Polymer assisted solution processing of Ti-doped indium oxide transparent conducting thin films for organic solar cells

We report the preparation and evaluation of Ti-doped indium oxide (TIO) transparent conducting films by a polymer-assisted solution (PAS) process, as well as the evaluation of this type of film as a transparent cathode in an inverted organic solar cell (IOCS). Both Ti- and In-PASs have been synthesized by coordinating Ti- and In-anionic complexes with polyethyleneimine. The final TIO-PAS was formed by mixing Ti-PAS into In-PAS with a Ti concentration between 1 at.% and 7 at.%. The TIO-PAS was spin-coated onto glass substrates to form uniform thin films of Ti-doped indium oxide, which were then annealed at high temperature. The optimum Ti concentration to achieve the best electrical and optical properties of PAS-TIO films was found to be 3 at.%. With the film thickness of 650 nm, PAS-TIO films had a sheet resistance of 65 Ω/sq and an optical transmittance greater than 85%. The feasibility of PAS-coated TIO thin film as a transparent electrode was evaluated by applying it to the fabrication of IOSCs, which showed the energy conversion efficiency of 4.60%.