Design and optimization of polymer-based organic solar cells with enhanced photocurrent using plasmonic metal-metal core-shell nanoparticles

This study explores the influence of shell thickness on photocurrent density in polymer-based solar cells incorporating gold-silver (Au-Ag) and silver-gold (Ag-Au) metal-metal core-shell nanoparticles. Efficient light trapping and absorption in polymer solar cells remain a key challenge, necessitating innovative approaches to improve performance. Addressing this gap, the research investigates how variations in shell thickness impact the plasmonic enhancement of photocurrent density. Simulations reveal that increasing shell thickness initially boosts photocurrent density due to enhanced plasmonic effects but stabilizes or declines slightly beyond an optimal thickness. For example, at a cell thickness of 80 nm, photocurrent densities of 13.74 mA/cm², 16.62 mA/cm², and 19.3 mA/cm² were achieved for the reference cell (without nanoparticles), a cell with Ag nanoparticles, and a cell with Au-Ag nanoparticles, respectively. These results underscore the critical role of shell thickness and material composition in optimizing core-shell nanoparticles for maximizing solar cell efficiency, offering insights for advancing polymer-based photovoltaic technologies. Keywords: Core-shell nanoparticles; organic solar cell; photocurrent; plasmonic nanoparticles; polymer solar cell.