Equipment for In Situ Studies of the Surface Structure of Thin Surface Layers in the Process of their Formation

Abstract

The widespread use of polymeric semiconductor compositions for creating flexible and inexpensive solar cells can be achieved by providing the higher values of the coefficient of efficiency. The cost-effective production of polymer solar cells is expected at the efficiency of them not less than 10 %, while now its real level does not exceed 4 %. Many laboratories work to develop semiconductor compositions of organic materials as donors and acceptors which are fullerene derivatives or nanosize particles of semiconductor inorganic compounds [1-6]. The prospect of polymer used depends on the photovoltaic materials and the polymer purity and to a greater extent on the structure of the films formed from the compositions under development. In the search for ways to achieve higher performance of solar cells it is essential to optimize the technology of polymeric composition preparation, of which the active layer is formed, as well as optimization of the layer formation. In order to get information about the relationship between the structure of formed layer and its photovoltaic characteristics it is suggested to analyze the structure of the active layer simultaneously with the monitoring of its current-voltage characteristics. The study of the material structure directly in the process of its evolution seems an urgent task, since the majority of modern methods of structure investigation (light and electron microscopy, X-ray analysis) is not able to detect structural changes occurring in a short period of time. The most useful tool for monitoring the structure of polymer active layer is high intensity X-ray diffraction.