Electrodepostied polyaniline films decorated with nano-islands: Characterization and application as anode buffer layers in solar cells

Polyaniline (PANI) thin films studded with nano-islands on their surface are electrochemically synthesized. The surface morphology of these films can be adjusted by controlling the deposition time during the synthesis. The PANI films decorated with nano-islands are used as the buffer layer in the organic solar cells based on a blend of poly[2-methoxy-5-(3′,7′-dimethyloctyloxy)-1,4-phenylenevinylene] (MDMO-PPV) and [6,6]-phenyl-C61 butyric acid methyl ester (PCBM). The investigation on the characteristics of the solar cells demonstrates that the nano-islands on the PANI buffer surface are helpful in improving the solar cell performance.