Research Seminar of Prof. Chris McNeil from Monash University

Lecture Time: 09:00 on 11th September, 2017

Lecture Room: C501 of Science and Innovation Building

Lecture Title: Nanostructure of polymer solar cells: Importance of domain size and purity

Chris McNeil

Monash University

Abstract

In this talk I will discuss the use of resonant soft X-ray scattering to reveal the nanoscale domain structure of efficient polymer/fullerene solar cells. Polymer/fullerene solar cells are based on donor/acceptor blends of conjugated polymer (donor) and functionalised fullerene (acceptor). Optimisation of the domain size and purity on the nanometre length scale is critical, however there are few experimental techniques that have the chemical sensitivity and spatial resolution necessary to properly characterise such structure in organic thin films. Resonant soft X-ray scattering has emerged as an important new technique, with enhanced sensitivity and the ability to measure domain structure down to 10 nm. This allows for characterisation of not only domain size, but also domain purity, enabling the effects of domain size and purity on solar cell performance to be evaluated.