organic semiconductor Ph-BTBT-10 and blends of this material with polystyrene have been deposited by a solution shearing technique at low (1 mm s^-1) and high (10 mm s^-1) coating velocities and implemented in organic field-effect transistors. Combined X-ray diffraction and electrical characterisation studies prove that the films coated at low speed are significantly anisotropic. The highest mobility is found along the coating direction, which corresponds to the crystallographic a-axis. In contrast, at high coating speed the films are crystallographically less ordered but with better thin film homogeneity and exhibit isotropic electrical characteristics. Best mobilities are found in films prepared at high coating speeds with the blended semiconductor. This work demonstrates the interplay between the crystal packing and thin film morphology and uniformity and their impact on the device performance.

Bevel Structure Based XPS Analysis as a Non-Destructive Chemical Probe for Complex Interfacial Structures of Organic Semiconductors

The bevel structure of organic multilayers produced by finely controlled Ar gas cluster ion beam sputtering preserves both the molecular distribution and chemical states. Nevertheless, there is still an important question of whether this method can be applicable to organic multilayer structures composed of complex or ambiguous interfaces used in real organic optoelectronic devices. Herein, various bevel structures are fabricated from different types of organic semiconductors using a solution-based deposition technique: complicatedly intermixed electron-donor and electron-acceptor bulk heterojunction structure, thin film structure with an internal donor-acceptor concentration gradient, and multi-layered structure with more than three layers. For these organic material combinations listed above, the bevel structure is fabricated with finely tuned Ar gas cluster ion beam sputtering. The location-dependent X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) results obtained for each bevel structure exactly correspond to the XPS depth profiles. This result demonstrates that the bevel structure analysis is a powerful method to distinguish subtle differences in chemical component distributions and chemical states of organic semiconductors even with complex or ambiguous interfaces. Ultimately, due to its reliability as verified by this study, the proposed bevel structure analysis is expected to greatly expand other analytical techniques with a limited spatial or depth resolution.

Implication of polymeric template agent on the formation process of hybrid halide perovskite films

The use of polymeric additives supporting the growth of hybrid halide perovskites has proven to be a successful approach aiming at high quality active layers targeting optoelectronic exploitation. A detailed description of the complex process involving the self-assembly of the precursors into the perovskite crystallites in presence of the polymer is, however, still missing. Here we take starch:CH₃NH₃PbI₃ (MAPbI₃) as example of highly performing composite, both in solar cells and light emitting diodes, and study the film formation process through differential scanning calorimetry and in situ time-resolved grazing incidence wide-angle x-ray scattering, performed during spin coating. These measurements reveal that starch beneficially influences the nucleation and growth of the perovskite precursor phase, leading to improved structural properties of the resulting film which turns into higher stability towards environmental conditions.

Phase Diagrams of Ternary π-Conjugated Polymer Solutions for Organic Photovoltaics

Phase diagrams of ternary conjugated polymer solutions were constructed based on Flory-Huggins lattice theory with a constant interaction parameter. For this purpose, the poly(3-hexylthiophene-2,5-diyl) (P3HT) solution as a model system was investigated as a function of temperature, molecular weight (or chain length), solvent species, processing additives, and electron-accepting small molecules. Then, other high-performance conjugated polymers such as PTB7 and PffBT4T-2OD were also studied in the same vein of demixing processes. Herein, the liquid-liquid phase transition is processed through the nucleation and growth of the metastable phase or the spontaneous spinodal decomposition of the unstable phase. Resultantly, the versatile binodal, spinodal, tie line, and critical point were calculated depending on the Flory-Huggins interaction parameter as well as the relative molar volume of each component. These findings may pave the way to rationally understand the phase behavior of solvent-polymer-fullerene (or nonfullerene) systems at the interface of organic photovoltaics and molecular thermodynamics.

The coupling and competition of crystallization and phase separation, correlating thermodynamics and kinetics in OPV morphology and performances

The active layer morphology transition of organic photovoltaics under non-equilibrium conditions are of vital importance in determining the device power conversion efficiency and stability; however, a general and unified picture on this issue has not been well addressed. Using combined in situ and ex situ morphology characterizations, morphological parameters relating to kinetics and thermodynamics of morphology evolution are extracted and studied in model systems under thermal annealing. The coupling and competition of crystallization and demixing are found to be critical in morphology evolution, phase purification and interfacial orientation. A unified model summarizing different phase diagrams and all possible kinetic routes is proposed. The current observations address the fundamental issues underlying the formation of the complex multi-length scale morphology in bulk heterojunction blends and provide useful morphology optimization guidelines for processing devices with higher efficiency and stability.

Understanding the planar conformations in diarylsubstituted heteroarenes: structural and theoretical insights

We have synthesized and X-ray characterized a series of six diaryl-substituted heteroarenes in order to analyze unconventional intramolecular C_Ar–H⋯N/O in comparison to conventional H-bonds.

Multiscale modelling of charge transport in P3HT:DIPBI bulk heterojunction organic solar cells

Charge transport properties of a P3HT:DIPBI bulk heterojunction solar cell are modelled by kinetic Monte Carlo simulations based on a morphology obtained from coarse-grained molecular dynamics. Different methods for calculating the hopping integrals entering the charge transfer rates are compared and calibrated for hole transport in amorphous P3HT. The influence of intermolecular and intramolecular charge transfer on the total charge carrier mobility and hence the power conversion efficiency is investigated in detail. An analysis of the most probable pathways with low resistance for hole transport is performed, establishing a connection between charge mobility and morphology.

What Is the Assembly Pathway of a Conjugated Polymer From Solution to Thin Films?

The hierarchical assembly of conjugated polymers has gained much attention due to its critical role in determining optical/electrical/mechanical properties. The hierarchical morphology encompasses molecular-scale intramolecular conformation (torsion angle, chain folds) and intermolecular ordering (π-π stacking), mesoscale domain size, orientation and connectivity, and macroscale alignment and (para)crystallinity. Such complex morphology in the solid state is fully determined by the polymer assembly pathway in the solution state, which, in turn, is sensitively modulated by molecular structure and processing conditions. However, molecular pictures of polymer assembly pathways remain elusive due to the lack of detailed structural characterizations in the solution state and the lack of understanding on how various factors impact the assembly pathways. In this mini-review, we present possible assembly pathways of conjugated polymers and their characteristics across length scales. Recent advances in understanding and controlling of assembly pathways are highlighted. We also discuss the current gap in our knowledge of assembly pathways, with future perspectives on research needed on this topic.

Effects of Fluorination on Fused Ring Electron Acceptor for Active Layer Morphology, Exciton Dissociation, and Charge Recombination in Organic Solar Cells

Fluorination is one of the effective approaches to alter the organic semiconductor properties that impact the performance of the organic solar cells (OSCs). Positive effects of fluorination are also revealed in the application of fused ring electron acceptors (FREAs). However, in comparison with the efforts allocated to the material designs and power conversion efficiency enhancement, understanding on the excitons and charge carriers' behaviors in high-performing OSCs containing FREAs is limited. Herein, the impact of fluorine substituents on the active layer morphology, and therefore exciton dissociation, charge separation, and charge carriers' recombination processes are examined by fabricating OSCs with PTO2 as the donor and two FREAs, O-IDTT-IC and its fluorinated analogue O-IDTT-4FIC, as the acceptors. With the presence of O-IDTT-4FIC in the devices, it is found that the excitons dissociate more efficiently, and the activation energy required to split the excitons to free charge carriers is much lower; the charge carriers live longer and suffer less extent of trap-assisted recombination; the trap density is 1 order of magnitude lower than that of the nonfluorinated counterpart. Overall, these findings provide information about the complex impacts of FREA fluorination on efficiently performed OSCs.

Eco-Friendly Polymer Solar Cells: Advances in Green-Solvent Processing and Material Design

Despite the recent breakthroughs of polymer solar cells (PSCs) exhibiting a power conversion efficiency of over 17%, toxic and hazardous organic solvents such as chloroform and chlorobenzene are still commonly used in their fabrication, which impedes the practical application of PSCs. Thus, the development of eco-friendly processing methods suitable for industrial-scale production is now considered an imperative research focus. This Review provides a roadmap for the design of efficient photoactive materials that are compatible with non-halogenated green solvents (e.g., xylenes, toluene, and tetrahydrofuran). We summarize the recent development of green processing solvents and the processing methods to match with the efficient photoactive materials used in non-fullerene solar cells. We further review progress in the use of more eco-friendly solvents (i.e., water or alcohol) for achieving truly sustainable and eco-friendly PSC fabrication. For example, the concept of water- or alcohol-dispersed nanoparticles made of conjugated materials is introduced. Also, recent important progress and strategies to develop water/alcohol-soluble photoactive materials that completely eliminate the use of conventional toxic solvents are discussed. Finally, we provide our perspectives on the challenges facing the current green processing methods and materials, such as large-area coating techniques and long-term stability. We believe this Review will inform the development of PSCs that are truly clean and renewable energy sources.

Role of Torsional Flexibility in the Film Formation Process in Two π-Conjugated Model Oligomers

The performance of solution-processed organic semiconductor devices is heavily influenced by the morphology of the active layer. Film formation is a complex process, with the final morphology being the result of the interplay between processing parameters and molecular properties, which is only poorly understood. Here, we investigate the influence of molecular stiffness by using two model oligomers, TT and CT, which differ only in the rotational flexibility of their central building block. We monitor absorption and emission simultaneously in situ during spin coating. We find that film formation takes place in four similar stages for both compounds. However, the time scales are remarkably different during the third stage, where electronically interacting aggregates are created. While this process is fast for the stiff CT, it takes minutes for the flexible TT. By comparing with previously determined aggregation properties in solution, we conclude that even though aggregate formation concurs with a planarization process, a certain amount of backbone flexibility is beneficial for establishing ordered structures during film formation. Here, the elongated time window in the case of the flexible compound can further allow for better processing control.

Bis(thieno[3,2-b]thieno)cyclopentafluorene-Based Acceptor with Efficient and Comparable Photovoltaic Performance under Various Processing Conditions

The morphology of a bulk heterojunction (BHJ) blend within a polymer solar cell (PSC) device plays a crucial role in its performance. The ideal morphology is generally achieved through molecular engineering and optimization under film processing conditions. Under different processing conditions, the deviation of the resulted morphology characteristics from the ideal one leads to the dispersion of device performance. For a specific donor/acceptor BHJ blend, it is of great challenge to maintain an efficient and comparable photovoltaic performance under various processing conditions. The solution to this challenge would be of great value in offering more choices for a suitable processing technology in practical applications. Based on the acceptor BTTFIC with the core of bis(thieno[3,2-b]thieno)cyclopentafluorene (BTTF) in our previous work, we chemically modified BTTFIC by fluorination of the end groups of 1,1-dicyanomethylene-3-indanones (IC) and the switching part of octyls in BTTF with 4-hexylphenyls to offer a novel acceptor (BTTFIC4F-Ar). The inverted PBDB-T-2Cl:BTTFIC4F-Ar blend device provided an average power conversion efficiency (PCE) of 10.61, 11.08, and 11.55% when processed under solvent annealing (SA), thermal annealing (TA), and additive treatment with 1,8-diodooctane (DIO), respectively. Different from the reported discrete performance under various processing conditions for a specific donor/acceptor BHJ blend, a low mean absolute performance deviation of 3% was attained. This slight enhancement trend was unexceptionally reflected on charge generation, transportation, and recombination within the blend films from SA, TA, and DIO conditions. A slightly improved ordering of BTTFIC4F-Ar within the DIO blend was observed. Meanwhile, very similar molecular packings as well as a close amorphous domain size of the mixture of PBDB-T-2Cl and BTTFIC4F-Ar within the three blends were observed. These morphological characteristics are in good agreement with the photoelectrical conversion performance of the blends under the three processing conditions. Furthermore, similar attenuation behaviors in performance were also observed. This investigation may provide new guidance on the molecular engineering of nonfullerene acceptors to achieve an efficient BHJ blend with more options for a suitable and cost-effective processing method in practical applications.

Imaging layers in thin-film molecular devices by transmission electron microscopy, using milling by focused ion beams and deposition on NaCl and Si

The performance of molecule-based thin-film devices such as organic light-emitting diodes, photovoltaic cells, and thin-film transistors depends on the electronic properties of the individual molecular components, as well as on their association to form complex morphologies. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) can be used to image the morphologies and help reveal how the devices work and can be improved. We have examined the suitability of various ways to prepare samples of thin molecular films for imaging by TEM. Specifically, we have used focused ion beams to mill cross sections of complete devices that have been glued together with epoxy adhesives. In addition, thin films of the type used as active layers in molecule-based devices can be deposited on disks of NaCl, which can then be dissolved in water to release free-standing films that can be imaged by TEM, without loss of nanostructural details. Films of this type can also be deposited on Si wafers, which can then be fractured to expose sections of film that overhang edges of fragments and can be imaged conveniently by TEM. This allows TEM to be used as a quick method for screening samples and monitoring the purification of active materials.

Systematic Study on the Morphological Development of Blade-Coated Conjugated Polymer Thin Films via In Situ Measurements

The morphology of conjugated polymer thin films, determined by the kinetics of film drying, is closely correlated with their electrical properties. Herein, we focused on dramatic changes in the thin-film morphology of blade-coated poly{[N,N'-bis(2-octyldodecyl)-naphthalene-1,4,5,8-bis(dicarboximide)-2,6-diyl]-alt-5,5'-(2,2'-bithiophene)} caused by the effect of solvent and coating temperature. Through in situ measurements, the evolution of polymer aggregates and crystallites, which plays a decisive role in the formation of the charge-transport pathway, was observed in real time. By combining in situ ultraviolet-visible spectroscopy and in situ grazing-incidence wide-angle X-ray scattering analysis, we could identify five distinct stages during the blade-coating process; these stages were observed irrespective of the solvent and coating temperature used. The five stages are described in detail with a proposed model of film formation. This insight is an important step in understanding the relationship between the morphology of thin polymer films and their charge-transport properties as well as in optimizing the structural evolution of thin films.

Cosolvent Effects When Blade-Coating a Low-Solubility Conjugated Polymer for Bulk Heterojunction Organic Photovoltaics

The adoption of solution-processed active layers in the production of thin-film photovoltaics is hampered by the transition from research fabrication techniques to scalable processing. We report a detailed study of the role of processing in determining the morphology and performance of organic photovoltaic devices using a commercially available, low-solubility, high-molar mass diketopyrrolopyrrole-based polymer donor. Ambient blade coating of thick layers in an inverted architecture was performed to best model scalable processing. Device performance was strongly dependent on the introduction of either o-dichlorobenzene (DCB), 1,8-diiodooctane, or diphenyl ether cosolvent into the chloroform (CHCl₃) solution, which were all shown to drastically improve the morphology. To understand the origin of these morphological changes as a result of the addition of the cosolvent, in situ studies with grazing-incidence X-ray scattering and optical reflection interferometry were performed. Use of any of the cosolvents decreases the domain size relative to the single solvent system and moved the drying mechanism away from what is likely liquid-liquid phase separation to solid-liquid phase separation driven by polymer aggregation. Comparing the CHCl₃ + DCB cast films to the CHCl₃-only cast films, we observed both the formation of small domains and an increase in crystallinity during the evaporation of DCB due to a high nucleation rate from supersaturation. This resulted in percolated bulk heterojunction networks that performed similarly well with a wide range of film thicknesses from 180 to 440 nm, making this system amenable to continuous roll-to-roll processing methods.

Surface-Controlled Crystal Alignment of Naphthyl End-Capped Oligothiophene on Graphene: Thin-Film Growth Studied by in Situ X-ray Diffraction

We report on the microstructure, morphology, and growth of 5,5'-bis(naphth-2-yl)-2,2'-bithiophene (NaT2) thin films deposited on graphene, characterized by grazing incidence X-ray diffraction (GIXRD) and complemented by atomic force microscopy (AFM) measurements. NaT2 is deposited on two types of graphene surfaces: custom-made samples where chemical vapor deposition (CVD)-grown graphene layers are transferred onto a Si/SiO₂ substrate by us and common commercially transferred CVD graphene on Si/SiO₂. Pristine Si/SiO₂ substrates are used as a reference. The NaT2 crystal structure and orientation depend strongly on the underlying surface, with the molecules predominantly lying down on the graphene surface (face-on orientation) and standing nearly out-of-plane (edge-on orientation) on the Si/SiO₂ reference surface. Post growth GIXRD and AFM measurements reveal that the crystalline structure and grain morphology differ depending on whether there is polymer residue left on the graphene surface. In situ GIXRD measurements show that the thickness dependence of the intensity of the (111) reflection from the crystalline edge-on phase does not intersect zero at the beginning of the deposition process, suggesting that an initial wetting layer, corresponding to 1-2 molecular layers, is formed at the surface-film interface. By contrast, the (111) reflection intensity from the crystalline face-on phase grows at a constant rate as a function of film thickness during the entire deposition.

Impact of Donor-Acceptor Interaction and Solvent Additive on the Vertical Composition Distribution of Bulk Heterojunction Polymer Solar Cells

The vertical composition distribution of a bulk heterojunction (BHJ) photoactive layer is known to have dramatic effects on photovoltaic performance in polymer solar cells. However, the vertical composition distribution evolution rules of BHJ films are still elusive. In this contribution, three BHJ film systems, composed of polymer donor PBDB-T, and three different classes of acceptor (fullerene acceptor PCBM, small-molecule acceptor ITIC, and polymer acceptor N2200) are systematically investigated using neutron reflectometry to examine how donor-acceptor interaction and solvent additive impact the vertical composition distribution. Our results show that those three BHJ films possess homogeneous vertical composition distributions across the bulk of the film, while very different composition accumulations near the top and bottom surface were observed, which could be attributed to different repulsion, miscibility, and phase separation between the donor and acceptor components as approved by the measurement of the donor-acceptor Flory-Huggins interaction parameter χ. Moreover, the solvent additive 1,8-diiodooctane (DIO) can induce more distinct vertical composition distribution especially in nonfullerene acceptor-based BHJ films. Thus, higher power conversion efficiencies were achieved in inverted solar cells because of facilitated charge transport in the active layer, improved carrier collection at electrodes, and suppressed charge recombination in BHJ solar cells.

Kinetic Stabilization of the Sol-Gel State in Perovskites Enables Facile Processing of High-Efficiency Solar Cells

Perovskite solar cells increasingly feature mixed-halide mixed-cation compounds (FA_{1- x - y} MA_x Cs_y PbI_{3- z} Br_z ) as photovoltaic absorbers, as they enable easier processing and improved stability. Here, the underlying reasons for ease of processing are revealed. It is found that halide and cation engineering leads to a systematic widening of the anti-solvent processing window for the fabrication of high-quality films and efficient solar cells. This window widens from seconds, in the case of single cation/halide systems (e.g., MAPbI₃ , FAPbI₃ , and FAPbBr₃ ), to several minutes for mixed systems. In situ X-ray diffraction studies reveal that the processing window is closely related to the crystallization of the disordered sol-gel and to the number of crystalline byproducts; the processing window therefore depends directly on the precise cation/halide composition. Moreover, anti-solvent dripping is shown to promote the desired perovskite phase with careful formulation. The processing window of perovskite solar cells, as defined by the latest time the anti-solvent drip yields efficient solar cells, broadened with the increasing complexity of cation/halide content. This behavior is ascribed to kinetic stabilization of sol-gel state through cation/halide engineering. This provides guidelines for designing new formulations, aimed at formation of the perovskite phase, ultimately resulting in high-efficiency perovskite solar cells produced with ease and with high reproducibility.

Unraveling the Morphology in Solution-Processed Pseudo-Bilayer Planar Heterojunction Organic Solar Cells

The conventional bulk heterojunction (BHJ) structure is widely used for fabricating high-performance organic solar cells (OSCs) due to the nanometer-scale phase separation of the donor/acceptor component. However, the elaborate control of the BHJ morphology is difficult to carry out because the morphology evolution is such a complicated process. The compatibility requirement of materials in the same solvent restricts the structural diversity of the molecules to some extent. Meanwhile, the nanoscopic interpenetrating donor/acceptor domains reduce their crystallinity. The bilayer planar heterojunction (PHJ), by contrast, possesses complementary advantages that can make it an alternative candidate to achieve device fabrication and produce different vertical stratification in heterojunction films. However, the flat contact area limits the charge separation and transmission efficiency. The sequential solution processed approach was used to facilitate material diffusion in layers. Also, solvent additives were employed to further enhance the diffusion and thus the device performance. Nevertheless, the morphology of the formed pseudo-bilayer planar heterojunction (PPHJ) has not been fully revealed yet. Here, we carefully study the morphology of the nonfullerene-based PPHJ device in three dimensions. High hole mobility of 2.09 × 10^-4 cm² V^-1 s^-1 and electron mobility of 7.91 × 10^-5 cm² V^-1 s^-1 were obtained in the solution-processed PPHJ device. Meanwhile, a distinct phase separation size with a vertical rearrangement of donor and acceptor was observed, which enable the pseudo-bilayer devices to be equipped with a comparable spectral response to the BHJ devices. We demonstrate that a unique device architecture (ITO/ZnO/PBDB-T/ITIC/MoO₃/Ag) with a power conversion efficiency of 7% can be obtained from a larger molecular weight of PBDB-T without using extra additives. The solution-processed PPHJ films have much in common with the BHJ films. The results proposed that with appropriate molecular design and vertical phase separation optimization, the performance of the solution-processed PPHJ-based OSCs can be further improved.

Conducting and Stretchable PEDOT:PSS Electrodes: Role of Additives on Self-Assembly, Morphology, and Transport

The addition of dimethylsulfoxide and Zonyl into poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene):polystyrene sulfonate (PEDOT:PSS) can be combined to achieve excellent electrical, optical, and mechanical properties. We demonstrate that it is possible to produce highly transparent conducting electrodes (FoM > 35) with low Young's modulus and high carrier density. We investigated the relationship between the transport properties of PEDOT:PSS and the morphology and microstructure of these films by performing Hall effect measurement, atomic force microscopy, and grazing incidence wide-angle X-ray scattering (GIWAXS). Our analysis reveals the distinctive impact of the two additives on the PEDOT and PSS components in the solid-state PEDOT:PSS films. Both additives induce fibrillar formation in the film, and the combination of the two additives only enhances the fibrillary nature and the aggregations of both PEDOT and PSS components of the film. In situ GIWAXS allows to time-resolve the morphology evolution. Our analysis reveals the influence of additives on the aggregation and self-assembly behaviors of the PEDOT and PSS components. Aggregation occurs during the transition from wet to dry film, which is observed exclusively during the thermal annealing step of the as-cast hydrated film. These results indicate that the additives directly influence the self-assembly behaviors of PEDOT and PSS during the ink-to-solid phase transformation of the hydrated film, which occurs primarily during the initial seconds of post-deposition thermal annealing.

Mapping structure and morphology of amorphous organic thin films by 4D-STEM pair distribution function analysis

Imaging the phase distribution of amorphous or partially crystalline organic materials at the nanoscale and analyzing the local atomic structure of individual phases has been a long-time challenge. We propose a new approach for imaging the phase distribution and for analyzing the local structure of organic materials based on scanning transmission electron diffraction (4D-STEM) pair distribution function analysis (PDF). We show that electron diffraction based PDF analysis can be used to characterize the short- and medium-range order in aperiodically packed organic molecules. Moreover, we show that 4D-STEM-PDF does not only provide local structural information with a resolution of a few nanometers, but can also be used to image the phase distribution of organic composites. The distinct and thickness independent contrast of the phase image is generated by utilizing the structural difference between the different types of molecules and taking advantage of the dose efficiency due to use of the full scattering signal. Therefore, this approach is particularly interesting for imaging unstained organic or polymer composites without distinct valence states for electron energy loss spectroscopy. We explore the possibilities of this new approach using [6,6]-phenyl-C61- butyric acid methyl ester (PC61BM) and poly(3-hexylthiophene-2,5-diyl) (P3HT) as the archetypical and best-investigated semiconductor blend used in organic solar cells, compare our phase distribution with virtual dark-field analysis and validate our approach by electron energy loss spectroscopy.

A review of non-fullerene polymer solar cells: from device physics to morphology control

The rise in power conversion efficiency of organic photovoltaic (OPV) devices over the last few years has been driven by the emergence of new organic semiconductors and the growing understanding of morphological control at both the molecular and aggregation scales. Non-fullerene OPVs adopting p-type conjugated polymers as the donor and n-type small molecules as the acceptor have exhibited steady progress, outperforming PCBM-based solar cells and reaching efficiencies of over 15% in 2019. This review starts with a refreshed discussion of charge separation, recombination, and V _OC loss in non-fullerene OPVs, followed by a review of work undertaken to develop favorable molecular configurations required for high device performance. We summarize several key approaches that have been employed to tune the nanoscale morphology in non-fullerene photovoltaic blends, comparing them (where appropriate) to their PCBM-based counterparts. In particular, we discuss issues ranging from materials chemistry to solution processing and post-treatments, showing how this can lead to enhanced photovoltaic properties. Particular attention is given to the control of molecular configuration through solution processing, which can have a pronounced impact on the structure of the solid-state photoactive layer. Key challenges, including green solvent processing, stability and lifetime, burn-in, and thickness-dependence in non-fullerene OPVs are briefly discussed.