Organic Solar Cell: An Overview on Performance and Fabrication Techniques NurulBariah Idris 1, a , Mohd Natashah Norizan 2,b , Ili Salwani Mohamad 2,c 1 Semiconductor Photonics & Integrated Lightwave Systems (SPILS), Tun Abdul Razak Laser Laboratory (TAREL), School of Microelectronic Engineering, Universiti Malaysia Perlis, Perlis, Malaysia 2 School of Microelectronic Engineering, Universiti Malaysia Perlis, Perlis, Malaysia a nurulbariah.idris@gmail.com, b mohdnatashah@unimap.edu.my, c ilisalwani@unimap.edu.my Keywords: organic solar cell, material, fabrication, efficiencies Abstract. This paper review based on the organic solar cell (OSC). In this review we investigates on the performance perspectives and theoretical of the solar cell using both simulation and spin coating fabrication technique. This paper reviews on progress several organic materials which use as active layer and issues on device efficiencies. This paper also review on development in device structure to get desired higher output in OSC. Introduction Organic solar cell (OSC) devices demonstrate great potential for decreasing the cost, easy deposition process on flexible substrate. Solar cell is basically operates in p-n junction semiconductor while organic solar cell based on concept donor and electron acceptor in the material. With respect to understanding the chemistry, physics, and materials science of organic materials, work and research remains to be done to further improve their performance. The concept of bulk heterojunction (BHJ) was introduces in 90’s [1]. Organic solar cell has relatively low efficiency and it degraded faster than inorganic solar cell [2,3]. The efficiency can be improve by optimizing the parameter: (i) thickness of the active layer, (ii) efficient separation between donor and acceptor interfaces, (iii) optical absorption range and the properties of the material. BHJ is the improvement of the organic solar cell where two types of the organic material which represent donor and acceptor were blend together and dissolves in a solvent to make the active layer film. Recent research and work of BHJ progress have improved the efficiency to 4-6% [4-8]. For organic semiconductors, we need to consider the highest occupied molecular orbital (HUMO) and lowest occupied molecular orbital (LUMO) of the material which these are roughly equivalent to the valence and conduction band for normal semiconductors. The energy difference between the HUMO and LUMO of the donor and acceptor show that the mechanism of electron transfer can enhance the excited electrons and holes diffusion length in solar cell [9]. There are many type of conjugated polymer being used in the OSC. Mostly recent research used bulk heterojunction or combination of donor and acceptor material in order to improve the performance of the OSC. Here we review the use of PPV derivative with fullerene and another one is P3HT with fullerene solar cell. Shaheen et al presented a OSC device by mixing MDMO-PPV: PCBM solution in chlorobenzene using spin coating technique gives the efficiency of 2.5% [10]. By changing type of solvent being used we can study the morphology of the material and different solvent used gives different output of the performance of the OSC. There are few parameters that can affect the performance of the OSC such as solution concentration, annealing temperature and time, weight ratio between conjugated polymer and fullerene and solvent being used to dilute the polymer. Padinger et al showed that characteristic of OSC can be improved by applying simultaneously external voltage when anneal the device [11]. By using the correct annealing step , we can reduces the Applied Mechanics and Materials Vols. 754-755 (2015) pp 540-545 Submitted: 06.01.2015 © (2015) Trans Tech Publications, Switzerland Accepted: 06.01.2015 doi:10.4028/www.scientific.net/AMM.754-755.540 All rights reserved. No part of contents of this paper may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means without the written permission of TTP, www.ttp.net. (ID: 1.9.65.126-09/02/15,11:35:12)