Search

• First growth kinetic studies for oxidative chemical-vapor-deposited (oCVD) PEDOT. • Significantly large carrier mean free path (>5 nm) for oCVD PEDOT. • Conjugation and doping level-dependent carrier transport behaviors. This study is aimed to enhance the understanding of the processing-structure-property relationship in oxidative chemical vapor deposition (oCVD) conjugated polymers. Particular focus is made on the substrate and oxidant temperatures for the oCVD poly(3 4-ethylenedioxythiophene) (PEDOT) growth and their effects on the structure and electrical properties on resulting thin films. Doping levels are evaluated using Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy and x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, which is complemented by Hall Effect investigations. Further, the relationship between doping level and conjugation length is described with discussion on mean free path, where the mean free path of oCVD PEDOT (up to ~5 nm) is significantly larger than typical organic semiconductors and comparable to conventional inorganic counterparts. The mechanisms that govern oCVD film growth are suggested, which is strongly dependent on both substrate and oxidant sublimation temperatures. Finally, the carrier transport behaviors, dominated by conjugation and doping levels are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Thin Au, Au-NP, Ag-NP and AgO bi-layer and tri-layer ITO-based films were studied. • Strong absorption peaks were detected for Ag-NP and Au-NP colloidal solutions. • A maximum transmittance of 91.5% was attained for (AgO)I and (I(AgO)I) thin films. • A band gap energy of 3.75 eV was estimated for (AgO)I and (I(AgO)I) thin films. • An improvement in power conversion efficiency (PCE) from 3.8 to 4.9% was achieved. In this investigation, ITO-based bi-layer and tri-layer thin film coatings (~130 nm) were synthesized via a sol-gel spin-coating process and annealed at 500 °C. Thin layers of Au, Au-NPs, Ag-NPs and AgO were inserted underneath ITO films to form bi-layer thin film systems and/or encapsulated between two thin ITO layers to form tri-layer thin film systems. The effects of incorporating these layers with ITO thin films were investigated by X-ray diffraction, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), UV–Vis spectroscopy, four-point probes and Hall effect. XRD results confirmed the presence of a body-centred cubic structure of indium oxide for all synthesized ITO-based coatings with an average grain size ~30 nm. FESEM images of all fabricated films revealed the formation of dense surfaces with grain-like morphologies confirming the formation of a polycrystalline structure of ITO. Optical studies on the Ag-NPs and Au-NPs colloidal solutions resulted in absorption peaks featured at wavelengths 405 and 531 nm, indicating the formation of 10–14 nm and 48 nm Ag and Au nanoparticles, respectively. The highest optical transparency and band gap energy were found to be ~91.5% and 3.75 eV for (AgO)I and (I(AgO)I) thin films, respectively. The lowest electrical resistivity of 1.2 × 10−4 Ω·cm, along with the highest carrier concentration of 11.4 × 1020 cm−3 and mobility 40 cm2/V.s were obtained from the IAuI thin film. An improvement in the power conversion efficiency (PCE) from 3.8 to 4.9% was achieved in an organic solar cell by replacing the conventional pure ITO electrode with the (I(AgO)I) electrode. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]