| This study investigates experimentally the photovoltaic behavior and performance of a new pixilated architecture of large organic photovoltaic panels made of a large array of high-aspect ratio three-dimensional pillars surrounded by a matrix of polymer photoactive material. A least addressed problem in organic and thin-film solar cells is the high bulk resistance of cathodic and anodic layers that result in drastic reduction of currents and power conversion efficiency (PCE). For such panels to be practical and commercially competitive, this huge bulk-resistance has to be minimized as much as possible. In this study, therefore, we introduce a new novel architecture that essentially compartmentalizes large panels into smaller modules that are connected to each other in a parallel fashion. In this architecture, the metal cathode layer is applied on the top as a series of lines whereas the anodic layer is independently connected to the pixilated cells at the bottom. As a result, these modules act like independent pixel cells wherein the damage from process and operation is limited individual pixel cells. The factors considered in validating the pixilated architecture presented here consisted of effect of number of pixels on efficiency and bulk electrical resistance. In addition, the study shows that pixilated architecture offers more uniform photoactive layers, and hence better photovoltaic performance because of the compartmentalization. |
