Implementation of data-cube pump–probe KPFM on organic solar cells

Abstract

An implementation of pump–probe Kelvin probe force microscopy (pp-KPFM) is reported that enables recording the time-resolved surface potential in single-point mode or over a 2D grid. The spectroscopic data are acquired in open z-loop configuration, which simplifies the pp-KPFM operation. The validity of the implementation is probed by measurements using electrical pumping. The dynamical photoresponse of a bulk heterojunction solar cell based on PTB7 and PC71BM is subsequently investigated by recording point-spectroscopy curves as a function of the optical power at the cathode and by mapping 2D time-resolved images of the surface photovoltage of the bare organic active layer.

Keywords

• bulk heterojunctions
• kelvin probe force microscopy (kpfm)
• organic photovoltaics
• photocarrier dynamics
• pump–probe configuration
• time-resolved measurements