Organic Photovoltaics
In organic photovoltaic cells, the low charge carrier mobility in donor and acceptor organic materials prevents the use of thick active layers that would otherwise lead to very efficient photon harvesting.
To circumvent this, in the ONPV group we investigate different nano-photonic configurations to effectively trap sunlight with the purpose to enhance light absorption in a very thin active layer. Several approaches that may include, for instance, optically ergodic light trapping or a new optical cavity concept capable to confine electromagnetic energy in a non-harmonic two-resonant mode, are being considered by the group to reach the goal of the most efficient light harvesting in extremely thin active layers. Combining extremely thin light absorption layers with such type of light trapping leads to high transparency solar cells, an application of organic photovoltaics which is thoroughly investigated by the group.