Organic Solar Cells

July 1st, 2018

An organic solar cell uses organic electronics, a branch of electronics dealing with electrically conductive organic polymers or small organic molecules, for light absorption, charge production, and transport to produce electricity from sunlight through the photovoltaic effect.

An organic solar cell, also sometimes referred to as a polymer solar cell, employs electrically conductive organic polymers and small molecules to absorb light and transport the resulting charge, converting it into usable electricity. Materials used in organic solar cells are solution-processable at high throughput, making these devices inexpensive to produce. As such, this technology is potentially cost-effective for a wide range of photovoltaic applications.

Compared with conventional silicon solar cells, organic solar cells are thin, lightweight, and flexible, and can also be semi-transparent. This means they can be applied in situations where silicon solar panels cannot be used. For example, they can be laminated onto windows, integrated into window furnishings such as blinds and curtains, or even built into tents for recreational or emergency use! The potential for low cost, high-throughput manufacturing combined with the need for improved power conversion efficiency and stability, have made organic solar cells a popular field in solar cell research. As of 2024, the record organic solar cell efficiency exceeds 19.2%, making this technology of genuine commercially relevance.