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Frontiers of Chemical Science and Engineering

ISSN 2095-0179

ISSN 2095-0187(Online)

CN 11-5981/TQ

Postal Subscription Code 80-969

2018 Impact Factor: 2.809

Front. Chem. Sci. Eng.    2023, Vol. 17 Issue (2) : 206-216    https://doi.org/10.1007/s11705-022-2203-x
RESEARCH ARTICLE
Ultrafast-laser-treated poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene): poly(styrenesulfonate) electrodes with enhanced conductivity and transparency for semitransparent perovskite solar cells
Yongshun Wang1, Yuxi Dou1, Zhengzhe Wu1, Yingxin Tian1, Yiming Xiong1, Juan Zhao3(), De Fang4, Fuzhi Huang1,2, Yi-Bing Cheng1,2, Jie Zhong1,2()
1. State Key Laboratory of Advanced Technology of Materials Composite Technology, Wuhan University of Technology, Wuhan 430070, China
2. Foshan Xianhu Laboratory of the Advanced Energy Science and Technology Guangdong Laboratory, Foshan 528216, China
3. School of Automobile Engineering, Wuhan University of Technology, Wuhan 430070, China
4. Center for Materials Research and Analysis, Wuhan University of Technology, Wuhan 430070, China
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Abstract

Poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene):poly(styrenesulfonate) (PEDOT:PSS) is an important organic electrode for solution-processed low-cost electronic devices. However, it requires doping and post-solvent treatment to improve its conductivity, and the chemicals used for such treatments may affect the device fabrication process. In this study, we developed a novel route for exploiting ultrafast lasers (femtosecond and picosecond laser) to simultaneously enhance the conductivity and transparency of PEDOT:PSS films and fabricate patterned solution-processed electrodes for electronic devices. The conductivity of the PEDOT:PSS film was improved by three orders of magnitude (from 3.1 to 1024 S·cm–1), and high transparency of up to 88.5% (average visible transmittance, AVT) was achieved. Raman and depth-profiling X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy revealed that the oxidation level of PEDOT was enhanced, thereby increasing the carrier concentration. The surface PSS content also decreased, which is beneficial to the carrier mobility, resulting in significantly enhanced electrical conductivity. Further, we fabricated semitransparent perovskite solar cells using the as-made PEDOT:PSS as the transparent top electrodes, and a power conversion efficiency of 7.39% was achieved with 22.63% AVT. Thus, the proposed route for synthesizing conductive and transparent electrodes is promising for vacuum and doping-free electronics.

Keywords PEDOT:PSS      ultrafast laser      transparent electrode      ST-PSCs      patterning     
Corresponding Author(s): Juan Zhao,Jie Zhong   
About author:

Changjian Wang and Zhiying Yang contributed equally to this work.

Online First Date: 03 November 2022    Issue Date: 27 February 2023
 Cite this article:   
Yongshun Wang,Yuxi Dou,Zhengzhe Wu, et al. Ultrafast-laser-treated poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene): poly(styrenesulfonate) electrodes with enhanced conductivity and transparency for semitransparent perovskite solar cells[J]. Front. Chem. Sci. Eng., 2023, 17(2): 206-216.
 URL:  
https://academic.hep.com.cn/fcse/EN/10.1007/s11705-022-2203-x
https://academic.hep.com.cn/fcse/EN/Y2023/V17/I2/206
Fig.1  (a) Chemical structure of PEDOT:PSS. (b) Solution deposition of PEDOT:PSS films. (c) Schematic of ultrafast laser treatment of PEDOT:PSS films. (d) PEDOT:PSS electrode patterned on PDMS and glass substrates. (e) Effects of doping and ultrafast-laser treatment on the conductivity of PEDOT:PSS films. Effects of (f) ultrafast-laser power, (g) laser scanning speed, and (h) laser line-scan spacing on the sheet resistance of PEDOT:PSS thin films.
Fig.2  (a) Surface SEM images, (b) optical images, (c) cross-section SEM images, and (d) water contact angles of the thin films treated with different laser powers.
SampleRs/(Ω·sq–1)d/nmσ/(S·cm–1)AVT/%T550/%FOM
Pristine21478 ± 34861503.1 ± 0.687.188.40.1
L61208 ± 28615055 ± 1487.088.42.4
L781.4 ± 51201024 ± 6388.590.143.3
L81049 ± 19550191 ± 3694.595.27.2
L922487 ± 50581044 ± 1198.598.61.2
Tab.1  Lists the performances and parameters of the PEDOT:PSS films treated with different laser power
Fig.3  Variation of (a) the AVT and thickness, (b) sheet resistance and conductivity, and (c) figure-of-merit (FOM) of laser-treated PEDOT:PSS films with the laser power. (d) Pristine film and patterned electrode of PEDOT:PSS thin films treated with different laser power. (e) Electrodes patterned on flexible and rigid substrates. (f) Laser-patterned PEDOT:PSS electrodes with different channels for conduction. LED lamps lit via the various channels showed different light intensities.
Fig.4  (a) Raman spectra of PEDOT:PSS thin films treated with different laser power. Raman spectra and deconvolution peaks of (b) pristine, (c) L6, (d) L7, and (e) L8 samples.
Fig.5  (a) S 2p XPS spectra of PEDOT:PSS thin films treated with different laser power; (b) S 2p spectra of the pristine; (c) laser-treated films at different etching times; (d) ratio of PSS to PEDOT in the films treated with different laser power; (e) ratio of PSS to PEDOT at different etching times; (f) work function of the laser-treated thin films at different laser power; (g) AFM topography and (h) phase images of the PEDOT:PSS films (All images are 5 μm × 5 μm).
Fig.6  Depth profile of the PEDOT:PSS thin films, showing the mechanism for the improvement in the electrical conductivity and transparency of the films by ultrafast laser treatment.
Fig.7  (a) Processing and transfer process of PEDOT:PSS thin film and architecture of ST-PSCs. (b) Current-density-voltage curves and (c) transmittance of ST-PSCs with PEDOT:PSS transparent electrodes.
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