Atomic Force Photovoltaic Microscopy

Organic photovoltaic devices (OPVs) hold promise for a variety of applications requiring alternative energy generation. Through a collaboration between Northwestern University MRSEC IRG 4 and Wright Patterson Air Force Base, a new strategy for characterizing the electrical and optical performance of operating OPVs has recently been developed. Atomic force photovoltaic microscopy allows the photocurrent response in OPVs and other optoelectronically-active materials and devices to be spatially mapped down to the nanometer length scale.

Atomic force photovoltaic microscopy image of the short circuit response of an array of illuminated organic solar cells.

 

B. J. Leever, M. F. Durstock, M. D. Irwin, A. W. Hains, T. J. Marks, L. S. C. Pingree, and M. C. Hersam, “Spatially resolved photocurrent mapping of operating organic photovoltaic devices using atomic force photovoltaic microscopy.” Appl. Phys. Lett., 92, 013302 (2008). ABSTRACT

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The Materials Research Science and Engineering Center (MRSEC) is supported by the National Science Foundation under NSF Award Number DMR-0520513. Any opinions, findings and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect those of the National Science Foundation.
© 2008 Northwestern University