Organic solar cells - Literature review Example

The development of the photovoltaic cell is important for the future alternative energy production in the global community (Mihailetchi, 2005; Williams, 2010). Due to the importance of harvesting solar energy, the continuous development of solar cells is one of the most important developments in the conversion of solar energy. Dendrimer is a significant technology in light-harvesting due to the efficiency (Andrews et al., 2009). Organic solar cells are photovoltaic cells with organic make-up used due to different advantages for the light absorption process and transfer of energy.

Initially, the photovoltaic cells are made with crystal silicon photovoltaic are used. Due to the fixed bandgap energy and high cost of production, new materials for solar cells had been developed. The organic solar cells are referred to as second generation photovoltaics which had different advantages such as lower manufacturing costs and higher power conversion efficiency (Williams, 2010, p.2). Organic solar cells are solar cell consisting of organic materials. A solar cell is a composed of one or more light-absorbing layers between two electrodes.

One of the layers is for passage of light. The active layer can release free carriers upon the absorption of light which then gather at the electrodes. In the organic solar cells, the main difference is the material for the active layers. It is composed of thin films of organic semiconductors formed through solution-based polymeric materials or through thermal evaporation for small-molecule materials (William, 2010, p.3). Photovoltaic behaviour of organic solar cells is the main basis of the function and the advantage of the said type of thin film solar cells.

Organic semiconductors, such as lowest unoccupied molecular orbital (LUMO) and highest occupied molecular orbital (HOMO), use plastic or glass substrates with