Methods for fabricating devices including photovoltaic devices
AssigneeMassachusetts Institute of Technology
InventorsKaren K. Gleason, Vladimir Bulovic, Miles C. Barr, David C. Borrelli
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Embodiments described herein provide methods for processing various polymer materials for use in devices, such as photovoltaic devices. In some cases, oxidative chemical vapor deposition (oCVD) may be used to process conjugated polymers, including relatively insoluble conjugated polymers. The methods described herein provide processing techniques that may be used to synthesize and/or process polymers, such as unsubstituted thiophene.
Claims41
A method of forming a semiconducting polymer on a surface, comprising:
- reacting a vapor-phase monomer species and a vapor-phase oxidizing agent to produce a vapor comprising a semiconducting polymer precursor;
- contacting the vapor with a surface to form the semiconducting polymer precursor on the surface;
- and
- treating the semiconducting polymer precursor on the surface with a reducing agent to produce the semiconducting polymer, wherein the conductivity of the semiconducting polymer is less than the semiconducting polymer precursor.
A method of fabricating a photovoltaic device, comprising:
- reacting a vapor-phase monomer species and a vapor-phase oxidizing agent to produce a vapor comprising an electron-donating polymer precursor;
- contacting the vapor with a surface to form the electron-donating polymer precursor on the surface;
- treating the electron-donating polymer precursor on the surface with a reducing agent to produce the electron-donating polymer;
- and
- providing an electron-accepting material in contact with the electron-donating polymer, wherein the conductivity of the electron-donating polymer is less than the electron-donating polymer precursor.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.