Publication date: 11th March 2026
Organic solar cells have traditionally relied on the intimate mixing between two materials of different energetics, one acceptor and one donor material. Excitons formed upon irradiation are split into free charges at the interface between the two materials, since the energetic offset helps overcome the exciton binding energy.[1] Recent studies have shown that some of the most efficient non-fullerene acceptors can achieve relatively high charge-generation efficiency in the absence of a donor-acceptor interface.[2] The current highest performing organic solar cell relies on a bilayer geometry with only limited donor-acceptor mixing.[3] This challenges the current understanding of how photogenerated excitons dissociate into free charges in organic semiconductors.[1,4] Uncovering how charge generation is limited in state-of-the-art organic semiconductors could have significant implications for the cost and stability of organic photovoltaics, photodetectors, solar fuel cells, and light-emitting diodes.
Our study probes charge generation in solar cell devices featuring only a non-fullerene acceptor or a donor material as the active layer. In this way we can learn about the fundamental properties controlling charge generation, and evaluate why some molecular structures perform better than others. To ensure charges are only generated within the active layer, we propose a methodology to identify if a hole transport layer is providing a heterojunction for exciton splitting and thus is skewing the results. We measure charge generation via internal quantum efficiency and photoluminescence quenching while providing a gradually increased driving force for exciton separation. This allows us to compare how easy it is to generate charges in different acceptors and donors, which is relevant for heterojunction solar cells with minimal voltage losses. Our experimental results are compared to a model where fundamental molecular parameters including reorganisation energy, electronic coupling and disorder can explain the variations observed between different materials.[5]
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