Long lifetime stable and efficient semitransparent organic solar cells using a ZnMgO-modified cathode combined with a thin MoO3/Ag anode

Abstract

Semitransparent organic solar cells (STOSCs) have shown great promise as advanced window integrated photovoltaics for architectural and automotive utilization. In the applications, STOSCs should possess both long-term stability and high power conversion efficiency (PCE). Here, long lifetime stable and efficient STOSCs with good transparency color perception are demonstrated by combining a transparent ZnMgO-modified cathode with thin MoO₃/Ag anodes. The resulting devices exhibit high PCEs (6.83–8.15%) with tunable average visible transmittances (21.6–3.8%) and good color perception close to white light. The combination of the ZnMgO-modified cathode with the MoO₃/Ag anode in the STOSCs leads to long-term device shelf lifetime due to their barrier effects for oxygen and water. The STOSCs can maintain over 90% of their original PCEs over two-month storage under ambient conditions. More importantly, record high PCEs of 7.08% and 7.02% were retained for the STOSCs after storage for 1 year and 2 years, respectively, demonstrating the long lifetime stability for high-efficiency STOSCs. These findings offer a promising path to develop STOSCs with high efficiencies, long lifetime and good color perception towards practical applications.