Boosting Short-Circuit Current Density and Infrared Absorption in P3HT:PCBM Solar Cells with Plasmonic Aluminum Nanocylinders

Sepahvand, Nasrin; Ghalambor Dezfuli, Abdolmohammad; Bahrami, Mohsen

Volume 18, Issue 2 (Summer-Fall 2024) IJOP 2024, 18(2): 191-206 | Back to browse issues page

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Sepahvand N, Ghalambor Dezfuli A, Bahrami M. Boosting Short-Circuit Current Density and Infrared Absorption in P3HT:PCBM Solar Cells with Plasmonic Aluminum Nanocylinders. IJOP 2024; 18 (2) :191-206
URL: http://ijop.ir/article-1-597-en.html

Boosting Short-Circuit Current Density and Infrared Absorption in P3HT:PCBM Solar Cells with Plasmonic Aluminum Nanocylinders

Nasrin Sepahvand¹

, Abdolmohammad Ghalambor Dezfuli ^*¹

, Mohsen Bahrami²

1- Department of Physics, Faculty of Science, Shahid Chamran University of Ahvaz, Ahvaz, Iran
2- Department of Physics, Faculty of Science, Lorestan University, Khorramabad, Iran

Abstract: (68 Views)

Advancements in light-based technologies necessitate the development of optoelectronic devices for future renewable energy applications. A key challenge in enhancing the efficiency of organic solar cells (OSCs) lies in improving light absorption in the near-infrared (NIR) region, where conventional organic materials, such as P3HT:PCBM, suffer from inherently weak absorption. In this study, we introduce a hexagonal periodic array of aluminum (Al) nanocylinders as a low-cost and effective plasmonic platform to address this limitation. Using finite-difference time-domain (FDTD) simulations, we optimized the nanostructure embedded within the P3HT:PCBM active layer. The proposed design excites strong localized surface plasmon resonances (LSPRs), leading to a significant enhancement in near-field intensity and effective optical path length, particularly across the 650–1200 nm spectrum. Through systematic optimization of nanocylinder dimensions (height: 50 nm, radius: 15 nm) and array periodicity (21 nm), an optimal active layer thickness of 150 nm was identified. The resulting plasmonic OSC achieves a short-circuit current density (

) of 36.04

, twice the value compared to a reference cell without nanoparticles. These results underscore the promising role of aluminum nanocylinders in enabling high-performance, thin-film, and cost-effective photovoltaic devices.

Keywords: Aluminum nanocylinders, FDTD, Light trapping, Near-infrared absorption, Organic solar cells, Plasmonics.

Full-Text [PDF 574 kb] (52 Downloads)

Type of Study: Research | Subject: Photovoltaic Cells
Received: 2025/09/21 | Revised: 2026/05/10 | Accepted: 2026/04/25 | Published: 2024/12/30