Flexible, conjugated polymer-fullerene-based bulk-heterojunction solar cells: Basics, encapsulation, and integration

Organic solar cells based on conjugated polymer:fullerene blends show nowadays efficiencies above 4%. After briefly presenting the science of bulk-heterojunction solar cells, we report herein a shelf lifetime study performed by encapsulating the cells in a flexible and transparent gas barrier material. This method allows lifetimes as reported for glass encapsulation. Moreover, we propose a new approach to pattern organic solar cells and design large-scale modules. This technique, based on selective Nd:yttrium aluminum garnet (YAG) laser etching, potentially enables low-cost, high-speed roll-to-roll operation.