This thesis addresses the use of a vibrating Kelvin probe to monitor the change in the front surface potential of a silicon wafer while the rear surface is illuminated with monochromatic, visible light. Two tests were run to verify the change in surface potential. One test increased the intensity of the light and the other increased the wavelength while recording the front surface potential. The change in the surface potential for a range of intensities of incident light was recorded and analyzed. The results show that the change in surface potential increased with increasing intensity. For each wafer, the smallest change in surface potential occurred at the lowest intensity, 3.77 mW. In the same respect, the largest change in surface potential occurred at the highest intensity, 17.8 mW. For all wafers, the change in surface potential ranged from approximately 8 mV at 3.77 mW to approximately 80 mV at 17.8 mW. The change in the surface potential for a range of wavelengths of incident light was also recorded and analyzed. The results showed that the change in surface potential formed a skewed bell curve with increasing wavelength of incident light. For each wafer, the largest change in surface potential occurred at mid-range wavelengths, between 600 nm and 700 nm. The smallest change in surface potential occurred at 450 nm, the shortest wavelength, and 800 nm, the longest wavelength. For all wafers, the change in surface potential ranged from approximately 8 mV at 800 nm to approximately 165 mV at 700 nm. A model based on excess electron diffusion within the silicon wafer was used to predict material properties. After curve fitting the model with experimental results, an excess electron lifetime of ôN = 17 µs and surface recombination rates of sFRONT = sREAR = 18,000cm/s were predicted. These values suggest poor silicon wafer quality relative to commercial silicon devices. Regardless of the quality, the results show that the front surface potential of a silicon wafer is affected by incident light on the rear surface. The quantitative effect of the light is dependent on the properties of the light and the material properties of the silicon wafer.

For organic solar cells: exciton generation, exciton diffusion, charge transfer, and charge transport of a photoactive layer are the important factors in photocurrent generation. In this thesis, we blend small molecular material tris(8-hydroxyquinoline)aluminum (Alq3) into poly [ 2-methoxy-5-(2'-ethyl-hexyloxy)-1,4-phenylene-vinylene ]:short-length carbon nanotubes (MEH-PPV:SLCNTs) films to increase the light absorption, in the range of 300 to 450 nm, and hence increase the exciton generation. The comparison of the photoluminescence (PL) of a donor with that of the Donor-Acceptor composite provides an important and simple method to detect the charge transfer phenomenon. Furthermore, the degree of photoluminescence quenching may be representative of the efficiency of charge transfer. [1-6] Using this concept and method, we obtain that at the mix ratio of 1:0.5 (MEH-PPV:SLCNTs) by weight, 33 wt.% SLCNTs, probably have the maximum of charge transfer efficiency. To further check that at this concentration might have the maximum efficiency of the charge transfer, we also used time-resolved fluorescence spectrometer to measure the fluorescence lifetime of MEH-PPV. The shortest MEH-PPV fluorescence lifetime of 0.15 ns at 33 wt.% SLCNTs corresponds with our conjecture. For simplicity to discuss next experiment results, we make two assumptions at this mix ratio: (1) The efficiency of the charge transfer process is very high, so the competing processes can be neglected. Because of the forward electron transfer process occurs in the sub-picosecond time domain; (2) The exciton diffusion efficiency is approximately unity in the bulk heterojunction photoactive layer. Based on this assumption, the higher degree of photoluminescence quenching of MEH-PPV:Alq3 and MEH-PPV:Alq3:SLCNTs system demonstrates blending alq3 into MEH-PPV:SLCNTs films maybe can increase the charge photogeneration. The PL and UV/VIS absorption spectra are employed to examine the energy transfer process between Alq3 and MEH-PPV. When MEH-PPV:Alq3 films are excited at the wavelength of 380 nm which is in the main absorption region of Alq3, the increase in PL intensity of MEH-PPV at 577nm and the absent emission spectra of Alq3 illustrates Alq3 transfer its energy to MEH-PPV. By scanning electron microscopy, we observed that the surface pinholes became less than that of MEH-PPV films. This result suggests the devices utilizing the MEH-PPV:Alq3 composites as electron donor materials may have smaller electrode contact resistance. From all above the experiment data, we believe using MEH-PPV:Alq3:SLCNT as a photoactive layer perhaps can enhance the device performance.

No description available.

Die heutige optische Informationsverarbeitung erfordert neue Materialien, die Licht effektiv verarbeiten, steuern und speichern können. Photorefraktive (PR) Materialien sind dafür sehr interessant. In diesen Materialien entsteht bei inhomogener Beleuchtung (z.B. mit einem Intererenzmuster) über Ladungsträgergenerierung und Einfang der Ladungsträger in Fallen ein Raumladungsfeld. Dieses wird über den elektrooptischen Effekt in eine räumliche Modulation des Brechungsindex umgesetzt. Letztendlich führt somit die inhomogene Beleuchtung eines PR-Materials zu einer räumlich variierenden Änderung des Brechungsindex. Vor ca. 10 Jahren wurde entdeckt, dass auch Polymere einen PR-Effekt aufweisen können. Die Ansprechzeit dieser Materialien wird dabei wesentlich durch die Dynamik der Ladungsträger (bestimmt durch Erzeugung, Transport, Einfang in Fallen etc.) begrenzt. Bis zu Beginn dieser Arbeit war es noch nicht gelungen, einen quantitativen Zusammenhang zwischen der Ladungsträgerdynamik und der Ansprechzeit des PR-Effekts experimentell nachzuweisen. In dieser Arbeit wird ein Weg aufgezeigt, durch photophysikalische Experimente unter verschiedenen Beleuchtungsbedingungen alle photophysikalischen Größen experimentell zu bestimmen, die den Aufbau des Raumladungsfelds in organischen photorefraktiven Materialien bestimmen. So konnte durch Experimente unter Beleuchtung mit kurzen Einzelpulsen sowohl die Beweglichkeit der freien Ladungsträger als auch die charakteristischen Parameter flacher Fallen ermittelt werden. Zur Bestimmung der Dichte tiefer Fallen wurde die Intensitätsabhängigkeit des stationären Photostroms untersucht. Durch die analytische Lösung des bestimmenden Gleichungssystems konnte gezeigt werden, dass die Sublinearität der Intensitätsabhängigkeit des Photostroms primär mit dem Verhältnis zwischen Entleerungs- und Einfangkoeffizienten tiefer Fallen korreliert. Zur unabhängigen Bestimmung des Entleerungskoeffizienten der tiefen Fallen wurden Doppelpulsexperimente mit variabler Verzögerungszeit zwischen den Pulsen verwendet. Mit den erhaltenen Parametern konnte dann das untere Limit der zum Aufbau des Raumladungsfelds notwendigen Zeit abgeschätzt werden. Diese Werte wurden mit den gemessenen photorefraktiven Ansprechzeiten verglichen. Es zeigt sich, dass weder die Photogeneration noch der Transport der Ladungsträger die Geschwindigkeit des Aufbaus des Raumladungsfeldes limitiert. Stattdessen konnte erstmals quantitativ nachgewiesen werden, dass die Dynamik des Raumladungsfelds in den hier untersuchten PR-Materialien durch das Füllen tiefer Fallen mit photogenerierten Ladungsträgern bestimmt wird. Dabei spielt das Verhältnis zwischen dem Einfang- und dem Rekombinationskoeffizienten eine wesentliche Rolle. Weiterhin wurde die Dynamik des Aufbaus des Raumladungsfelds bei unterschiedlichen Vorbeleuchtungsbedingungen quantitativ simuliert und mit den experimentellen PR-Transienten verglichen. Die gute Übereinstimmung zwischen den simulierten und gemessenen Transienten erlaubte es abschließend, die kritischen Parameter, die die Dynamik des PR-Effekts in den untersuchten Polymeren begrenzen, zu identifizieren. / The ongoing development of information processing requires new materials that are capable of effective light modulation, processing or storage. Photorefractive (PR) materials characterized by a reversible light-induced change of the refractive index have been effectively used for different optical applications. When a photorefractive medium is inhomogeneously irradiated, using for example an interference pattern, the generation, transport and trapping of the charge carriers results in the formation of a space charge field. The spatial modulation of the space charge field is transformed through the electro-optical effect into a modulation of the refractive index.<br /> While photorefractive crystals are well known since the discovery of the PR effect in 1966, the photorefractive effect in polymers has only recently been demonstrated. The flexibility of material composition and thus its parameters along with easy processability of polymer materials essentially extends the range of possible applications of photorefractive materials. The response time of PR polymers is defined by the charge carrier dynamics including generation, transport, trapping etc. But a relation between the charge carriers dynamics and the response time of PR effect has not yet been proven experimentally. In this work a method for the experimental determination of all photo-physical parameters defining the formation of the space charge field in organic photorefractive materials has been proposed for the first time. It is based on the analysis of the photocurrent measured under different irradiation conditions such as continuous and pulse irradiation with different intensities, the variation of the pulse length, the number of pulses or the delay between pulses. Thus, the irradiation with single short pulses allowed to determine the mobility of free charge carriers as well as the characteristic parameters of shallow traps. In order to determine the density of deep traps, the intensity dependence of the steady-state photocurrent was investigated. The determining system of equations was analytically solved and it has been shown that the sublinear dependence of the photocurrent on intensity is primary correlated with the ratio of detrapping and trapping coefficients for deep traps. The detrapping coefficient of deep traps was independently determined from double-pulse experiments in which the delay between two pulses was varied. The dynamics of the space charge field formation has been numerically simulated, using the obtained photophysical parameters, and proven to coincide well with the experimentally determined dynamics of the PR effect. This allowed to relate the parameters of the individual processes participating in the formation of the space charge field to the dynamics of the PR effect in the investigated polymers. These results show that neither photogeneration nor transport of the charge carriers do limit the formation of the space charge field. It is demonstrated that in the investigated PR materials the dynamics of the space charge field is limited by the filling of deep traps with the photogenerated charge carriers.

We present an improved model of charge carrier photogeneration in π-conju- gated polymers with weak intermolecular interactions based on the model of Arkhipov. It includes quantum effects affecting the creation of charge transfer states, which occurs as an intermediate step in the free charge carrier photo- generation process. The electrostatic potential between the electron and the hole and transfer integrals needed for the calculation of the potential barrier for the charge transfer state dissociation are calculated quantum-chemically. We apply our model on experimental data of the charge carrier photogenera- tion efficiency in poly[1-trimethylsilylphenyl,2-phenyl]acetylene to explain its dependence on applied electric field. We eliminate several problems of the previous model. We are able to fit experimental data with just one set of parameters in the whole interval of the applied electric field. We do not have to consider several intervals of the electric field separately as in the previous work and reduce the number of needed parameters to three. Key words π-conjugated polymers, charge carrier photogeneration, photoconductivity 1

Ce travail analyse la formation d'états liés par interaction coulombienne d'excitons dans un ensemble de nanotubes de carbone de chiralité (6,5) en solution. Sous l'action d'une impulsion laser de forte intensité, une grande densité d'excitons est formée dans le nanotube et conduit à la formation d'état de trion et de biexciton. Les mécanismes physiques responsables de la photogénération de ces états ont été analysés dans le cadre de cette thèse. Ces travaux sont effectués à l'aide d'une expérience pompe-sonde dans laquelle le faisceau sonde est un continuum de lumière blanche permettant ainsi l'observation simultanée des états d'exciton, de trion et de biexciton. Cela conduit à l'obtention des énergies de liaison des différentes contributions excitoniques. En outre la dynamique de ces états excitoniques a aussi pu être obtenue avec une résolution temporelle de l'ordre de la centaine de femtosecondes. / In this thesis, we have studied the excitonic bound states formation in an ensemble of chirality (6,5) carbon nanotubes in solution. Under intense laser excitation, a large density of excitons is reached in the nanotube. This leads to the formation of bound states such as trion and biexciton. The physical mecanisms responsible for the photogeneration of these states have been analysed in this thesis. We performed a pump-probe experiment using a white light continuum as the probe beam. This allows the simultaneous observation of the excitonic, trion and biexciton states which gives information about the binding energies of the bound states. Finally, we also studied the dynamics of these excitonic bound states that have been obtained with a temporal resolution close to hundred of femtoseconds.

This thesis is focused on the photochromic molecule of spiropyran, which changes its structure as well as physical and chemical properties after UV irradiation. These changes are reversible, the molecule thermally restore its initial structure. For the study, the molecule SP1 with the systematic name 1',3'-dihydro-1',3',3'-trimethyl-6-nitrospiro[2H-1-benzopyran-2,2'-(2H)-indole] was used. This molecule was incorporated within polymers PVK, Tg PPV, PCBTDPP and PCDTBT and the method of UV-VIS spectroscopy was used to observe the photochromic activity within these matrices. The influence of matrices to the ability to undergo UV induced photochromic conversion as well as to the reverse conversion to the initial structure induced by heat was monitored. Furthermore, the influence of spiropyran to the electrical properties of individual matrices was studied. The effect of photochromic conversion to both, the mobility of charge carriers and to the photogeneration was observed. For this purpose, the method of current-voltage measurement was used.

This diploma thesis is focused on study of electric and optoelectric properties of conjugated polymers. The theoretical part describes the relationship between molecular structure of conjugated materials and their chosen macroscopic physical properties like absorption of visible and ultraviolet radiation, electrical conductivity and photoconductivity. This part also describes photochromism and its utilization for construction of light driven current switch. The experimental part studies this switch based on change of photochromic species dipole moment dispersed in conjugated conducting polymer. The active switching unit is represented by photochromic spiropyran 1’,3’-dihydro-1’,3’,3’-trimethyl-6-nitrospiro[2H-1-benzopyran-2,2’-(2H)-indol] which is dispersed in conjugated conducting polymer poly[2-methoxy-5-(3',7'-dimethyloctyloxy)-1,4-phenylene-vinylen]. The influence of the photochromic conversion on the polymer matrix was studied by absorption spectroscopy, current-voltage measurements and spectrally resolved steady state photoconductivity and transient photoconductivity.

No description available.

The interest in the detail knowledge about elementary electronic processes during photogeneration of charge carriers, which allow achieving higher efficiency of organic solar cells, grows with advent of the commercial organic solar cells production. The thesis is focused on study of photogeneration of charge carriers in organic semiconductors, especially in -conjugated polymer materials. First part of the thesis summarized state of the art in studies of photogeneration of charge carriers in polymer solar cells. Subsequent experimental and results part are focused on study of polymeric solar cells prepared from electron donor polymers MDMO-PPV, Tg-PPV, PCDTBT and PCBTDPP and electron acceptor derivates of fullerenes PC60BM and PC70BM. Results of the thesis are divided in tree main parts: 1) study of charge transfer between electron donor and electron acceptor materials by optical methods, 2) study of charge transfer between electron donor and electron acceptor materials by optoelectrical methods and 3) development of organic solar cells on flexible substrates. The last part is focused largely on deposition methods of active materials thin layer.