Production Aspects of Organic Photovoltaics and Their Impact on the Commercialization of Devices

• DOI: 10.1557/mrs2005.10
• Publication Date: 2011-02-02T12:20:11Z
• Authors: Christoph J. Brabec; Jens A. Hauch; Pavel Schilinsky; Christoph Waldauf
• Keywords: 01 natural sciences; 7. Clean energy; 0104 chemical sciences

AbstractThe essential cost-driving factor for the production of classical photovoltaic devices is the expensive investment in costly semiconductor processing technologies. This unfavorable cost structure has so far prohibited the technology from having a significant impact on global energy production. Nevertheless, the continued high interest in photovoltaics originates from the fact that they represent the only truly portable renewable-energy conversion technology available today. Therefore, the potential of fabricating organic photovoltaic elements on low-cost, thin plastic substrates by standard printing and coating techniques and packaged by lamination is not only intriguing, but highly attractive from a cost standpoint. In this article, we discuss the economic and technical production aspects for organic photovoltaics.