n-doped inorganic molecular clusters as a new type of hole transport material for efficient organic solar cells

The Internet of things (IoT) has been rapidly growing in the past few years. IoT connects numerous devices, such as wireless sensors, actuators, and wearable devices, to optimize and monitor daily activities. Most of these devices require power in the microwatt range and operate indoors. To this end, a self-sustainable power source, such as a photovoltaic (PV) cell, which can harvest low-intensity indoor light, is appropriate. Recently, the development of highly efficient PV cells for indoor applications has attracted tremendous attention. Therefore, different types of PV materials, such as inorganic, dye-sensitized, organic, and perovskite materials, have been employed for harvesting low-intensity indoor light energy. Although considerable efforts have been made by researchers to develop low-cost, stable, and efficient PV cells for indoor applications, Extensive investigation is necessary to resolve some critical issues concerning PV cells, such as environmental stability, lifetime, large-area fabrication, mechanical flexibility, and production cost. To address these issues, a systematic review of these aspects will be highly useful to the research community. This study discusses the current status of the development of indoor PV cells based on previous reports. First, we have provided relevant background information. Then, we have described the different indoor light sources, and subsequently critically reviewed previous reports regarding indoor solar cells based on different active materials such as inorganic, dye-sensitized, organic, and perovskite. Finally, we have placed an attempt to provide insight into factors needed to further improve the feasibility of PV technology for indoor applications.

Solar Cells for Indoor Applications: Progress and Development.

Indoor Organic Photovoltaics: Optimal Cell Design Principles with Synergistic Parasitic Resistance and Optical Modulation Effect

PEDOT:PSS: CuNW-based transparent composite electrodes for high-performance and flexible organic photovoltaics under indoor lighting

In-situ self-organized anode interlayer enables organic solar cells with simultaneously simplified processing and greatly improved efficiency to 17.8%

Enhanced hole selecting behavior of WO3 interlayers for efficient indoor organic photovoltaics with high fill-factor

Indoor organic photovoltaics (OPVs) are currently being investigated for small-scale energy generation from artificial light sources to power small electronic devices. Despite recent progress in increasing the power conversion efficiency (PCE) of indoor OPVs, the widespread use of expensive indium tin oxide (ITO) as a transparent conducting electrode (TCE) leads to long energy payback times. This study provides a novel and comprehensive description of low-temperature atomic layer deposition (ALD)-processed indium-free tin dioxide (SnO2) films as inexpensive and efficient TCEs for indoor OPVs. These highly conformal and defect-free ALD-fabricated SnO2 films are applied to a poly(3-hexylthiophene):indene-C60 bisadduct-based OPV system. Under 1 sun illumination, an OPV with an SnO2 TCE exhibits limited operational capacity because of the high sheet resistance (~98 Ω sq−1) of the SnO2 layers. However, under a light-emitting diode (LED) lamp with a luminance of 1000 lx, the series resistance, which is related to the sheet resistance, has a marginal effect on the performance of the indoor OPV system, showing a PCE of 14.6 ± 0.3%. A reference OPV with an ITO TCE has a slightly lower PCE of 13.3 ± 0.8% under the same LED conditions. These results suggest that SnO2 TCEs can be efficient and cost-effective replacements for ITO TCEs in indoor OPV systems. Indium-free un-doped tin dioxide (SnO2) serves as a transparent conducting electrode for indoor organic photovoltaics (OPVs). SnO2 OPV systems demonstrate superior indoor performance compared with indium tin oxide (ITO)-based systems. SnO2-based OPV systems shows 14.6% efficiency under 1000 lx of LED illumination. Low-cost SnO2 can be a promising substitute for expensive ITOs in indoor OPV systems.

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Undoped tin dioxide transparent electrodes for efficient and cost-effective indoor organic photovoltaics (SnO2 electrode for indoor organic photovoltaics)

Sungmin Kim

Papers

Enhanced hole selecting behavior of WO3 interlayers for efficient indoor organic photovoltaics with high fill-factor

Undoped tin dioxide transparent electrodes for efficient and cost-effective indoor organic photovoltaics (SnO2 electrode for indoor organic photovoltaics)